Just in case things weren't already confusing enough (or my post wasn't long enough) mania can also present as darker or more anxiety based than the typical "happy" mania. This is very confusing- and causes confusion in diagnosing. The best way I can think of to describe it, is that someone might have all the high energy symptoms of mania or hypomania, but they don't have the happy, so the energy gets focused on negative things . Some symptoms are similar, still lots of energy, easily distracted, little sleep or no sleep, extra fast movements and speech, starting things and being unable to finish, but the emotion behind those actions is anxiety or fear, or otherwise negative. And symptoms might also include severe, severe anxiety, anger and lashing out at people, or very dangerous behavior. When this happens it might be called a "mixed episode", meaning mixed between depressive and manic episode. But depending on specifics as well as who you ask, it might just still be called a manic episode. According to the textbook definition, people with BP2 do not have mixed episodes and there is nothing called a hypomanic/depressive episode. But some people with BP2 (including me) do have periods of time with some of the same symptoms they have during hypomania but where they are very anxious instead of being happy. The textbook would probably say that this is a separate anxiety disorder, and it is true that an anxiety disorder would certainly have some of the same symptoms. And certainly people with either bipolar disorder, or with depression can also have anxiety disorders. But from personal and professional experience, I've seen a lot of what appears to be anxious hypomanic episodes, or that seems like the simplest description of them. And doing mental gymnastics to avoid calling something a mixed episode or to say that anxiety is not or can not be a primary symptom in a hypomanic episode, doesn't seem like it does anyone any good. It does cause a lot of confusion in diagnosing, both because of people wanting to go by textbook definitions, and because it is honestly very confusing. It would be hard to recognize or even consider the possibility of anxious hypomanic episodes or even dark/anxious/mixed manic episodes, if you don't already know that you are dealing with someone who has had more typical "happy" manic or hypomanic episodes. I've probably had a different diagnosis from every provider I've seen, at least in part because of this. Also because some providers only saw me during depressive episodes. At this point, exact wording doesn't really matter to me, but it does sometimes irk me.
Sorry for the ridiculously long essay.

Bipolar 1 has more severe ups and downs than bipolar 2 from what I've heard. But I'm not exactly sure. I'm sure there will be plenty of people here that will be able to explain it much better than I can and have been diagnosed with either one or both.

Curtis Jones
Way back over 40 yrs ago when I was diagnosed by my family doctor & then had a few appointments with a specialist - there was no Bipolar 1 or 2.
I think the difference has something to do with the amount of time over a number of weeks ( or over a short length of time)
a person with Bipolar feels energetic; needs little sleep - that your mind ( thinking) is very active ( your talking speed may be quicker ).
... then you go from that up mood into a less hectic phase ... then you eventually get into a length of time when you feel tired ( maybe you feel tired but you have trouble sleeping).
You could become angry with yourself because you don't get things done. You struggle with negative thoughts.
You might get argumentative with family, friends or co-workers.
Look for an explanation on this site .. maybe under resources.
Hope this helps .. you can see I am no doctor, lol.
Sandra

I do not have full manic episodes- which means I have BP2. Full manic episodes can include all the hypomanic symptoms, but more so, and have some extra symptoms of their own. So people may be in an extremely elevated mood, believe that nothing can go wrong, stop sleeping or get very little little sleep, speak extremely fast and constantly, jump from idea to idea and not be able to stay on one subject, start lots of impractical or unmanagable projects, overestimate their abilities, spend a lot of money (including money they don't have), and be extremely impulsive. On the most severe end of mania, people can have psychotic symptoms, they may see or hear things that are not there, be paranoid, or believe that they have special abilities or powers. Not everyone who has manic episodes gets to that level, that's just the most severe end. People in manic episodes generally do not know or cannot accept that they are manic while they are in the episode- they can easily identify it after the episode is over. Manic episodes are generally noticed by others, anyone spending a significant amount of time with the person can tell that something unusual is happening. And people who know that the person has BP or are especially familiar with BP are likely to be able to identify a manic episode based on the person's outward behavior.

Doctor or clinician can help ya....or look at each, which symptoms are you more of.

I am BP2, as I'm more depressive not more manic. I get down, down, down, down and love to escapism of sleep, although that is not healthy either. I always go through the "do I really have BP? or only severe depression" yet, I'll deal with it or try to.