What is Bipolar II Disorder? Bipolar disorder II is a major psychiatric disorder in which the person experiences occasional episodes of hypomania. Persons with this disorder also experience episodes of extremely low mood (depression). In between these extremes, the person's mood may be normal. Bipolar II disorder involves episodes of elevated mood and depression. Learn how it differs from bipolar I, how to recognize it, and which treatments can help. While the manic episodes of bipolar I disorder can be severe and dangerous, people with bipolar II disorder can be depressed for longer periods of time. Bipolar disorder can start at any age, but usually it's diagnosed in the teenage years or early 20s. Living with bipolar II disorder means having periods of hypomania followed by periods of depression. We explain the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of bipolar II disorder. What Is Bipolar II Disorder? Bipolar II disorder (pronounced bipolar two ) is a form of mental illness. Bipolar II is similar to bipolar I disorder with moods cycling between high and low over. Type 2 bipolar disorder earns the spotlight for its major depression episodes. It's as if what's lost in having only a dampened manic phase (hypomania) is frequently made up for on the. Learn how symptoms may differ between bipolar I and bipolar II disorders and what you can do for diagnosis, treatment, support options, and more. What are the bipolar 2 criteria? Learn the DSM-5-TR diagnostic requirements for hypomania and depression, and how Type 2 differs from Bipolar 1. Reviewed by an MD. Bipolar II Disorder is a mood disorder characterized by alternating periods of depression and hypomania, a less severe form of mania. Bipolar II Disorder is a mental disorder characterized by a clinical course of recurring mood episodes consisting of at least one major depressive episode and at least one hypomanic episode. The depressive episode must last at least 2 weeks, and the hypomanic episode must last at least 4 days.