Bipolar disorder, not so rare diagnosis: subtypes of different degrees of severity, diagnosis, therapy

Bipolar disorder is manifesting as a mood disorder, typically showing episodes of mania, alternating with depressive episodes. The subtypes are including bipolar I disorder (one or several manic episodes) and bipolar II disorder (hypomanic episodes and one or several major depressive episodes). Nevertheless, sub-threshold diagnosis criteria may include another 5.1, up to 6.4% of the population as having a bipolar spectrum disorder diagnosis. Anyone who received the diagnosis is not considered cured afterwards (just in remission). Diagnosis is considering the symptoms of mania, hypomania and depression. Therapy is based on lithium, anticonvulsants, for the manic symptoms, lamotrigine for the depressive episodes and antipsychotics. Under medication, most of the affected subjects are living a normal life; to a certain degree, medication may also prevent the relapses.