Bipolar II Disorder

Book excerpt: "Unlike its cousin, bipolar I disorder, which has been extensively studied and depicted in popular literature and on screen, bipolar II disorder is poorly understood, underdiagnosed, and insufficiently treated. Bipolar II Disorder: Recognition, Understanding, and Treatment is the only text on the market that examines every aspect of the disorder in an up-to-date, rigorous, and clinically oriented manner. The editors, experts on the diagnosis and treatment of this neglected illness, have gathered a group of contributors who together advance the reader's knowledge of the disease in a systematic, accessible way, identifying and addressing the challenges of diagnosis and treatment and exploring current thinking on the biological determinants of the disorder. Acknowledging potential pitfalls of differential diagnosis, the book examines psychiatric comorbidities that most typically co-occur with bipolar II, such as anxiety disorders, impulse-control disorders, and borderline personality disorder. Next, the book focuses on the growing body of evidence that suggests that the underlying biology of bipolar II is distinct from that of other mood disorders and discusses the increasingly important role that neuroimaging plays in the diagnosis and understanding of bipolar II disorder as research progresses. Finally, the text explores how to manage bipolar II disorder, providing an up-to-date review of medication options and psychosocial treatments."--