• In Bipolar I Disorder, a person has manic or mixed episodes and almost always has depressions as well. If you have just become ill for the first time and it was with a manic episode, your are still considered to have bipolar I disorder. It is likely that you will go on in the future to have episodes of depression, as well as mania-unless you get effective treatment.
• In Bipolar II Disorder, a person has only hypomanic and depressive episodes, not full manic or mixed episodes. This type is often hard to recognize because hypomania may seem "supernormal," especially if the person feels happy, has lots of energy, and avoids getting into serious trouble. If you have bipolar II disorder, you may overlook hypomania and seek treatment only for your depressions. Unfortunately, if the only medication you receive is an antidepressant, there is a risk that the medication may trigger a "high" or set off more frequent cycles.
• In Rapid Cycling Bipolar Disorder, a person has at least four episodes per year, in any combination of manic, hypomanic, mixed, or depressive episodes. This course pattern is seen in approximately 5%-15% of patients with bipolar disorder. It sometimes results from "chasing" depressions too hard with antidepressants, which may trigger a high, followed by a crash (i.e., you keep going up and down as if on a roller coaster).
• Schizoaffective Disorder: This term is used to describe a condition that in some ways overlaps with bipolar disorder. In addition to mania or depression, there are persistent psychotic symptoms (hallucinations or delusions) during times when mood symptoms are under control. In contrast, in bipolar disorder, any psychotic symptoms that occur during severe episodes of mania or depression end as mood returns to normal.

	Common annoying side effects you might see early in treatment, depending on dose	Long-term problems to watch for (there are often solutions without changing medicine)	Rare but potentially dangerous side effects
Lithium	Tremor Muscle weakness Upset stomach, diarrhea Thirst, increased urination Trouble concentrating	Weight gain Thyroid problems Kidney problems Acne	Lithium toxicity: severe tremor, nausea, and confusion from overdosage or dehydration.