Hypomania Defined

• Hypomania is an abnormally elevated mood in which a person talks more, needs less sleep, is more quickly irritated and can also engage in impulsive behavior such as risky sex, according to the DSM-IV criteria.
  
  

Depression Defined

• Depression is an unusually sad mood that causes loss of interest in once-enjoyed activities and may or may not include suicidal thoughts, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
  
  

Time Frame

• To merit a bipolar II diagnosis, a hypomanic state usually must last at least four days and be preceded or followed by a depressive episode, according to the DSM-IV criteria.
  
  

Considerations

• If the patient has had a manic state, where severe impulsive behavior and excessive talking may occur, then a bipolar II diagnosis usually will not apply.
  
  

Function

• Those who have bipolar II usually suffer some impairment to normal functioning during their mood swings but not to the severity those with bipolar I might experience.