Link to this article in U.S. News
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"The primary differences between bipolar 1 and bipolar 2 relate to the intensity of the manic experience," explains Dr. Melvin McInnis, a professor of psychiatry and director of the Heinz C. Prechter Bipolar Research Program at the University of Michigan.
With classic bipolar 1 disorder, the manic episode tends to be incapacitating, so that a person isn't able to perform day-to-day duties or function at home and work. This type of mania tends to be very noticeable. "The manifestations of this pathologic energy is typically visible to the person on the street or the person interacting with them," McInnis says.
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