Question

A 15-year-old girl was brought in by her mother, who was concerned about her daughter's behaviour and mood over the last year. Her mother reports periods of excessive crying, difficulty waking (and increased school absenteeism as a result), and a lack of interest in spending time with friends. These symptoms occur for weeks at a time. At other times, according to her mother, her daughter is excitable, energetic (to the point of restless), and very talkative, with conversations jumping from topic to topic. During these times (which usually last a few days), her mother finds her daughter to be very irritable. The patient herself concurs and reports that she "just doesn't feel right most of the time", indicating that she either feels "down and scared about everything" or "like I can handle anything and everyone". She denies, however, changes in appetite, energy, or concentration and does not report feelings of guilt or worthlessness. What diagnosis is most appropriate? A. Bipolar I B. Bipolar II C. Cyclothymic disorder D. Persistent depressive disorder E. Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder

Answer 1

The symptoms described align most closely with Bipolar II disorder, which consists of episodes of hypomania and depression that alternate and adhere to a specific duration.

Step-by-step explanation:

The symptoms described indicate a mood disorder. After considering all the options, it's most likely that the 15-year-old girl is dealing with Bipolar II Disorder. Criterion for Bipolar II disorder includes distinct periods of elevated mood, increased activity or energy, often manifested by distractibility, decreased need for sleep, and talkativeness (hypomanic episodes). These periods are then followed by clearly identifiable periods of depression, which is reflected in the excessive crying, difficulty waking, and lack of interest in social activities as described. These depressive and hypomanic episodes must last for certain periods of time, and in this case, the history matches these requirements.

Learn more about Bipolar II Disorder