It is characterized by elevated mood lasting less than one week and is not disruptive to one's life. The three major types of bi-polar disorders are differentiated by the degree of mania or depression and which of them predominates. Cyclothymia is the third type of bi-polar disorder and is identified by an alteration between hypomania and mild depression. Differences in Women Unlike depression alone, which is predominate in women, bi-polar disorders effect both genders equally. However, there are still gender differences in the course and treatment of the disease.
Women are more likely to rapidly cycle between high and low moods.
The reasons for this are unclear. It may due to women's higher rates of hypothyroidism. Any woman on lithium who experiences a return of depressive symptoms on lithium should be tested for hypothyroidism, which can cause depression in and of itself. Rapid cycling may also be due to the use of antidepressants to control the disease. This in turn is used in women more often because women express the depressive aspects of the disease more.