Other Specified Bipolar and Related Disorders is a category of DSM-5 diagnoses that applies to individuals who have symptoms characteristic of a bipolar and related disorder (e.g. - bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymic disorder) but do not meet the full criteria for any of them. “Other Specified” diagnoses are not limited to these disorders and are used throughout the DSM-5 to capture presentations where individuals have significant clinical impairment but do not meet standard criteria.[1]
1
or more major depressive episodes in individuals whose presentation has never met full criteria for a manic or hypomanic episode but who have experienced 2
or more episodes of short-duration hypomania that meet the full symptomatic criteria for a hypomanic episode but that only last for 2 to 3
days.1
or more major depressive episodes in individuals whose presentation has never met full criteria for a manic or hypomanic episode but who have experienced 1
or more episodes of hypomania that do not meet full symptomatic criteria (i.e. - at least 4 consecutive days of elevated mood and 1 or 2
of the other symptoms of a hypomanic episode, or irritable mood and 2 or 3
of the other symptoms of a hypomanic episode).1
or more hypomanic episodes in an individual whose presentation has never met full criteria for a major depressive episode or a manic episode.24
months (less than 12 months for children or adolescents) in an individual whose presentation has never met full criteria for a major depressive, manic, or hypomanic episode and does not meet criteria for any psychotic disorder.2
months at a time, and the symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment.