10 Things to Know About the Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder in Women

Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that causes changes in mood — from low mood (depression) to extreme high mood (mania). Some people experience hypomania, a milder version of mania.

Bipolar disorder is just as common in men as in women, but bipolar disorder symptoms in women can look different. Women often have more episodes of depression than men. They’re also more likely to have hypomania, instead of mania. And women’s mood episodes tend to follow different patterns over time, possibly due to hormonal shifts and life stages. 

Curious to learn more? Let’s dive in.

10 ways bipolar disorder symptoms are different in women

Many bipolar disorder symptoms are the same for all genders. People with bipolar disorder have recurring episodes of depression, mania, or hypomania. 

Before we go on, it’s important to know that there are two main types of bipolar disorder: 

1. Bipolar I disorder: episodes of depression and mania

2. Bipolar II disorder: episodes of depression and hypomania

So how is bipolar different for women?  

1. More hypomania: Women with bipolar are more likely to have hypomania than men. This means they’re more likely to have a diagnosis of bipolar II disorder. 

2. More mixed episodes: Women have “mixed episodes” more often than men. A mixed episode is when you have symptoms of depression and mania (or hypomania) at the same time. Men are more likely to have separate episodes of depression and mania. 

3. More anxiety: Women often have anxiety symptoms during mixed episodes. Women with bipolar disorder are also more likely than men to have panic attacks or panic disorder. 

4. More depression: Women are more likely than men to have a depressive episode first — before a manic or hypomanic episode. Women are also more likely to have multiple depressive episodes during their lifetime and to have depression with psychosis. 

5. Seasonal triggers: Women are more likely to have seasonal mood episodes, especially in the spring and fall. 

6. More rapid cycling: Women may be more likely to have rapid cycling bipolar disorder. This is when you have 4 or more mood episodes in 1 year. 

7. More suicide attempts: Women with bipolar disorder are more likely to make suicide attempts, but death by suicide is more common in men. 

8. Hormonal triggers: In women with bipolar disorder, symptoms can appear (or reappear) during or after pregnancy and during menopause. Some women also have symptoms that get better or worse throughout the month with their menstrual cycle. 

9. Mental health conditions: People with bipolar can have other mental health conditions, too. Women are more likely than men to have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eating disorders, and borderline personality disorder. They’re less likely to have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or a substance use disorder. 

10. Other health conditions: People with bipolar disorder can also have physical health problems. Women are more likely than men to have migraines, hypothyroidism, and autoimmune disease. 

Quiz: Am I Bipolar?

When do signs of bipolar disorder start to appear in women?

Bipolar disorder can appear in any gender, at any age. It usually starts in your teens or 20s. Often women first have a depressive episode (or multiple) as an adult — before they have a manic (or hypomanic) episode. This is different from men, who are more likely to have a manic episode in childhood. 

There’s also some evidence that women are diagnosed with bipolar disorder later in life than men. It’s not clear why. It may simply be that women get bipolar disorder later than men. Or it might be because bipolar disorder often goes undiagnosed in women for many years. 

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Written by:

Sarah Gupta, MD

Sarah Gupta, MD, is a licensed physician with a special interest in mental health, sex and gender, eating disorders, and the human microbiome. She is currently board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Edited by:

Sophie Vergnaud, MD

Sophie Vergnaud, MD, is the Senior Medical Director for GoodRx Health. An experienced and dedicated pulmonologist and hospitalist, she spent a decade practicing and teaching clinical medicine at academic hospitals throughout London before transitioning to a career in health education and health technology.

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