Why is bipolar disorder so commonly misdiagnosed?

Patients with bipolar disorder are often misdiagnosed as having unipolar depression in many circumstances. The reason is related to clinicians or patients lacking knowledge about manic and hypomanic symptoms.

Is bipolar disorder being overdiagnosed?

Only 33% of patients previously diagnosed with a bipolar disorder met full criteria for Bipolar I or II. The authors concluded that 67% of patients were overdiagnosed with bipolar disorder (Goldberg et al., 2008). The Hirschfeld et al.

Can you be misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder?

Another reason bipolar may be misdiagnosed is if there is a more 'pressing' or immediate mental health condition that overshadows the Bipolar. For example, people with Autistic Spectrum Disorder who also have bipolar disorder may not receive an accurate diagnosis because of what is called 'diagnostic overshadowing.

What is bipolar disorder commonly misdiagnosed as?

As a consequence, Schwartz says, those with bipolar disorder are often misdiagnosed as having depression and may be given inappropriate treatment. “When bipolar disorder is missed, people can be put on medication that actually worsens the manic symptoms,” Schwartz says.

What is the most misdiagnosed mental illness?

Depression was found to be the most likely misdiagnosed mental disorder instead of bipolar disorder and bipolar disorder was most likely misdiagnosed with depressive disorders [24, 25].

Bipolar Disorder vs ADHD: A Common Misdiagnosis

Is bipolar often misdiagnosed as ADHD?

Approximately 20 percent of people with ADHD also suffer from bipolar disorder, a serious mental illness characterized by depressive and manic episodes. Since both conditions share symptoms, but ADHD is more common, bipolar disorder is often missed or misdiagnosed.

How often is bipolar depression misdiagnosed?

According to Drs. Tanvir Singh and Muhammad Rajput, 69% of people with bipolar disorder are initially misdiagnosed with another mental health disorder, most commonly unipolar depression. More than 30% of those remain misdiagnosed for 10 years or more and the average patient remains misdiagnosed for 5.7-7.5 years.

Is borderline often misdiagnosed as bipolar?

BPD Looks Like So Many Other Mental Health Conditions

In particular, there is evidence that BPD is commonly misdiagnosed as Bipolar Disorder, Type 2. One study showed that 40% of people who met criteria for BPD but not for bipolar disorder were nevertheless misdiagnosed with Bipolar Type 2.

Can anxiety be mistaken for bipolar?

Bipolar disorder and anxiety are two mental health conditions that can look and feel similar. Some people also experience anxiety and bipolar disorder together. The differences come in the triggers behind the overarching symptoms.

What mental illness is similar to bipolar?

A number of other mental disorders are associated with mood swings. Mental disorders which may be commonly confused with bipolar disorder include Borderline Personality Disorder , Schizoaffective Disorder, Unipolar Depression, and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.

Can an MRI detect bipolar disorder?

MRIs and CT scans can provide detailed images of the brain and its structures. But currently, doctors don't use them to diagnose bipolar disorder. Detecting bipolar disorder is typically done through a diagnostic interview with a mental health professional.

What happens if you take bipolar medication without being bipolar?

Taking an antidepressant without a mood stabilizer is likely to trigger a manic episode. Antidepressants can increase mood cycling. Many experts believe that over time, antidepressant use in people with bipolar disorder has a mood destabilizing effect, increasing the frequency of manic and depressive episodes.

What does undiagnosed bipolar look like?

The main sign of bipolar disorder is extreme mood swings that go from emotional highs to emotional lows. Manic episodes cause people to seem very energetic, euphoric, or irritable. During depressive episodes, your loved one may seem sad, upset, or tired all the time.

Is bipolar becoming more common?

In recent years, bipolar disorder diagnoses have become more common, particularly in adolescents and young adults. While the National Institute of Mental Health has been hesitant to attribute the rise to any one factor, they do point out that we can interpret the rise in a number of potential ways.

Is overthinking a symptom of bipolar?

Racing thoughts are often one of the first symptoms to develop when someone with bipolar disorder is entering a hypomanic or manic episode. 4 It can be—but is not always—a debilitating experience.

How do you rule out bipolar disorder?

To diagnose bipolar disorder, a doctor performs a physical exam, asks about your symptoms, and recommends blood testing to determine if another condition, such as hypothyroidism, is causing your symptoms. If the doctor does not find an underlying cause of your symptoms, he or she performs a psychological evaluation.

Can I be bipolar without mania?

Bipolar II disorder is a type of bipolar disorder in which people experience depressive episodes as well as hypomanic episodes (shifting back and forth), but never mania. People with bipolar II disorder tend to have longer and more frequent depressed episodes than people with bipolar I disorder.

What separates BPD from bipolar?

People with bipolar disorder tend to experience mania and depression while people with BPD experience intense emotional pain and feelings of emptiness, desperation, anger, hopelessness, and loneliness. Time: In BPD, mood changes are often more short-lived. They may last for only a few hours at a time.

Can BPD look like bipolar?

Let's focus on the sometimes-confused conditions of Bipolar Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). In a snapshot, they can look similar—both can present with impulsive behavior, intense emotions and suicidal thinking.

How can you tell the difference between bipolar 1 and 2?

The main difference between bipolar 1 and bipolar 2 disorders lies in the severity of the manic episodes caused by each type. A person with bipolar 1 will experience a full manic episode, while a person with bipolar 2 will experience only a hypomanic episode (a period that's less severe than a full manic episode).

Is bipolar more serious than depression?

Also, bipolar disorder features more phases than does major depressive disorder, including mania, hypomania and depression. But in terms of severity, neither disorder is worse, or better, than the other.

Does bipolar worsen with age?

Changes in the frequency and severity of episodes are among the most evident changes in bipolar disorder at an older age. Research suggests that older adults with bipolar disorder often experience: more frequent episodes. more depressive episodes and less time spent in manic or hypomanic states.

What happens if bipolar goes untreated?

When left untreated, the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder will often increase in severity and may lead to suicide; there is a high suicide rate for people with the disorder. When treated, it's possible to control the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder and enjoy a more stable and fulfilling life.

Does bipolar make you Neurodivergent?

Types of Neurodivergence

Some other conditions such as schizophrenia, OCD, anti-social personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, dissociative disorder, and bipolar disorder can be classed as a form of neurodivergence too.

What are 5 signs of bipolar?