Bipolar disorder, sometimes referred to as 'manic depression', is a condition that is often misunderstood and misdiagnosed – despite there being over 5 million Americans who suffer from it. Many people believe that bipolar disorder is a serious, debilitating disease that cannot be controlled and that people who have it will end their lives in an insane asylum. This is not the case. If diagnosed and treated in a timely and professional manner, at mental health treatment centers, it is very possible for someone with bipolar disorder to live a happy, fulfilling life.
The requirement for a bipolar disorder diagnosis is one or more episodes of mania – that is, hugely elevated levels of energy in thought and behavior – with or without one or more episodes of depression. Sometimes, the individual suffering from bipolar disorder may have mania and depression at the same time. This is known as a mixed state.
There are no biological tests that can be done to diagnose someone as having bipolar disorder. Bipolar patients have been studied for decades through blood tests, MRI’s, etc., but there is no one common link amongst them that points specifically to bipolar disorder. That is one reason why it is frequently misdiagnosed as schizophrenia, or some other disorder, resulting in patients receiving the wrong mental illness treatment. At other times, the symptoms are so mild that the individual may go undiagnosed for years.
That is not to say bipolar disorder is harmless. In rare but severe cases, people suffering from bipolar disorder may attempt suicide during their mixed or depressive episodes and can exhibit dangerous behavior toward others during their manic phases. They can also suffer from delusions, hallucinations, or addiction which is another reason why bipolar disorder is frequently misdiagnosed. Even if the individual does not act violently toward themself or others, they may still be quietly suffering alone from the devastating mania and depressive moods. Dual diagnosis treatment centers have developed an effective program to treat this complex illness.
Bipolar disorder affects men and women equally, across different cultures and not all sufferers have the same symptoms. Some suffer from more depressive episodes, with symptoms which include persistent sadness, guilt, hopelessness, isolation and sometimes chronic pain, while others have more frequent episodes of mania, with symptoms including increased energy, irritation, aggression, and intolerance.
Diagnosis begins with self-reported experiences by the patient, together with observations of abnormal behaviors by the family. These reports prompt careful professional assessments by psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and/or other specialists. Again, there are no biological tests to determine for sure whether someone has bipolar disorder, but the specialist can eliminate other possibilities.
In general, it is a good idea to seek professional help if you or a loved one has a week or more of abnormal mood elevation, two weeks of a major depressive episode, or one week of rapidly alternating extreme moods occurring nearly every day. However, if a mood abnormality is particularly extreme, it is better to seek bipolar treatment even sooner, rather than wait for something to happen. Bipolar disorder is easier to treat if it is caught early, especially before the person suffering from it starts to self-medicate with drugs or alcohol, which is surprisingly common. When this happens, diagnosis and treatment become much more difficult, due to the extra symptoms caused by the drugs. It is better to be safe than sorry and we want to help you in any way we can.
