What can bipolar be misdiagnosed as?
As mentioned previously, the most common misdiagnosis for bipolar patients is unipolar depression. An incorrect diagnosis of unipolar depression carries the risk of inappropriate treatment with antidepressants, which can result in manic episodes and trigger rapid cycling.
What is the most common misdiagnosis for bipolar patients?
The most common misdiagnosis was depression (96 cases, 70.6%) followed by schizophrenia (28 cases, 20.6%) and obsessive compulsive disorder (21 cases, 15.4%); also included were anxiety disorder (9 cases, 6.6%) and personality disorder (2 cases, 1.5%) (see figure 3).
What factors may make it difficult to diagnose a person with bipolar disorder as opposed to another disorder?
A major reason for the difficult diagnosis is the challenge of differentiating bipolar disorder type I or II from unipolar depression—an illness characterised by recurrent depressive episodes— especially in patients who present during a depressive episode and in those with no clear history of mania or hypomania.
Which drug is most likely to mimic the symptoms of mania?
Drugs with a definite propensity to cause manic symptoms include levodopa, corticosteroids and anabolic-androgenic steroids. Antidepressants of the tricyclic and monoamine oxidase inhibitor classes can induce mania in patients with pre-existing bipolar affective disorder.
Are most drug addicts bipolar?
Many people with an addiction have a co-existing mental health condition such as bipolar disorder. Once known as “manic depression,” bipolar disorder causes mood swings between intense emotional highs and lows. In a study of people with bipolar disorder, approximately 60 percent had some history of substance abuse.
What is the life expectancy of someone with bipolar disorder?
The average reduction in life expectancy in people with bipolar disorder is between nine and 20 years, while it is 10 to 20 years for schizophrenia, between nine and 24 years for drug and alcohol abuse, and around seven to 11 years for recurrent depression.
Does Bipolar remember what they say?
When a person with bipolar disorder regularly exaggerates their stories, it may be that this is how they remember them. The tendency for rapid speech during a manic phase may also make a statement seem like a lie. An example of this is when the person goes on talking without reflecting.
Can bipolar lead to dementia?
We found that a history of bipolar disorder significantly increases the risk of dementia in older adults. Our results provide robust evidence that mood disorders in general, and not only major depressive disorders, are associated with increased risk of dementia (17,18).
Should I see a neurologist for bipolar?
Although psychotherapy in combination with medication improves outcome in bipolar illness, psychotherapy alone is not effective for this condition. Treatment of bipolar disorder, especially in the depressed phase, is complicated, and should be referred to a psychiatrist.