Bipolar vs Depression: The Diagnosis War

In the attempt to diagnose a patient's mood disorder, the battle of bipolar vs. depression rages in the minds of the doctors who are making the diagnoses. Bipolar is very hard to diagnose because it is confused with depression most of the time. Depression happens to be a symptom of bipolar disorder as well.

Highs And Lows

A bipolar patient will have very high days when they feel that they can take on the world. There attitude and mood is so high sometimes awkward social instances occur. They can even be happy while attending a funeral and on lookers would think their mood and reactions were very inappropriate. The good mood will soon crash and depression sets in. In this phase of the cycle, the patient will be down trodden and not feel like attempting to do anything. Dark thoughts and the inclination of thinking about suicide often occur.

The depression is so deep that the patient uses goes to the doctor and the doctor will diagnose that the patient indeed does have depression. They will be given medications for the depression, but since the doctor does not know about the high part of the cycle, the medications usually do not work or they will make the symptoms worse. Some people who have bipolar disorder will be misdiagnosed with depression and go through their whole life taking the wrong medications and suffering from the effects of the disorder. More than three percent of adults have bipolar disorder and even more are diagnosed with depression. These are very different disorders and they needed to be treated in different manners.

Manic Phase Hard To Recognize

Another reason that misdiagnosis occurs is that the patient may not recognize their manic or high cycle of behavior. They may be so glad to get out of the depression stage that they do not realize there are in the manic stage. They may think that the hyperactivity and euphoria is a part of being normal. The manic stage may even be a comfort zone for the bipolar patient and they are happy to be happy.

Another possibility is that the patient will feel depression for the first time and when they visit the doctor, they do not know what their high cycle is. Again they are diagnosed with depression and when their high cycle comes along they think it is the results of the medication.

So in the battle of the diagnosis between depression vs. bipolar, both doctors and patients need to provide and ask for the right information. It may take a long time before the diagnosis proves bipolar disorder and sometimes time is not on the patient's side. Treatment should start immediately for both disorders and any change in mood or temperament should be reported to your doctor.

Both disorders can be responsible for your quality of life and sometimes your actual life. Relationships can be damaged severely as the loved ones of the patient lose patience or simply do not understand what is going on. It is frustrating not knowing how to approach the one you love on a daily basis. If you think you have a predisposition to bipolar or depression, see your doctor or mental health specialist immediately.