The trauma and the PTSD may contribute to, trigger, or worsen a mood disorder like bipolar. Treatment is possible, though, and it can be effective in helping you build a better life. Residential care is often best for such a difficult, complicated, and damaging set of mental health challenges.
Often, complex PTSD can be misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder because the patient isn't sure of what symptoms they're actually experiencing that are related to their mental health issue, and therefore don't receive the proper treatment to mitigate their symptoms.
If you live with a mood disorder (depression or bipolar disorder), a traumatic event can disrupt your routine and impact your therapy. It may even trigger an episode of mania or a deepening of depression.
A stressful circumstance or situation often triggers the symptoms of bipolar disorder. Examples of stressful triggers include: the breakdown of a relationship. physical, sexual or emotional abuse.
Sleep, negative life events, drug and alcohol use, seasonal changes, the reproductive cycle, as well as goal attainment and positive events can all have a deleterious impact on your stability, triggering a destructive cycle of mood switching.
The phrase “bipolar meltdown” could refer to a bipolar person having a manic episode or being in a depressed state. These conditions could cause them to lose control of their emotions and have trouble managing them.
vivid flashbacks (feeling like the trauma is happening right now) intrusive thoughts or images. nightmares. intense distress at real or symbolic reminders of the trauma.
Bipolar disorder can be confused with other conditions, such as depression, schizophrenia, BPD, anxiety, and ADHD. Detecting and diagnosing bipolar disorder may take some time. But getting a correct, early diagnosis often results in better outcomes.
Some non-psychiatric illnesses, such as thyroid disease, lupus, HIV, syphilis, and other infections, may have signs and symptoms that mimic those of bipolar disorder. This can pose further challenges in making a diagnosis and determining the treatment.
Therefore, it is possible that post-traumatic sequelae more complex than PTSD – i.e., cPTSD – may lead to nuanced psychotic symptoms, such as cognitive/excitative symptoms.
Among combat veterans with PTSD, 30% to 40% report auditory or visual hallucinations and/or delusions. The presence of psychotic symptoms in PTSD is associated with a more severe level of psychopathology, similar to that of chronic schizophrenia.
Misdiagnosis with BPD
Some of the symptoms of complex PTSD are very similar to those of borderline personality disorder (BPD), and not all professionals are aware of complex PTSD. As a result, some people are given a diagnosis of BPD or another personality disorder when complex PTSD fits their experiences more closely.
While brain scans cannot be used to diagnose bipolar disorder, they can show grey matter and amygdala activity. This information can help doctors understand how bipolar disorder affects the brain and how brain activity in those with bipolar disorder compares to those of others with a different mental health condition.
Bipolar disorder can cause your mood to swing from an extreme high to an extreme low. Manic symptoms can include increased energy, excitement, impulsive behaviour, and agitation. Depressive symptoms can include lack of energy, feeling worthless, low self-esteem and suicidal thoughts.
Women with PTSD may be more likely than men with PTSD to: Be easily startled. Have more trouble feeling emotions or feel numb. Avoid things that remind them of the trauma.
being easily irritated or agitated. being delusional, having hallucinations and disturbed or illogical thinking. not feeling like sleeping. doing things that often have disastrous consequences – such as spending large sums of money on expensive and sometimes unaffordable items.
Bipolar is one of the most frequently misdiagnosed mental health issues. Somewhere between 1.4 and 6.4 percent of people worldwide are affected by bipolar disorder. However, it's hard to say which number is more accurate due to the frequency of wrongful diagnosis.
This could manifest as nightmares or flashbacks. People who have PTSD can be triggered by physical things, like sounds or smells, that remind them of their trauma. These episodes can cause physical pains, sweating, sickness, and trembling. Avoiding people, places, and things.
People with PTSD have intense, disturbing thoughts and feelings related to their experience that last long after the traumatic event has ended. They may relive the event through flashbacks or nightmares; they may feel sadness, fear or anger; and they may feel detached or estranged from other people.
Talking rapidly, sudden changes in topic, or “leaps of logic.” Having more energy than usual, especially if needing little sleep. Being intensely focused, or finding it hard to focus. Involuntary facial movements, such as twitches or mouthing.
Anger and irritability are common symptoms of bipolar disorder. While anger is a normal response that many people feel at moments in their life, a person with bipolar disorder will be more vulnerable to impulsive and often irrational outbursts.
Bipolar psychosis happens when a person experiences an episode of severe mania or depression, along with psychotic symptoms and hallucinations. The symptoms tend to match a person's mood. During a manic phase, they may believe they have special powers. This type of psychosis can lead to reckless or dangerous behavior.