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.
Bipolar Facts
Bipolar disorder often co-occurs with ADHD in adults, with comorbidity rates estimated between 5.1 and 47.1 percent1. Recent research, however, suggests that about 1 in 13 patients with ADHD has comorbid BD, and up to 1 in 6 patients with BD has comorbid ADHD2.
The most common misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder is major depressive disorder (MDD). The symptoms of major depression last for at least two weeks and can include: persistent feelings of sadness or low mood.
Sleep apnea is a common culprit that's often misdiagnosed as ADHD — and vice versa. Fortunately, researchers are devising simple tests to definitively diagnose and get kids the treatment they need.
Symptoms of Mood Swings in ADHD
Switching from excited one moment to sad, angry, or anxious the next. Fluctuating between having trouble paying attention and hyperfocusing on an activity. Having bursts of energy and fatigue through the day. Feeling emotions intensely and having difficulty regulating them.
Many of the symptoms of a manic bipolar episode and ADHD may be similar, such as distractibility, restlessness, or impulsivity. So ADHD may go undiagnosed in a person with bipolar disorder, if a doctor mistakes ADHD symptoms for a manic episode.
Mental disorders which may be commonly confused with bipolar disorder include Borderline Personality Disorder , Schizoaffective Disorder, Unipolar Depression, and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.
Cyclothymia, or cyclothymic disorder, causes mood changes – from feeling low to emotional highs. Cyclothymia has many similarities to 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.
Studies have also found that ADHD can lead to an earlier onset of bipolar disorders, more frequent mood episodes, and more violent behavior.
By Dr. David Velkoff. Ring of Fire ADD is a type of ADD characterized by abnormally increased activity in multiple areas of the brain, which in individuals on qEEG brain mapping scans can appear as over activity or overstimulation.
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.
Diagnosing bipolar disorder usually involves a thorough examination of your physical health. This is to rule out a physical cause or other health concerns. It also involves an assessment of your mental state and the careful assessment of your symptoms and life experiences.
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.
After a manic or hypomanic episode you might: Feel very unhappy or ashamed about how you behaved. Have made commitments or taken on responsibilities that now feel unmanageable. Have only a few clear memories of what happened during your episode, or none at all.
Key points. Bipolar disorder is significantly over-diagnosed in current mental health practice for several specific reasons. Understanding true bipolar disorder is essential for clinicians and patients. The consequences of incorrect diagnosis are usually over-medication and inadequate treatment for the actual problem.
Bipolar disorder (formerly called manic-depressive illness or manic depression) is a mental illness that causes unusual shifts in a person's mood, energy, activity levels, and concentration. These shifts can make it difficult to carry out day-to-day tasks.
Narcissism is not a symptom of bipolar disorder, and most people with bipolar disorder do not have narcissistic personality disorder.
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) and bipolar disorder share some symptoms, such as depression, and impulsive behavior. But, bipolar disorder involves dramatic changes in mood, while people with BPD think, feel, and behave differently to those without the condition.
Mood stabilizers, which may be used to treat DMDD, bipolar disorder, or complicated depression, are not generally used to treat core symptoms of ADHD.
What is traditionally considered subtherapeutic doses of lithium remains an effective treatment option for ADHD. Numerous studies show that lithium effectively reduces symptoms of ADHD, such as anger, aggression, focus, and concentration. These studies focus on pharmaceutical (high-dose) lithium.
Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults can resemble, and often co-occurs with, bipolar disorder (BD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD). This can lead to mistaken diagnoses and ineffective treatment, resulting in potentially serious adverse consequences.
Individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPDs) become overwhelmed and incapacitated by the intensity of their emotions, whether it is joy and elation or depression, anxiety, and rage. They are unable to manage these intense emotions.