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.
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.
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.
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.
Cyclothymia, or cyclothymic disorder, causes mood changes – from feeling low to emotional highs. Cyclothymia has many similarities to bipolar disorder.
Munchausen's syndrome is a rare psychological and behavioural condition in which somebody fabricates or induces symptoms of illness in themselves. Munchausen's syndrome is named after a German aristocrat, Baron Munchausen, who became famous for telling wild, unbelievable tales about his exploits and past.
Personality disorders are among the least understood mental health conditions.
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.
How are bipolar disorder mania and anxiety similar? Experiences of mania and anxiety can feel similar. An episode of mania and anxiety can share symptoms like trouble with sleep, racing thoughts, agitation, restlessness, and difficulty concentrating.
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.
Only 33% of patients previously diagnosed with a bipolar disorder met full criteria for Bipolar I or II. The authors concluded that 67% of patients were overdiagnosed with bipolar disorder (Goldberg et al., 2008). The Hirschfeld et al.
Childhood trauma
Some experts believe that experiencing a lot of emotional distress as a child can cause bipolar disorder to develop. This could be because childhood trauma and distress can have a big effect on your ability to manage your emotions.
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.
People with Cotard's syndrome (also called walking corpse syndrome or Cotard's delusion) believe that parts of their body are missing, or that they are dying, dead, or don't exist. They may think nothing exists. Cotard's syndrome is rare, with about 200 known cases worldwide.
Narcissism is not a symptom of bipolar disorder, and most people with bipolar disorder do not have narcissistic personality disorder.
Bipolar is often an overlooked condition, which can take years to diagnose - and more awareness is needed. One reason it can take so long to recognise is how challenging it is to obtain a full and accurate history of someone's mental health, which is a key part of any psychiatric assessment.
Answer: The medical conditions that can produce symptoms that might be mistaken for bipolar disorder, are -- it's an extremely long list. So, things such as seizure disorders would be common, potential for brain tumors, for infectious diseases and things like meningitis or encephalitis.
Yes, they can. Brain tumors often cause personality changes and sudden mood swings.
Bipolar disorder is primarily a mood disorder. ADHD affects attention and behavior; it causes symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. While ADHD is chronic or ongoing, bipolar disorder is usually episodic, with periods of normal mood interspersed with depression, mania, or hypomania.