As I'm reading through news about bipolar disorder, it surprises me how many articles there are about Doctors misdiagnosing this disorder for depression. I thought that is was something that has been greatly impoved apon but I was wrong.
50% of patients who seek help for depression from primary Doctor are misdiagnosed and there are even more that have bipolar disorder that aren't diagnosed because they don't seek help for it. http://depression.about.com/cs/findadoc/a/bestdoctor.htm
So what's the big deal if your treated for depression when you have bipolar disorder? Bipolar disorder includes depression so what's so important in the therapy? Anti depressants may be prescribed during times in the process to treat bipolar, but it can have detrimental effects in patients making them more manic and is not a usual treatment in managing moods.
I think a bipolar patient most often seeks help from a Doctor when they are in a depressive mood than in a manic state because it often feels good to be manic. While in a depressive state, it's hard for a patient to see anything other than what they are feeling at the time. If a Doctor doesn't take the time to be thorough in asking questions, it can lead to a misdiagnosis.
There are different degrees of each symptom but the main distinguishing symptom is mania. The way you think during moods can help determine your diagnosis. Irritability, unrealistic thinking of grandeur, paranoia as well as impulsiveness are key symptoms of bipolar disorder that are not usual to depression.
When I seeked help it was during a long depressive state. My Doctor put me on anti depressants and that helped a little but elevated my mood while I was still depressed. I would feel as if my head was going so fast and I wasn't in control of my reactions, I felt like an animal that couldn't sleep. At the same time I was still depressed.
I had an idea I was suffering from bipolar disorder because of a friend who was similar, talked to me about it and then I researched symptoms on my own. I was able to ask my Doctor for a referral to a Pych Dr because of my own knowledge I had through my studies.
A fear is the diagnosis. But now I know that without the proper diagnosis I would have never been as strong as I am now.
