Major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder are two separate conditions with which both cannot be diagnosed at the same time. But that's because diagnostic criteria for bipolar II disorder include MDD. Of course, you may be misdiagnosed. Bipolar disorder (sometimes called manic depressive) is different.
If you have it, you have extreme mood swings. You experience periods of depression (similar to those of MDD). But you also have periods of great ups and downs. The average age of onset is 25, but, more rarely, it can begin as early as early childhood or as late as 40 or 50 years.
Everyone goes through normal ups and downs, but bipolar disorder is different. The range of mood swings can be extreme. In manic episodes, someone may feel very happy, irritable, or “lifted”, and there is a marked increase in activity level. In depressive episodes, a person may feel sad, indifferent, or hopeless, combined with a very low level of activity.
Some people have hypomanic episodes, which are like manic episodes, but less serious and problematic. If you think you might have bipolar disorder, it's important to raise your concerns with a mental health expert and work closely with them to arrive at the correct diagnosis. Occasionally, they also develop psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and hallucinations, which can cause difficulty distinguishing bipolar disorder from other disorders such as schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. During a depressive episode in bipolar I disorder (if it occurs) and bipolar II disorder, a person experiences symptoms of major depressive disorder.
One of the main ways to distinguish bipolar disorder from depression is the presence of manic symptoms, but a person can seek treatment for their depressive symptoms before they have experienced a manic episode. Anyone who notices signs of bipolar disorder or depression in a friend or family member should try to connect them with local services to help treat the condition. However, both bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder can be treated to lower the risk of these dangerous symptoms. Mania) later in life1, or that a person with bipolar disorder is initially misdiagnosed with major depressive disorder, due to the similarity of symptoms of the disorders.
People with either type of bipolar disorder may experience the following symptoms, depending on whether they are experiencing a manic or depressive phase. Bipolar disorder is considered one of the most inherited psychiatric conditions; more than two-thirds of people with bipolar disorder have at least one close biological relative with the condition. Depression (sometimes called unipolar depression) and bipolar disorder (or bipolar depression) are two different conditions that need to be treated differently. The Mood Disorders Questionnaire, the Bipolar Spectrum Diagnostic Scale and the Hypomanic Personality Scale are some of the diagnostic tools used to detect bipolar disorder.
Patients with bipolar II disorder tend to experience longer depressive episodes and shorter states of hypomania. Many people with bipolar disorder who receive the right treatment can lead full and productive lives. To diagnose bipolar disorder, the doctor must observe the person and evaluate the signs and symptoms that they and the people around them report. A variety of new antipsychotic drugs are approved and available for the treatment of bipolar disorder and may be effective.
Recent studies have questioned current diagnostic systems that divide mood disorders into separate categories of bipolar disorders and depressive disorders. .
