Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis - A Tricky Exercise
The importance of an accurate bipolar disorder diagnosis cannot be overstated. If the patient is to be prescribed the right treatment, getting the diagnosis right is vital. For doctors, diagnosing bipolar disorder has always been tricky. If there was a laboratory test or x-ray that could give a definitive bipolar disorder diagnosis, preliminary investigations would provide a much clearer result. This lack of quantifiable analysis is part of the reason for the difficulty in determining whether the symptoms are an indication of mental illness or not.
Why Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder So Difficult
Symptoms that could indicate bipolar could also be indicative of other physical or mental conditions. This makes it even more difficult to provide the appropriate treatment. For
...including your mental and emotional health. They are water-soluble, which means that they cannot be stored in the body over time to be used at a later date, and so you must eat foods rich in B vitamins every day ...
This problem is further exacerbated when patients displaying physical signs related to disorder consult their medical doctor and not a psychiatrist. As the average general practitioner is not specially trained to easily recognize mental disease, bipolar can often remain undiagnosed until the condition is well advanced. This can result in escalated episodes involving police, ambulance and drastic treatment for the patient.
Issues For Doctors To Consider
There are several issues for therapists and doctors to consider when making a bipolar disorder diagnosis.
1. Ignoring international standards.
Although an international standard exists for making a bipolar disorder diagnosis,
...cycle through different moods so rapidly it makes it very hard for them to maintain personal relationships. These frequent mood swings affect the entire family and many couples end up in a divorce as a result. In fact bipolar disorder ...
2. Self-denial by the patient.
There has always been a negative connotation or stigma attached to the condition of this disorder, commonly known as manic depression. This is a common reason for bipolar sufferers to hold themselves in self-denial, ignoring their symptoms with a head-in-the-sand approach. Instead of investigating a possible bipolar disorder diagnosis when the illness begins, the patient ignores the warning signs and does nothing about it. This approach only serves to increase the symptoms and advance the condition more than if the illness been properly diagnosed early on.
3. Limitations of some general practitioners.
...for any signs that they are maybe having trouble coping. According to recent studies, as many as one in five children have a mental health disorder and one in ten have a serious mental health problem. Now, this is not ...
The psychological symptoms of bipolar disorder can easily be mistaken for the symptoms of other psychological illnesses such as major depressive disorders schizophrenia, substance-induced mood disorders, or mood disorders caused by medical conditions. Even highly experienced psychiatrists and psychologists can have difficulty reaching an accurate disorder diagnosis. It is therefore vital to seek help from a qualified mental health professional early in the piece to avoid
...sudden growth in self-worth and the act of being lavish. 2. Little needs to have a good sleep. Someone with this symptom would feel that he or she had rested enough even with only three hours of sleep. 3. Becomes ...
Jean Littman is co-owner of [http://www.bipolarclues.com]BipolarClues.com which provides quality tools and resources for [http://www.bipolarclues.com]bipolar disorder and manic depression. Jean is married to a bipolar sufferer, and has learned first hand the strategies which enable those with bipolar to live a normal, fulfilling and stable life.