Bipolar disorder is a very present illness in our current society, but it is often under the radar and can sometimes be confused with other illnesses. It is essential to be able to have a diagnosis as soon as possible in order to properly treat the patient. This disorder is usually diagnosed during adolescence or shortly after the age of 20. However, it can sometimes be difficult to identify the symptoms, since this is a time when young people experience habitual mood swings, as well as phases of euphoria combined with fleeting moments close to a state of semi-depression.
A person with bipolar disorder experiences severe mood swings that cause them to feel sad or hopeless and then euphoric, energetic, or irritable. Also, in the most severe cases, psychotic episodes can occur, in which the person with bipolar disorder can see or hear things that are not really there and therefore no one else can perceive. These symptoms are not easy to interpret and make diagnosis difficult, which is why it is sometimes erroneous or non-existent.
To establish a proper diagnosis, the doctor performs a first physical examination and some blood tests. After the results obtained in the first examination of the supposed patient, the second step may be a visit to a specialist in psychiatry to make an evaluation of the mental state.
The first symptom that usually appears is that of severe depression, which leads the patient to feel failure. A feeling of sadness appears, usually accompanied by a state of confusion and a feeling of fatigue. Manic episodes (severe or milder, called hypomania) can extend over time and not appear for months or even years. This element is sometimes treated as depression, something that can make it difficult to diagnose.
In the case of adolescents, there are more factors that can lead to a wrong diagnosis. These young people may talk fast, sleep little, be euphoric for no apparent reason, and be highly impulsive. This behavior can be confused with the hyperactivity that characterizes ADHD. On the other hand, if the first manic episode includes hallucinations or delusions, it can lead to a misdiagnosis of schizophrenia.
Once the disorder is correctly diagnosed, treatment must begin. In the case of adolescents, the administration of mood stabilizing drugs is usually combined with specialized therapy. There are three types used mostly in adolescents. Therapy that involves the whole family to reduce the level of domestic stress; cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which aims to change negative ways of thinking and interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (TIRS), which tries to get the patient to lead a life with stable routines and follow a regular schedule for all their activities.
To help establish an appropriate diagnosis, the American Psychiatric Association has described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-5 the patterns and symptoms that allow bipolar disorder to be identified and differentiated from other diseases with similar signs.
