What can be mistaken for bipolar disorder?

What can be mistaken for bipolar disorder?

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.

How often is ADHD misdiagnosed as bipolar?

What’s more, 20 percent of people with ADHD have bipolar disorder. This comorbidity rate is significant enough to justify dual evaluations for virtually every patient; a physician should virtually never assess for one condition in isolation, as ADHD and OCD rarely walk alone.

How do I know Im bipolar?

To get a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, you must have had at least one manic or hypomanic experience. Signs of manic behavior include: Your mood isn’t comfortable. It might feel good at first, especially after depression.

What type of mental illness is bipolar?

Overview. Bipolar disorder (formerly called manic-depressive illness or manic depression) is a mental disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, concentration, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.

What happens when ADHD goes untreated?

Untreated ADHD in an adult can lead to significant problems with education, social and family situations and relationships, employment, self-esteem, and emotional health. It is never too late to recognize, diagnose, and treat ADHD and any other mental health condition that can commonly occur with it.

What can ADHD be mistaken for?

Misdiagnosis: Conditions That Mimic ADHD

  • Bipolar disorder.
  • Autism.
  • Low blood sugar.
  • Sensory processing disorders.
  • Sleep disorders.
  • Hearing problems.
  • Kids being kids.

What is an ADHD meltdown?

Similarly, people with ADHD can also experience ‘meltdowns’ more commonly than others, which is where emotions build up so extremely that someone acts out, often crying, angering, laughing, yelling and moving all at once, driven by many different emotions at once – this essentially resembles a child tantrum and can …