Bipolar & Co-Occurring Disorders

Bipolar disorder, which is also referred to as manic depression, affects approximately 1 percent of the population. It is marked by extreme fluctuations in mood, from episodes of depression to episodes of mania. However bipolar disorder often co-occurs with other mental health disorders. Several medical conditions are commonly linked to it as well.

Considerations

• Because the variations in mood in bipolar disorder can be so dramatic, diagnosing co-occurring disorders can be challenging. This is especially true since some people experience more depression than mania, while others have more mania than depression. Therefore bipolar disorder can easily be masked by co-occuring disorders, or bipolar disorder may keep other disorders from being recognized.

Mental Health Disorders

• There are five diagnoses most commonly associated with bipolar disorder. Anxiety and depression are common, as is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and substance abuse disorders. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) also commonly occurs with bipolar disorder, because manic episodes create impulsivity and distorted thinking. These can lead to risky behavior in which a person's safety is in jeopardy, which can often result in traumatic experiences, which in turn can produce PTSD.

Medical Issues

• Bipolar disorder also has been linked to medical problems. Some speculate that hormones secreted by the thyroid gland can be a major contributor to fluctuations in mood. It has also been observed that those with bipolar disorder are at a higher risk for heart disease, obesity, diabetes and migraine. It is unclear whether the same brain processes that contribute to bipolar disorder may also play a role in these health concerns. However, when depression or manic episodes occur, self-care may be lacking, which may be a contributing factor.

Identification

• One way in which mental health professionals can begin to identify co-occurring disorders is through family history since depression, anxiety, ADHD, and substance abuse all have hereditary aspects. Also, evaluating the course of a person's symptoms is essential to determining the existence of a co-occurring disorder. Many of these disorders can be triggered by an event or stressor, while bipolar symptoms often fluctuate regardless of external events.

Prevention/Solution

• A thorough evaluation by a mental health professional is the best way to understand, identify and treat bipolar disorder and to determine if a co-occurring disorder is present. Not properly identifying a co-occurring disorder can have adverse affects. Often medication used to treat bipolar disorder alone can agitate ADHD or anxiety, just as some antidepressants can make bipolar disorder symptoms worse.