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What Kind of Doctor Can Digonose Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder has also been called manic-depressive disorder, as mood swings tend to range from really high (manic) to really low (depressive). According to the Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers of New York, approximately 1 percent of the American population suffers from this disorder. Here is where people can go for help.

  1. Primary Care Physician for Adults

    • Adults who notice they are suffering from symptoms of bipolar disorder will often first contact their primary care physician, who can be a general practitioner or an internist. Many times it is the depressive part of the disorder that drives the patient to the doctor. The doctor will take an extensive medical history, as well as perform several tests, such as blood tests, to rule out any other possible explanations for symptoms. Bipolar disorder cannot be confirmed by a lab test. Many times bipolar disorder can mistakenly be identified as mere depression, at first, so it is important to monitor mood swings and drug reactions. The primary care physician will also often recommend a mental health professional to supplement the medical care.

    Other Medical Professionals

    • Nurse practitioners, especially those specializing in mental health problems, can also make a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. They are known as psychiatric nurse practitioners, and will also often make referrals to mental health professionals.

    Mental Health Professionals for Adults

    • The primary care physician may recommend the adult seek treatment, instead, from a therapist, psychologist or a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist is the only one who would be able to prescribe necessary medication to balance the bipolar symptoms. The therapist or psychologist can also provide lifestyle strategies and support for coping with the bipolar diagnosis. Ideally, the mental health professional is someone who specializes in bipolar disorder, to ensure the ultimate care.

    Other Mental Health Professionals

    • Other mental health professionals, such as social workers and counselors, are able to help a patient and the patient's family deal with a bipolar diagnosis. While they cannot necessarily make an official diagnosis, they can make recommendations of bipolar disorder is suspected.

    Diagnosing Children

    • Children can present with different symptoms of bipolar disorder than adults do, so it is important to find a medical professional who is familiar with bipolar disorder in children to make an accurate diagnosis. The child's pediatrician can run several tests to rule out other medical causes for symptoms and make recommendations for further treatment. Social workers and counselors can also make recommendations.

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