Does Bipolar Disorder Cause Amnesia?

Some people with bipolar disorder have reported having periods of amnesia and believe the bipolar disorder caused their memory loss. The amnesia experienced could be caused by other factors, including medication side effects, drinking alcohol while taking antidepressant drugs or a possible concussion.

What is amnesia?

• Amnesia is a loss of memory. It can be caused by a concussion, brain trauma, some diseases or tumors, or medications. There is also a disorder called dissociative amnesia which is largely caused by psychological trauma.

What is bipolar disorder?

• Bipolar disorder, once referred to as manic depression, is a mood disorder in which a person has repeating episodes of mania and depression. There are 4 types of bipolar disorder: Bipolar I, Bipolar II, Bipolar NOS, and Cyclothymic Disorder.

Bipolar disorder and amnesia

• Bipolar disorder does not cause amnesia. However, amnesia may be a side effect of some of the treatment options used to treat bipolar disorder.

Lithium

• Lithium, which is a widely used drug to treat bipolar disorder, lists blackouts as a possible side effect. Blackouts are a form of amnesia.

Electroconvulsive Therapy

• Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which is a treatment option for bipolar disorder, also causes amnesia in patients.