Bipolar: Different from the Rest
It can be easy to think of all mental disorders as the same. It takes a lot of research and experience to really understand the difference and variation between them.
Bipolar is unique in the way of mental disorders in its characterization of extreme moods.
Still, it is often confused between other diagnoses like depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and borderline personality disorder.
Schizophrenia has symptoms which are often more severe than bipolar. These symptoms can be delusions or hallucinations, or false beliefs (though this can also appear in bipolar). Schizophrenia is also not as common as bipolar disorder, and its symptoms and diagnoses often come to people well into their 20’s. In the range of similarities, they both can be lifelong, and involve a combination of medication and psychotherapy for treatment. Still, despite their few similarities, they must be separate and distinct diagnoses.
Both bipolar and borderline personality disorder (BPD) deal with extreme changes in mood, but each deal with it differently. Bipolar deals with mania or euphoria, coupled with its opposite side of depression. Bipolar’s symptoms are also not as consistent as BDP, with bipolar having breaks between the extremes.
Even today professionals can mix up different diagnoses, though they should really be the ones to know best. We need to be careful in ensuring that these are not misdiagnosed. Though bipolar disorder shares some similarities with other mental disorders, it is as unique as the individuals who have it.
Thank you for reading.
Lamia Islam
LOVE YOURSELF!!!