Some patients hear “bipolar disorder” and immediately protest: “Oh, no Doc, I know what bipolar disorder is. That’s mania, right? I’ve never had that.”
However, bipolar disorder can be complex and subtle. Some forms are predominantly depression with only little “manias”. They can also be complicated mood disorders that seem to keep changing, or cycle up and down, or keep returning as depression without mania.
Giving a crash course on bipolar disorder in the office can be very time consuming. In order to save time, I have found a link to an excellent educational site. "Mood Swings but not Manic" (http://www.psycheducation.org/)serves as a single source for accurate, up-to-date information on basic and subtle versions of bipolar disorder. Other aspects of diagnosis and treatment are layered by links totaling nearly 300 pages which are updated as new information emerges. I suggest, as a minimum, reading (in the section on bipolar II) at least the diagnosis and treatment pages, for people who say to themselves "Bipolar disorder, that can’t be."
The wise clinician recognizes that bipolar disorder can be much more complicated than it was originally thought. If you have depression or anxiety that has not gone away with antidepressants or psychotherapy, or if you recognize irritability or a cyclic energy part of your depression, you can learn about “soft bipolar disorder” and Bipolar II from "Mood Swings but not Manic"
You can download the HCL-32(http://www.psycheducation.org/depression/HCL-32.htm), a handy list of hypomanic symptoms and the Bipolarity Index (http://www.psycheducation.org/depression/STEPBipolarityIndex.htm), both from the Harvard bipolar clinic.
Goldberg Bipolar Spectrum Screening Test(http://counsellingresource.com/quizzes/goldberg-bipolar/index.html) The computer will score this questionnaire for you.
Goldberg Mania Questionnaire (http://counsellingresource.com/quizzes/goldberg-mania/index.html) The computer will score this questionnaire for you.
Author's Bio
Licensed to practice medicine in NY & NJ, Dr Linet is board certified in child & adult psychiatry. He has over 30 years experience treating anxiety, depression and disruptive behavior. He also has expertise in emotional & physical abuse between adults as well as within families involving children
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