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 ...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: 

Dr. Linet received his medical degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He is board certified in both adult and child psychiatry and has practiced for over 30 years. In the past, he held faculty positions as Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Cornell Medical College and also at the State University of New York, Health Sciences Center at Brooklyn. Dr. Linet completed his residency in psychiatry at the State University of New York, Health Sciences Center at Brooklyn, where he later also completed a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry. Subsequently, Dr. Linet was in charge of medical student education in child psychiatry at the State University medical school and later worked as Medical and Psychiatric Director of a residential treatment center for severely disturbed children and adolescents. Dr. Linet is comfortable using psychotherapy and psychopharmacology. He has expertise treating anxiety, depression and disruptive/acting out behavior - whether caused by psychological problems, ADHD, bipolar or other mood disorders. He wrote "Bipolar Disorder without Mania" and "The Search for Stimulation: Understanding ADHD," links to which can be found at www.LesLinetMD.com. Dr. Linet appeared on television programs featuring OCD and Tourette Syndrome. Internet links to various of his webcasts can be found on www.LesLinetMD.com. He is one of approximately 2000 physicians with a federal waiver to prescribe buprenorphine for narcotic addiction. He also counsels families and patients in handling substance abuse.