Q&A for How to Know if You Have Bipolar Disorder

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  • Question
    Can bipolar meds make you worse?
    Padam Bhatia, MD
    Board Certified Psychiatrist
    Dr. Padam Bhatia is a board certified Psychiatrist who runs Elevate Psychiatry, based in Miami, Florida. He specializes in treating patients with a combination of traditional medicine and evidence-based holistic therapies. He also specializes in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), compassionate use, and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Dr. Bhatia is a diplomat of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (FAPA). He received an MD from Sidney Kimmel Medical College and has served as the chief resident in adult psychiatry at Zucker Hillside Hospital in New York.
    Board Certified Psychiatrist
    Expert Answer
    If you feel like bipolar medication is making your symptoms worse, talk to your psychiatrist about it. People occasionally respond differently to different medications, so just work with your treatment team to make adjustments to your medication.
  • Question
    How do you find out if you're bipolar?
    George Sachs, PsyD
    Licensed Psychologist
    George Sachs is a Licensed Psychologist and the Owner of Sachs Center based in New York, New York. With over ten years of experience, Dr. Sachs specializes in treating ADD/ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorders in children, teens, and adults. He holds a BS in Psychology from Emory University. Dr. Sachs earned his Doctorate of Psychology (PsyD) from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology, Chicago. He completed his clinical training in Chicago at Cook County Hospital, Mt. Sinai Hospital, and the Child Study Center. Dr. Sachs completed his internship and postdoctoral work at the Children’s Institute in Los Angeles, where he supervised and trained therapists in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT). He has been trained as a Gestalt Therapist and certified by the Gestalt Associates Training Program of Los Angeles. Dr. Sachs is the author of The Adult ADD Solution, Helping the Traumatized Child, and Helping Your Husband with Adult ADD. He has appeared on the Huffington Post, NBC Nightly News, CBS, and WPIX discussing his holistic approach to ADD/ADHD treatment.
    Licensed Psychologist
    Expert Answer
    The only way to determine this is by getting an evaluation from a trained medical professional. You won't be able to come to a diagnosis on your own.
  • Question
    What's more common, ADHD or bipolar disorder?
    George Sachs, PsyD
    Licensed Psychologist
    George Sachs is a Licensed Psychologist and the Owner of Sachs Center based in New York, New York. With over ten years of experience, Dr. Sachs specializes in treating ADD/ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorders in children, teens, and adults. He holds a BS in Psychology from Emory University. Dr. Sachs earned his Doctorate of Psychology (PsyD) from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology, Chicago. He completed his clinical training in Chicago at Cook County Hospital, Mt. Sinai Hospital, and the Child Study Center. Dr. Sachs completed his internship and postdoctoral work at the Children’s Institute in Los Angeles, where he supervised and trained therapists in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT). He has been trained as a Gestalt Therapist and certified by the Gestalt Associates Training Program of Los Angeles. Dr. Sachs is the author of The Adult ADD Solution, Helping the Traumatized Child, and Helping Your Husband with Adult ADD. He has appeared on the Huffington Post, NBC Nightly News, CBS, and WPIX discussing his holistic approach to ADD/ADHD treatment.
    Licensed Psychologist
    Expert Answer
    Bipolar disorder is relatively rare, while ADHD is fairly common. This is especially true when it comes to children; children are much less likely to be diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
  • Question
    Do people with bipolar have to work?
    Klare Heston, LCSW
    Licensed Social Worker
    Klare Heston is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker based in Cleveland, Ohio. With experience in academic counseling and clinical supervision, Klare received her Master of Social Work from the Virginia Commonwealth University in 1983. She also holds a 2-Year Post-Graduate Certificate from the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland, as well as certification in Family Therapy, Supervision, Mediation, and Trauma Recovery and Treatment (EMDR).
    Licensed Social Worker
    Expert Answer
    People with bipolar often lead the same kinds of lives as everyone else does. When under a doctor's care, many people with this illness lead productive lives. The question is more, does a person want to work and be productive?
  • Question
    How does bipolar disorder affect a person's ability to work?
    Klare Heston, LCSW
    Licensed Social Worker
    Klare Heston is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker based in Cleveland, Ohio. With experience in academic counseling and clinical supervision, Klare received her Master of Social Work from the Virginia Commonwealth University in 1983. She also holds a 2-Year Post-Graduate Certificate from the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland, as well as certification in Family Therapy, Supervision, Mediation, and Trauma Recovery and Treatment (EMDR).
    Licensed Social Worker
    Expert Answer
    Bipolar disorder affects the rhythm of a person's daily life. It can interfere with schedules, timing, meetings, etc. The person might have problems regulating their moods and reactions. They cannot always count on being themselves.
  • Question
    Why do people get bipolar?
    Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS
    Professional Counselor
    Trudi Griffin is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Wisconsin specializing in Addictions and Mental Health. She provides therapy to people who struggle with addictions, mental health, and trauma in community health settings and private practice. She received her MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University in 2011.
    Professional Counselor
    Expert Answer
    The exact cause of bipolar disorder is unknown, but research suggests biological and environmental factors influence whether a person develops it.
  • Question
    What are the characteristics of a bipolar person?
    Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS
    Professional Counselor
    Trudi Griffin is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Wisconsin specializing in Addictions and Mental Health. She provides therapy to people who struggle with addictions, mental health, and trauma in community health settings and private practice. She received her MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University in 2011.
    Professional Counselor
    Expert Answer
    First, mood swings do not mean someone has bipolar disorder. A person who struggles with bipolar disorder will have marked episodes of severe depression and marked episodes of mania. Marked episodes mean they last for up to 2 weeks followed by a period of normalcy for each cycle and significantly interfere with daily functioning. Manic episodes often include hallucinations and delusions.
  • Question
    Is Bipolar 2 a mental illness?
    Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS
    Professional Counselor
    Trudi Griffin is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Wisconsin specializing in Addictions and Mental Health. She provides therapy to people who struggle with addictions, mental health, and trauma in community health settings and private practice. She received her MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University in 2011.
    Professional Counselor
    Expert Answer
    Bipolar 2 disorder is a mental illness similar to bipolar, but the manic cycles are less severe and characterized as hypomanic. To meet criteria for bipolar 2, a person will have had multiple depressive cycles and at least one hypomanic cycle. Therefore, people with bipolar 2 experience depressive cycles more than manic cycles.
  • Question
    What does it mean for a person to be bipolar?
    Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS
    Professional Counselor
    Trudi Griffin is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Wisconsin specializing in Addictions and Mental Health. She provides therapy to people who struggle with addictions, mental health, and trauma in community health settings and private practice. She received her MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University in 2011.
    Professional Counselor
    Expert Answer
    When someone has a bipolar disorder, it means they experience cyclic episodes of severe depression and mania. The episodes last for up to 2 weeks followed by a period of normalcy.
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