Question 1

what are the different types of medication for bipolar disorder?

Accepted Answer

Many: Lithium, depakote, olanzapine, which helps with severe or psychotic depression, aripiprazole, risperidone, ziprasidone, Clozapine (should be used  infrequently), some ssri's & Lamotrigine (watch out for serious rash), which seems to be more effective for depressive than manic symptoms.  Always consult w/ prescribing doc before changing/adding meds since BP is a serious disorder.

Question 2

how are bipolar disorder and bipolar 2 disorder different?

Accepted Answer

Mania: Patients with bipolar 11 disorder do not have full blown mania. They have symptoms that resemble mania but do not reach the threshold for mania.

Question 3

how is schizoaffective disorder different from bipolar disorder 1?

Accepted Answer

More symptoms: For a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder, one needs to have symptoms consistent with schizophrenia at one point as well as bipolar disorder at a different point in the same episode of illness. This can be tough to sort out unless you are seeing the same physician throughout the whole time.

Question 4

how can bipolar disorder be different in teens/children and adults?

Accepted Answer

Complicated answer: Most commonly, symptoms don't manifest until late teens or early twenties.  Children who are diagnosed as bipolar can be very energetic, have less need for sleep, temper tantrums and aggression are out of range for the precipitant.  They can also be grandiose and inappropriately sexual for their age.  Often the first episode in a child is depression.  Caution i f there is a family hx of bp.

Question 5

how is bipolar disorder different in teens and children compared to adults?

Accepted Answer

Good Question: The whole issue of bipolar disorder in children is controversial, mostly because what we call bipolar disorder in children tends to look different than with adults. Chidlren with bipolar disorder tend to be more irritable, and their moods tend to be more fluctuating or mixed. There are not usually the clear cycles of mania and depression that occur more with teens and adults.

Question 6

is depression different from bipolar disorder?

Accepted Answer

Yes: Depression is a mood disorder that has dysmotivation, sadness, flat affect, disinterest in usually exciting activities (like sex, work, child rearing, volunteerism, housekeeping), irritability, sleep disruption, inability to perform tasks of daily activity, or interaction with friends or family.  Bipolar disorder has these symptoms as well, but also has mood swings, extreme irritability, rages, .

Question 7

is schizophrenia different than bipolar disorder?

Accepted Answer

Schizophrenia &: Bipolar disorder are completely different disorders.  Bipolar is a mood disorder with periods of depression & mania (excessive exuberance & unproductive energy).  Schizophrenia is a thought disorder primarily including hallucinations, delusions & disorganized thinking & speech.  Schizophrenia can include flat emotions, inability to experience pleasure & lack of motivation similar to depression.

Question 8

how are bipolar disorder, and bipolar depression different?

Accepted Answer

BPD = general term: There are several kinds of bipolar disorder.
Bipolar depression is the depressed phase of the two extreme poles.  All people have moods, however, normally the variation is not extreme.  To be labelled bipolar, a person needs to have had at least one past manic episode.A website, www.Bipolar.Com is a good reference for more specific distinctions between the different variations of bpd.

Question 9

how are borderline personality and bipolar disorder different?

Accepted Answer

Bipolar: Bipolar is manic depression. Borderline is personality disorder. Both can have mood shifts, depression phases, rage episodes & self-harm, but borderline features are more pervasive, persistent, rapid cycling and resistant.

Question 10

are there different forms of severity in bipolar disorder?  and can it be genetic?

Accepted Answer

Yes, there are: Different forms and severity, and even cycling speed, of bipolar disorder.  Some folks are more manic and some more depressed.  While we are making strides w/neuroscience, we don't know the exact cause and why some folks have more pronounced symptoms than others.  Peace and good health.

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