What could happen if a person who is most likely bipolar receives a depression diagnosis and is given meds for depression?

Varies: This often happens if the bipolar person is in a depressive phase. Sometimes nothing happens- good or bad. Sometimes the antidepressant can trigger a manic cycle. Close communication with doctor is imperitive in the diagnosis, treatment and follow up of a complex and chronic problem like bipolar. Nimh has a great web site: www.Nimh.Nih.Gov/health/publications/bipolar-disoreder/index.Shtml.

It depends: Many people with bipolar disorder who are depressed do not respond as well to antidepressant medication as do people with 'unipolar' major depression. Sometimes a manic episode may be provoked with the antidepressant.

Use mood stabilizer: It is a significant risk to take onle antidepressant medication for bipolar patients, even in a depressed phase. You will run a risk of manic or mixed episode. Talk to the doctor to add mood stabilizer or Lamictal immediately.

May prime the pump: Sometimes pushes pt into a manic phase in general bipolar pts don't respond we'll to antidepressants but do respond to mood stabilizers which is always a consideration when a depressed pt seems to be "treatment resistant"-.