It seems more and more people are not just considered depressed, but also bipolar. Is it because in taking anti-depressants we're really not sure how they affect the brain?
2006-07-02 15:50:12 · 9 answers · asked by crazykat5 1 in Health ➔ Mental Health
It is being overdiagnosed. The actual prevalence is estimated to be around 1-2% of the entire population.
So many people will get diagnosed as bipolar because they are angry when they are depressed, assuming that anger is a symptom of mania. However, anger is common with depression too. Insomnia, another symptom of depression, may be considered the decreased need for sleep part of mania. There's so much overlap in the diagnostic criteria for mental disorders. Its difficult to tell. Diagnosing a mental illness is difficult. Its not like diabetes where blood tests can give you a pretty definitive diagnosis.
Its funny that you should mention antidepressants. People with bipolar will usually have a manic episode if they are only prescribed an antidepressant (no mood stabilizer). Some psychiatrists will purposely just prescribe an antidepressant and then watch for a manic phase before diagnosing bipolar.
2006-07-02 16:31:41 · answer #1 · answered by psychgrad 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The reason is drug use. I worked inpatient mental health for a number of years and I noticed something going on that was very disturbing. Most of the patients there were completely fine until they started doing drugs (the most common drug was pot, I might add). After doing drugs they developed serious mental illness. The most common was morbid depression (ie they were so depressed they became completely non functional). But bipolar was extremely common.
As drug use goes up, the population of mentally ill people skyrockets.
2006-07-02 15:56:05 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
More people are being diagnosed bipolar, it's "trendy." More people aren't becoming bipolar though.
2006-07-02 16:25:30 · answer #3 · answered by BB 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It may be because bipolar is a very common disorder. and don't knock the med's if i didn't have them I could not make it through the day.
2006-07-02 15:57:40 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have been labeled bi-polar & have had years of depression & mood swings. I think it has a lot to do with blood sugar. When I eat properly I feel almost "normal".
2006-07-02 15:56:47 · answer #5 · answered by day by day 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, it isn't your imagination. More people are being diagnosed with more mental problems then ever. ADD and ADHD are the biggest ones.
2006-07-02 15:54:30 · answer #6 · answered by bettyboop 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, its very fashionable and trendy to lean on a diagnosis.
2006-07-02 15:53:41 · answer #7 · answered by zach 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes its the new trend blame your emotional state for all the dumb *** decisions you make so you cant be held accountable
2006-07-03 10:31:23 · answer #8 · answered by herb52781 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
seems so does'nt it?? same as more n more cancer.
2006-07-09 11:44:14 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋