Bi-Polar Disorder is Often Misdiagnosed as ADHD

Bi-Polar Disorder is a separate and much more severe disorder than ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) yet the two are often misdiagnosed as being the other disorder. The common misdiagnosis could potentially be dangerous for someone who actually has bi-polar disorder. The problem with diagnosing properly between these two disorders is that they are so closely linked when it comes to symptoms. That is why is utterly important that doctors do extensive testing along with interviews with people that the patient has a lot of contact with.

ADHD symptoms include lack of concentration, high energy, inability to remain focused on one thing for long periods of time and disruptive behavior. People with ADHD will often yell out inappropriately, such as a child in a classroom setting. They also tend to fidget constantly and cannot cope well in situations where they have to "wait patiently". It can cause serious issues for the patient who is diagnosed with ADHD if it is not treated properly. These are all symptoms that could be considered part of the bi-polar disorder.

Bi-polar people are likely to have all of the above symptoms with a few additional ones tagged on. For instance, a bi-polar patient is likely to act out impulsively. Bi-polar people have extreme highs and lows, unlike ADHD. For instance, bi-polar patients may have several good days. That means they will feel fine and behave as normal and functional members of society. They may just as easily wake up one morning and begin to cry for no apparent reason. They are also more likely to attempt/commit suicide, which is not considered and ADHD symptom. Bi-polar people may go off on a tangent over seemingly little things. It is a tricky disorder though, because the symptoms aren't always apparent and could only occur once every year or possibly once in a lifetime.

Being bi-polar means a roller coaster of emotions that can't be explained. The bi-polar personality will be your friend one day and hate you the next. None of these things is associated with ADHD even though there is often a misdiagnosis. The biggest issue with misdiagnosis is mistreatment for the actual problem. If you are bi-polar, it could get much worse over time if it is left untreated. ADHD often settles down as the person ages and can be treated very easily with certain medications and/or diet changes. Bi-polar patients need much different treatments with much stronger medications.

Bi-polar people are dealing with far worse issues that an ADHD person. It is possible that misdiagnosis occurs because the doctors aren't looking deep enough into the patient's history. They may see the signs and symptoms of ADHD very clearly and stop at that diagnosis before going any further with the possibility of bi-polar disorder. It does the patient a great disservice because the bi-polar disorder is so severe that it can literally destroy the person's life including relationships. If there is a diagnosis for ADHD, it is important to make sure that all avenues have been discussed and investigated to avoid misdiagnosis. When doctors stop at what appears to be the obvious, they may be missing the not so obvious possibilities. This is an important distinction that needs to be made so that people with ADHD get the correct treatment and those with bi-polar disorder aren't given the wrong treatment.