People often struggle with unidentified and untreated bipolar disorder for years. In fact, about two-thirds of people with bipolar disorder are misdiagnosed before bipolar is discovered.
Most of these individuals are misdiagnosed with depression. When thinking about the difference between the two, patients and clinicians can consider family history due to the genetic roots of the disorder, and personal history of unexplained excitability and euphoria or rage, self-harm, and suicidality. Antidepressants can trigger mania in some cases; it’s critical to monitor if a patient feels more agitated, irritable, aggressive, or hyperactive after beginning medication.
In the case of schizophrenia, manic episodes can include or resemble psychosis, while depressive episodes resemble the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. (Such patients may receive a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type.)