Diagnosis and Impact of Bipolar Depression

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The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders

People with bipolar disorder are subject to high rates of misdiagnosis and inappropriate pharmacotherapeutic treatment, which can negatively impact the course of illness. Patients with bipolar disorder often seek treatment for depressive episodes and do not recognize or report manic or hypomanic symptomatology. Clinicians must take steps to differentiate bipolar depression from other depressive disorders. Screening for manic/hypomanic symptoms during index episodes of depression can help in this endeavor.