Description

Bipolar disorder is commonly diagnosed during adolescence or early adulthood, but onset can occur throughout the life cycle. The disorder can be difficult to distinguish from unipolar depression and the average delay in diagnosis is 5-10 years after symptoms begin. Diagnosis of bipolar disorder takes several factors into account and considers the self-reported experiences of the symptomatic individual, abnormal behavior reported by family members, friends or co-workers, observable signs of illness as assessed by a clinician, and often a medical work-up to rule-out medical causes. In diagnosis, caregiver-scored rating scales, specifically the mother, has been found to be more accurate than teacher and youth report in predicting identifying youths with bipolar disorder. Assessment is usually done on an outpatient basis; admission to an inpatient facility is considered if there is a risk to oneself or others.

Author: Raines, Ruth

Topic: Psychology
Media: Book
ISBN: 1726049523
Language: English
Pages: 38