How do you tell Unipolar Depression and Bipolar Disorder apart?
If the person in question is known to have had even a single Manic or Hypomanic Episode, then there is virtually no question; the diagnosis is a form of bipolar disorder (or, in the case of hypomania, possibly cyclothymia.) If the person in question is currently depressed, and his or her history is not known, or is incomplete, the following guidelines by Dr. Ivan Goldberg may prove to be useful: The things that make me suspect bipolarity in a patient diagnosed as unipolar are: – oversleeping when depressed – overeating when depressed – a history of bipolarity in the family – a patient who when depressed can still joke and laugh – anyone with a history of frequent depressive episodes (rapidly cycling unipolar disorder) – success as a salesperson, politician, or actor (in school or real world) – extreme rejection sensitivity – a history of having ever been diagnosed as bipolar or given lithium (except to potentiate antidepressants) Of course, a unipolar patient can still sleep too much,
