Posted by Ritch on January 30, 2002, at 10:07:57
In reply to Bipolar II and ADHD Differences? » 3 Beer Effect, posted by IsoM on January 30, 2002, at 2:34:31
> Just stepping into your conversation, if you don't mind, with a question.
>
> Why is it so hard to differentiate between bipolar II & ADHD? I'm not disputing anyone's comment about it but truly don't understand why the difference can't be seen. Is it that some people have very clear-cut differences & others don't? For myself, it's as different as a horse from a zebra. Please educate me.Hi IsoM,
The fuzziness with the diagnosis is that BP-II's do not experience psychotic mania. Also people with ADHD have mood swings, irritability, impulsiveness, restlessness, distractability as part of their symptom complex. When BP-II's are hypomanic or depressed they can have great trouble focusing and concentrating (distractability). Also, there are "inattentive" ADHD people that are depressed (couch-potatoes). There is just a lot of overlap with the symptoms. I was dx'ed as BP for about 20 years, then it got switched to ADHD. Then it got switched to social phobia/panic. Now, it is all three. I have a nephew who looks and acts a lot like me and he is ADHD and is on Ritalin and doing fine. The real test is to give someone who is BP-II a low dose of a stimulant and see what happens (IMO). Give it a week or so and see how they are doing. If they are quiet and focused and sleeping normally, you could consider ADHD in addition to or instead of BP-II. If they get hypomanic and develop chronic insomnia and their distractability gets *worse* one might rule out ADHD. I would like to get to the bottom of it for sure. I still think I have both.
Mitch
poster:Ritch
thread:92098
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020124/msgs/92180.html