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Bipolar Disorder: Are You Crazy?

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Are You Crazy? Picture yourself enjoying your summer by going to an amusement park, and after waiting hours in endless line, it's finally your turn to ride the roller coaster. Going up the roller coaster you’re all tense and scared but just in a few seconds you'll be happy as you go down the roller coaster , similar to Bipolar disorder which is the fourth most important cause of worldwide disability in 15-45 year-olds(Clinical review). Bipolar disorder, or BPD, is a disorder which prevails amongst the youth and affects them for the rest of their lives. BPD is a disorder that affects people as they often fluctuate between manic phases and depressive phases. Because Bipolar disorder is a complex physiological and psychological disorder that …show more content…
The first phase of this disorder is common episodes of Mania, and irratical thoughts of certain things. "There is elation, euphoria, and giddiness,the person feels on top of the world, like they can do things other people can't." A manic episode, which lasts at least one week, can also lead to impulsive, risky behaviors such as reckless driving, numerous sexual encounters, careless spending, substance abuse, and vandalism”(Markarian). After an intense episode of mania, Depression who lurges in the shadows makes quite an impression. “The flip side of the manic stage is depression. Teens experiencing this part of the disorder "may crash overnight or do a slow burn,the irritability is still there but in a …show more content…
Primary care physicians are full with knowledge with BPD and many mental disorders, however most of these primary physicians tend to lack real life experience with the disorder.With no life experience acquired diagnosing BP can become a burden for primary care physicians.In fact, PCPs acknowledge difficulty in diagnosing BPD. In a 2006 survey evaluating the knowledge, attitudes, and awareness of 102 PCPs, the respondents frequently misidentified various symptoms required for the diagnosis of BPD, and 46% indicated that they did not have experience recognizing BPD symptoms (Culpepper). Despite of having some knowledge of BPD, primary care physicians and psychiatrists will often misdiagnosed,underdiagnosed, and overdiagnosed BPD. Over diagnosing occurs when physicians diagnose the disorder more often than it actually presents itself. Overdiagnosis of bipolar disorder is an increasing concern, particularly since the widely cited study by Zimmerman and colleagues. Findings from that study indicate that there is a problem with overdiagnosis (positive predictive value of only 43%) as well as with the much less

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