Is ADHD different to the Bipolar condition (Manic Depressive)?!

Is ADHD different to the Bipolar condition (Manic Depressive)?

Just looking at the differences or if they are linked as a condition

1 month ago
Thanks for the comments so far. The reason for asking this, is that all too often I see similarities with both conditions and I would like to know if they are connected more than anything. Is it likely that a person with ADHD will exhibit the Bipolar condition as well??

1 month ago
Excellent answers so folks and it is really helping me with a major dilemma. I have felt for a number of months that my boyfriend has Bipolar and ADHD. Our relationship is topsy turvy and he is very single minded in his actions. It is now at the point where I have said I never want to speak with him again, which I feel is wrong. But it is so difficult when some how you don't feel loved and the constant nit-picking and abruptness is playing havoc with my self esteem, since I have been bullied and harassed at work, quite recently and we are both on Anti-depressants, though I am now in the middle of coming off them. He has been taking them for year Dothiepin and he does drink a bottle of white wine or sometimes two a day. So I am a little concerned for him and the kids. Sorry I know this is meant to be for general questions and not personal problems...

Absolutely!

Because ADHD and bipolar disorder do share some symptoms and sometimes coexist, children ... are commonly misdiagnosed. ADHD is a more common condition in children and often the first thing a doctor thinks of.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, bipolar disorder is difficult to recognize and diagnose in youths because it does not fit typical symptoms seen for adults.

Research done by Joseph Biederman, MD, a child psychiatrist and expert in bipolar disorder in children, estimates the frequency of ADHD in school-aged kids at 3%-5%. The frequency of bipolar disorder in the same group is estimated to be less than half of 1%. Most of the children diagnosed with bipolar disorder also meet the criteria for ADHD, while only about one in five with ADHD meet bipolar disorder criteria.

Some experts believe that ADHD is overdiagnosed, and while bipolar disorder is relatively rare in children, it tends to be underdiagnosed. This could be because bipolar disorder typically surfaces in adolescence or early adulthood, and it is much less black-and-white in terms of how it manifests in children.

Current research suggests that there may in fact be a third, separate disorder that is somewhere in between the two.

Symptoms present in both ADHD and bipolar disorder include impulsivity, inattention, and hyperactivity, and both disorders seem to be inheritable.

But there are many differences, the biggest being that bipolar disorder is primarily a mood disorder, while ADHD affects attention and behavior. For example, while irritability and aggressiveness can indicate bipolar disorder, they also can be symptoms of ADHD, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, or other types of mental disorders.

A few other key ways in which they differ include:

How anger manifests itself. Though both ADHD and bipolar disorder have an anger component, the tantrums of a kid with ADHD are usually born out of frustration or overstimulation; any destructiveness is also unintentional and a result of carelessness.

With a bipolar child, anger is explosive and extreme and usually triggered when a parent or other authority figure attempts to set limits; destructiveness is often intentional. A kid with bipolar disorder can sustain his rage for as long as two hours, whereas one with ADHD can usually be calmed down within 20-30 minutes.

Whether or not psychosis is present. "With bipolar disorder, a large number of kids have psychosis, meaning thoughts and behaviors not based in reality," says Stephanie Hamarman, MD. "For example, a child might really believe he has superpowers and can fly. ADHD kids do not exhibit psychosis." Hamarman is chief of psychiatry at the Stanley Lamm Institute of Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y.

ADHD symptoms tend to be chronic, while bipolar disorder is generally more episodic. ADHD tends to improve over time; bipolar disorder often gets worse, especially if proper treatment is delayed.

Treating these illnesses routinely starts with mood-stabilizing medications. Studies are looking into the effectiveness of other forms of therapy like psychotherapy. In ADHD, treatment may require stimulant or newer nonstimulant medications. When both disorders are present, the mood component is treated first. Studies are looking into the effectiveness of other forms of therapy like psychotherapy for these conditions.

With either disorder, the earlier you catch it, the better. Proper diagnosis and treatment not only reduces the impairment in functioning due to symptoms, but it hopefully prevents the long-term effects that may occur if the disorder is untreated.

"Research shows that having ADHD symptoms in childhood can have negative effects in adolescence and adulthood, such as substance abuse, low academic achievement, interpersonal conflicts, low self-esteem, and high physical injury rates," says Penberthy.

Untreated bipolar disorder can result in a phenomenon known as "kindling," where each episode has the effect of setting the stage for future episodes, which may worsen over time. In the case of bipolar disorder and ADHD together, there is an even greater need for careful and accurate diagnosis, since the stimulant medications that can successfully treat ADHD may actually worsen manic symptoms of bipolar disorder.