What Are Some Of The Common Psychiatric Disorders That Share Features With Bipolar Disorder?

Ramon Solhkhah, M.D., Director, Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, St. Luke's and Roosevelt Hospitals

April 29, 2008

Question: What are some of the common psychiatric disorders that share features with bipolar disorder?

Answer: The common psychiatric disorders that share features with bipolar disorder, I would say, generally go into one of two categories.

So, the other mood disorders -- so, depression sometimes mimics bipolar disorder in that people who are depressed can sometimes be a little bit irritable, have some mood swings and so, sometimes people will use some of those symptoms to overlap with the bipolar disorder symptoms.

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And for children and adolescents, probably the most common co-occurring disorder or situation that mimics bipolar disorder is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD -- where some of the hyperactivity, some of the moodiness that might go along with not doing well in school, some of the mood swings and outbursts might all be mistaken sometimes for bipolar disorder, as well.

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