Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that combines episodes of depression and mania. A person with bipolar disorder will experience shifts in mood that can be lessened with treatment. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental health disorder that affects a person's ability to pay attention, engage in appropriate behaviors and sit still. The symptoms of ADHD can also be reduced with treatment.
Basics
Both ADHD and bipolar disorder affect how a person behaves and interacts with those around her. Bipolar disorder may cause a person to display odd or undesirable behaviors similar to ADHD.
Manifestation
Bipolar disorder is displayed either through manic episodes or depressive episodes. When a person is experiencing mania, she may appear to have high levels of energy, be unable to sit still, require little to no sleep, talk fast, have racing thoughts, be unable to concentrate, lack judgment, be impulsive, experience an increase in creativity and spend money freely, notes the Mayo Clinic. When a person with bipolar disorder experiences depression, she will lose her motivation, change her appetite and sleep patterns, avoid social interactions, feel helpless, feel worthless, and be unable to find pleasure in activities she previously found enjoyable.
Signs of ADHD include lack of concentration, inability to remain focused on one thing, hyperactive energy levels, impulsive behaviors, constantly changing thoughts, becoming easily frustrated, and increases in enthusiasm and creativity, notes HelpGuide.org.
Considerations
Bipolar disorder and ADHD can manifest in similar ways. According to the Mayo Clinic, bipolar disorder and ADHD are hard to differentiate from one another in some people because the symptoms of both disorders can overlap. People can be misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder and have ADHD or vise versa, but it is possible for a person to be diagnosed with both disorders because they are co-occurring illnesses, notes the the Mayo Clinic.
This overlap between the disorders is important to remember. Parents who suspect their child has bipolar disorder or ADHD should not rush to judgment and should leave the determination up to an experienced mental health professional. Parents or caregivers should not withhold symptoms; all symptoms should be brought to the attention of a mental health professional and not withheld because they appear irrelevant.
Treatment
To effectively treat a person, the correct diagnosis must first be made. Treatment recommendations will be based on whether the person has bipolar disorder, ADHD or a combination of the two. Both bipolar disorder and ADHD are usually treated with the combination of psychotherapy and medication. Behavioral therapies, education and family therapy can be beneficial to reducing the symptoms triggered by both these disorders. Psychotherapy can help a person relearn the ways that he thinks and behaves.
Benefits
Changes to a person's lifestyle can be very beneficial in helping to reduce the symptoms of either disorder. Improper sleep patterns can intensify and trigger symptoms of both bipolar disorder and ADHD. Engagement in regular exercise can help steady mood and increase good feelings, notes the Mayo Clinic. It can also help a person burn off the extra energy often associated with ADHD.
Mental health providers can help a person come up with ways to improve her life to reduce symptoms depending on her mental health disorder.
