Some mental health issues appear similar---so related, in fact, that mental health professionals have to have intensive intake sessions to determine someone's diagnosis. Bipolar disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are two mental health disorders listed in the DSM-IV-TR (the diagnostic manual used by mental health professionals) that share some similar symptoms, causes and treatment options. However, these two disorders have distinctive characteristics.
Basics
Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme highs and lows known as manic and depressive episodes. The person experiences mood swings that create chaos in his life. ADHD is distinguished by three main features: inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity.
Symptoms
Someone suffering from ADHD and someone who's having a manic episode will have some similar symptoms, including irritability, making impulsive decisions, having issues maintaining healthy relationships, trouble focusing, talking excessively and fidgeting. The symptoms that set bipolar disorder apart from ADHD include a depressed mood, delusions, hopelessness, thoughts of suicide, issues eating and sleeping, loss of pleasure and fatigue. Even though these two disorders share some symptoms, bipolar disorder can be distinguished due to the mood component and the severity of the symptoms.
Causes
These two disorders, like many other mental health disorders, have comparable causes. Scientists and doctors can't pinpoint one specific cause for either of these disorders, but they have speculated on a combination of related factors that seem to contribute to someone developing one of these disorders. The Mayo Clinic reports that someone with either of these disorders may have a genetic predisposition and may have brain irregularities. Also, the environment appears to play a role. For example, people who have ADHD are more likely to have been exposed to toxins, drug use and cigarette smoke when their mothers were pregnant with them.
Treatment
Both disorders are long-term, if not lifelong, mental health issues that can be treated with psychotherapy and medication. The most common medications used to treat bipolar disorder are mood stabilizers such as lithium and depakote. The most common medications used to treat ADHD are stimulants such as Ritalin and Concerta. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of therapy that's effective in treating both disorders. In cognitive behavioral therapy, a therapist helps patients understand how their thoughts affect their emotions and behaviors. Unlike ADHD, severe cases of bipolar disorder are sometimes treated with electroconvulsive therapy.
Considerations
Both of these disorders impact a person's ability to be successful at work and school and to make and maintain healthy relationships, but some might say that bipolar disorder is more severe. If you suffer from bipolar disorder, you're much more likely to need a psychiatric hospitalization than if you have ADHD. The reason is that someone with bipolar disorder is more likely to be suicidal and participate in risk-taking behaviors.
