Diagnosing someone who is a probable candidate for bipolar disorder can easily be resolved if the person is already exhibiting symptoms. Although, if the symptoms aren't that prominent and the person is subject to coming back to his normal status, it wouldn't be likely to be diagnosed because of the apparent signs.
To mentally suspect someone having a bipolar disorder within the family or the community is hard especially when you have no idea where to start. It's best to leave it to the experts.It's easier to diagnose something that is shown than something that is not. When you see someone with bleeding hands, you know that you have to fix medications and clean the wound of the affected part. When it comes to diagnosing a person with such a psychological disorder, it wouldn't be easy as telling that he has broken ears or swollen fingers.
Tests must be made to diagnose if the person is really undergoing a stage of the disease. Upon testing a person, he goes into numerous psychological and medical examinations which can help assume or rule out any kind of problem. These tests can also help check if there are any related complications that have occurred to support the problem.
The tests to help diagnose a problem generally consist of:
• Laboratory tests. Testing via laboratory usually includes CBC or complete blood count, other blood tests, and thyroid tests. Urinalysis may also be provided.
• Physical tests. This is all about the outer physique of a person that includes the measuring of weight and height, taking of vital signs such as the person's temperature, respiratory and pulse rate and blood pressure, auscultation of the lungs and heart and examining the abdomen as a whole.
• Psychological exam. Considered as one of the most important part of the test. Here, the physician will initiate conversation and trigger some of the patient's inner thoughts and feelings. Psychological exams can help distinguish the behavioral pattern that might have caused the disorder.
The patient may also be asked to fill out certain questionnaires that can help in psychological assessments. With proper permission from the patient, the doctor can also question close relatives and friends that can further provide information of episodes of depression or mania.
Criteria for diagnosis
In order to be diagnosed with the disorder, a person must meet certain criteria that are stated by the manual published by the association which is responsible for American psychiatric society indicated as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. This manual can be the basis for health providers to diagnose conditions regarding mental health.
Upon diagnosing a person, the criteria must be based specifically on the type of bipolar disorder as well as the types of episodes and history. To be able to learn more on the situation, you have to talk intently to your doctor and ask the long term treatments to the condition. Researchers say that bipolar disorder can be regarded as a series of disorders with varying symptom and degrees.
It is very important to early diagnose a person with bipolar disorder. In the event that people are misdiagnosed or undiagnosed, the person affected will not get sufficient cure because the treatment may be severe or inappropriate. Thus, treatment will just go to waste.