Has anyone been misdiagnosed with bipolar?

[Dirtypaws]

If so can you tell me about it? DH is bipolar but is questioning the diagnosis.

Are there any particular reasons why he doesn't feel the diagnosis is correct? You can question a diagnosis - psych assessments do go on observation and medical history. It depends on what is reasons are for disagreeing.

Yes, and also know a friend and relative who have too.

IME, sometimes Mental Health professionals can say Bipolar after a period of depression and one psychotic episode.

Both my relative & friend now need no medication and have had no relapses for 10yrs plus. I'm on anti-depressants.

AFAIK Bipolar Disorder is several episodes and needs lifelong medication.

Actually the current thinking is that a bipolar diagnosis no longer automatically means a lifetime on meds.

I think the current guidelines are to stay on meds for two years following a single episode and five years following multiple episodes. That's two and five years of stability.

So, it is possible to have had a correct diagnosis of bipolar yet remain stable off meds.

No, not been misdiagnosed myself - but seen many people whom I believe were wrongly misdiagnosed and instead should've been put on the PD spectrum instead. But that takes time & money rather than throwing a few meds at them. Ask yourself how many "recently diagnosed bipolar" people are actually on e.g., lithium.

Yes, after I had a manic episode triggered by an anti-d I was prescribed. It was only after doing my own reasearch and discovering that as many as one in four people were being triggered into mania, that I went back to my pysch and waved this information at him and he agreed it was an entirely possible scanario.