Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is marked by intense mood swings of mania or hypomania that have major impacts on relationships, work, and daily life. It can be treated with a combination of therapy and medication. If you know someone with bipolar disorder or are suffering from bipolar, here’s what you need to know.
Bipolar Disorder Facts
Bipolar disorder affects 2.6 million every year.
The following statistics pertain to bipolar disorder generally:1,2
- 2.8% of adults had bipolar disorder in 2001 to 2003
- Of those adults, 82.9% had serious impairment, one of the highest for any mood disorder
- About 17.1% had moderate impairment
- Those with bipolar are more likely to have suffered from greater instances of childhood trauma and internalized shame than those without
- According to another study, about 50% of those with bipolar also suffered from childhood trauma
Bipolar Disorder Rates by Age
Age can play a large part in diagnosis and prevalence, depending on when symptoms were noticed and how long it takes to get a diagnosis. Adolescents make up a significant part of bipolar diagnosis.
The following are statistics about bipolar disorder by age:1
- According to the NIMH, 4.7% of adults with bipolar in 2001 to 2003 were 18 to 29 years old
- In that same study, 3.5% of adults were aged 30 to 44
- And 2.2% of adults were aged 45 to 59
- 2.9% of adolescents aged 13 to 18 were diagnosed with bipolar disorder from 2001-2003
- 2.6% of them had severe impairment
- The highest prevalence of cases was found in adolescents aged 17 to 18 (4.3%)
- Adolescents aged 15 to 16 made up 3.1%
- Adolescents aged 13 to 14 made up 1.9%
Bipolar Disorder Rates by Gender
There are small but noticeable differences in bipolar disorder rates by gender:1
- NIMH states that the diagnosis rate between men and women is very similar, 2.9% to 2.8%, respectively
- This is slightly different for adolescents aged 13 to18, where females make up 3.3% of cases versus 2.6% in males
Bipolar Disorder & Co-Occurring Diagnoses
Those with bipolar may also suffer from other diagnoses, and may also struggle with substance abuse.
The following statistics pertain to other co-occurring mental health disorders that are seen alongside bipolar disorder:2,3,4
- Those with bipolar may also suffer from anxiety, ADHD, or PTSD
- According to SAMSA, 30 to 50% of those with bipolar will develop a substance abuse disorder in their lives
- Alcohol is usually misused by people with bipolar
- Bipolar patients with co-occurring alcohol use disorder are less likely to seek out or maintain a treatment plan
- They are also more likely to be hospitalized and attempt suicide
- Those with severe manic episodes may also be at risk of psychosis, with symptoms such as hallucination or delusions
Has There Been an Increase in Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis?
There are a number of factors that can have an effect on bipolar diagnoses, such as overdiagnosis, incorrect diagnosis, and more. But have bipolar diagnoses been more prevalent recently?
The following statistics pertain to the amount of bipolar disorders being diagnosed:5,6
- A 2007 New York Times article stated that bipolar diagnoses had increased 40-fold in children from 1994 to 2003, but the research has experts on both sides questioning the reason.
- One theory is that the addition of Bipolar II diagnosis and the “broadening conceptualization of bipolar spectrum disorders” may be responsible.
- There may also be a significant overlap between ADHD and bipolar, especially for children who don’t quite fit into one diagnosis. This can lead to complications when diagnosing either.
Treatment for Bipolar Disorder
Like other mental health conditions, bipolar disorder can usually be successfully treated with a combination of therapy and medication, which vary depending on the severity of the diagnosis.
Treatment for bipolar disorder is effective:7
- According to one study, patients taking medication for bipolar symptoms are more likely to recover faster if they also participate in intensive psychotherapy
- 64% of those patients taking both medication and intensive psychotherapy had “become well”
- Those patients were also 1.5 times more likely to be well at any given month during the trial year
- Those in family-focused therapy also had higher rates of recovery
