I was told I had depression for 14 years until I got sectioned - it was bipolar
Summary
Kimberley Atkinson was diagnosed with depression for 14 years before doctors identified her actual condition as bipolar disorder when she was hospitalized. Experts say better screening for bipolar symptoms is needed because many people with depression may actually have bipolar, which requires different treatment.Key Facts
- Kimberley struggled with mood swings since her teenage years and was treated for depression for 14 years.
- Her behavior became erratic, including fast speech, irritability, and delusional beliefs, leading to her compulsory admission to a psychiatric hospital.
- Doctors diagnosed her with bipolar disorder during her hospital stay, which better explained her symptoms.
- Bipolar disorder causes extreme mood changes, including manic episodes with high energy and possible breaks from reality.
- Misdiagnosing bipolar as depression can be harmful because depression medicines sometimes worsen bipolar symptoms.
- Experts, including psychiatrists and charities, call for better screening methods to identify bipolar disorder early.
- Treatments for bipolar include mood-stabilizing medications like lithium and talking therapies.
- Another person, Jacqui Armstrong, also spent decades misdiagnosed with depression before getting a bipolar diagnosis.
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