Reader’s Question

I am very young to be having a bipolar dysfunction, but I have tried nearly all of the bipolar disorder tests and they have all been in the very high probability range. I feel that this is something that needs looking at, yet I’m not positive if it is just in my imagination or if it could turn out to be something serious. What say you?

Our Clinical Psychologist’s Reply

Some of the available internet tests are very misleading. There’s often a big difference between a person’s perception of how they are and what we call the clinical criteria for a psychiatric disorder. If we look at a question such as “Sometimes I am too happy” — most folks can remember a time when that was true — they were happier than “normal” for them. From a clinical standpoint however, the extreme happiness found in Bipolar Disorder is a severe symptom that is often incapacitating. The symptom of “spending sprees” is another example. A healthy adult might consider impulsively buying $400.00 worth of clothing as a “spending spree”. In Bipolar Disorder however, a “spending spree” is much more severe. I’ve had Bipolar patient purchase 88 of the same outfit. One of my patients was admitted to a medical-surgical hospital and ordered 15 big-screen televisions for the hospital waiting rooms on a home shopping television channel.

Your best bet is to obtain a consultation with a mental health professional. Most psychologists and psychiatrists could answer your questions and concerns in only a few sessions. Obtaining a consultation is especially important if you are experiencing symptoms that are making your life more difficult.