¿En qué se diferencian la depresión y el trastorno bipolar?

Both depresión y trastorno bipolar are mental health conditions that people experience. But there’s a difference between them.

People with depression feel sad, low, numb, or exhausted for an extended period of time. People with bipolar disorder experience extreme mood changes. They go from depressed to elevated or high energy. People with bipolar disorder experience both depression and manía. While people with depression only feel overwhelmingly down.

Depression and bipolar disorder are treatable. To determine if you have depression or bipolar disorder, think about your past experiences. And when you’re ready, talk to a mental health professional.

How do I know if I have depression or bipolar disorder?

Knowing whether you have depression or bipolar disorder takes finding the correct diagnosis. It’s easier to diagnose depression and harder to diagnose bipolar disorder.

If you have a depressed episode and you start to feel better, you can feel like you have more energy. And you may start to do things that you want to do. You might also decide that because of improved moods, you’re willing and able to try new things. During this period, it could be difficult to determine whether your experience was mania or improved depression.

Experiencing positive moods and recovery from depression is different from mania in one important way.  Generally, when someone experiences mania, the elevated mood, increased energy, or hyperactivity also causes problems for the person.

Some of the risky behaviors that go along with mania include:

• Shopping sprees
• An increase in risky, pleasurable activities like sexo sin protección or gambling
• Periods of no sleep
• Changes like bizarre behaviors and thinking.

If a person experiences at least one episode of mania in their life, it is an indication that they might have bipolar disorder.

For most people who are diagnosed with bipolar disorder, the diagnosis happens after their first manic episode. During a manic episode, people will look back and say, “I really was thinking and acting outside of what would feel acceptable and normal for me.” At times, people will also say or recognize that they didn’t have control over their thoughts or decisions. And that extra energy wasn’t due to using drugs – it came from a brain change.

What should I do if I think I have bipolar disorder?

If you think you have bipolar disorder, learning more about bipolar experiences online and eventually talking to a mental health professional about getting a diagnosis are the likely next steps. Before the conversation, it might help to take our bipolar disorder test. It’s not an official diagnosis, but it can help you understand and validate your experiences.

It’s also a good idea to reflect on and track your moods. Were there times in the past when you felt low or depressed? Were there times when you had lots of energy, felt more impulsive, or felt you didn’t need sleep? Gathering this information about yourself can make it easier to answer the questions that a mental health professional will ask you.