Bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia are two very distinct mental health challenges. While BD is characterized by intense mood swings between deeply depressive states and episodes of mania, schizophrenia is marked by psychosis that can include hallucinations, delusions, or disordered thoughts or speech.
Because it’s possible for someone with bipolar disorder to experience psychotic symptoms, people living with BD can sometimes be misdiagnosed with schizophrenia. It’s also common for those living with schizophrenia to be struggling with other mental health conditions.
So, how can clinicians, loved ones, and educators learn to recognize the key symptoms of BD and schizophrenia all while understanding the key similarities and differences in these disorders? How is each condition diagnosed and treated? And what are their respective risk factors?