Is there anyway to tell the difference if someone is bi-polar or schizophrenic b!
Question: Is there anyway to tell the difference if someone is bi-polar or schizophrenic by actions or medicine taken?
Answers:
It depends. They can present very similarly and the same meds are often used.
Bipolar meds (that aren't generally used for schizophrenia: lithium, lamictal, depakote, lamotrogine, etc
Schizophrenia meds are often used to treat bipolar disorder..so it gets a bit murky because of that.
As for behaviors, here are some generalizations:
Schizophrenia is a disorder of thought. It may include hallucinations, delusions, bizarre behavior (laughing at a funeral, wearing an overcoat in summer), extreme apathy, and cognitive problems. Speech is likely abnormal.
Bipolar is a mood disorder. People do NOT usually switch moods rapidly--instead, moods switch a few times a year and are very exaggerated. Bipolar might also have psychotic symptoms (hallucinations, delusions) but they are mood congruent...
It can be very different, but also similar. Sometimes doctors can't even tell.
Yeah, if you knew the name of the medications.
But the two disorders aren't even similar to eachother.
Bipolar is where you are depressed for an extended period of time, and manic for a period of time. Mania isn't being happy. Many is reckless, thrill-seeking behavior. So if a person is really moody one minute then happy another, it's not Bipolar.
Schizophrenia is usually auditory hallucinations (seeing things that aren't there), auditory hallucinations (hearing things that aren't there) and delusions (believing something that isn't true)
do u hear wierd noises? thats schizophernic
bipolar is u change moods quickly. ur super excited 2 mins later u wanna beat up someone
idk