Is there a Simple Blood Test to Screen for Manic Depression/Bipolar Disorder?

You would think that with millions of people afflicted with a major disabling disease that we would have a simple test to tell who has it, and how severe it is.  Like an x-ray for a broken bone, or a urine test for a kidney infection, or a blood test for diabetes.

It is estimated by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) that over 16 million people in the United States will have Bipolar Disorder at some point in their lives.  That’s almost as many people who live in the whole state of New York!

Do you mean to tell me that the only way to get a diagnosis for Bipolar Illness is to be asked a lot of questions about high energy, low energy, emotional roller coasters, how much sleep I get, and whether I spend too much money or have too many romantic relationships? Or if I have irritability, racing thoughts, feelings of hopelessness or helplessness, cycles of mood swings, changes in energy level, trouble focusing, or thoughts of suicide?

The truth is, that because we don’t rely on hard facts like a blood test or DNA that Bipolar disorder is often misdiagnosed especially during the teenage years. This is because many of the symptoms of Bipolar disorder overlap with symptoms of other mental health disorders. When it’s diagnosed as something else, symptoms of Bipolar disorder can get worse. This usually occurs because the wrong treatment is provided.

According to a 2006 study published in Psychiatry, a highly respected professional journal, around 69 percent of all cases are misdiagnosed. One-third of those aren’t properly diagnosed for 10 years or more.  Hey, this is worse than roulette, where you can at least have a 50% chance of winning if you just play red or black.