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Bipolar Disorder/Bipo;ar
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Question
My father had bipolar, I think I might have it or some sort of disorder. The other day for example, in half an hour I had gone from screaming at my boyfriend to laughing to crying. I have terrible mood swings but this could be stress related as I have moved overseas and am not enjoying it. Could I have bipolar?
Hi, Terri . . .
It is impossible for me to make a diagnosis over the Web, but if you think you may have bipolar disorder there are a few things you can do.
You can take the bipolar screening questionnaire at:
http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.bipolar-screening.html
and then you can take your results to a psychiatrist for an evaluation.
The diagnosis of bipolar disorder can best be made by a psychiatrist after an interview.
There is a 15% chance of having bipolar disorder if one of your parents had it.
For lots of information about bipolar disorder see:
http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.bipolar.html
Best regards . . .
Ivan
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Answers by Expert:
Ivan Goldberg, M.D.
Expertise
I am a psychiatrist/psychopharmacologist with many years of expereince in treating individuals with depressions, manic-depression (Bipolar Disorder), other mood disorders,. I am especially interested in the psychopharmacologic treatment of individuals with so called "treatment-resistant" syndromes.
Experience
I have been on the staff of the National Institute of Mental Health, Columbia's College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. I am currently in full-time private practice in New York City.
A.B. Johns Hopkins University
M.D. N.Y.U. College of Medicine
I am the creator of Depression Central:http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.html
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