Bipolar disorder:Comorbidity

Several disorders may occur simultaneously with bipolar I and II disorders. As these disorders are not all episodic, they may present themselves during the course of both mood mood stability. Further, the medications used to manage the symptoms of bipolar disorders may be ineffective against the symptoms of comorbid disorders, and, in some cases, are contraindicated because they aggravate other conditions. Anxiety disorders or obsessive-compulsive disorder (mild or severe) may occur in conjunction with bipolar disorder. Other co-occurring symptomologies may include panic disorder, social phobia, suicidal ideation, substance dependence, and somatization disorders. Another comorbid condition that often confuses the diagnosis in the juvenile population is ADHD. ADHD and bipolar disorder co-occur frequently, perhaps due to their overlapping symptom profiles or to the prescription of stimulant medications to juveniles with ADHD.