E52: Depression Differential: When to Consider Bipolar Disorder or Something Else

I had an after thought after finishing the depression season, and that is what happens when someone has depressive symptoms that looks like a depressive disorder but it isn't? We will cover all of these diagnoses and their treatments in the future but I think it is prudent to have a discussion on how depressive symptoms look different in different illnesses and how that can affect the medication that you select. And most importantly we want to consider bipolar disorder, so I do a deep dive on bipolar disorder and talk about the old diagnosis of manic depressive illness from DSM-II days where these illnesses were one in the same and both would be treated with a mood stabilizer. There have actually been several different types of depression or manic depressive illness suggested, so have a listen to learn more.