• 70% of persons with two bipolar parents will be bipolar
• Untreated bipolar disorder will worsen over time becoming more frequent and severe
• Bipolar often begins with depression
• Antidepressants can induce a manic response in a person that is bipolar
• Bipolar is a serious disorder with a 15% rate of suicide
• 5-8% of the population have a bipolar spectrum disorder
• The average age of onset is 15-19
• Bipolar disorder is not diagnosed on average for 9-10 years
• 20% of those with bipolar disorder have panic disorder
• 25% of those depressed are bipolar
• 48% of those with bipolar disorder consult 3 or more professionals before receiving correct diagnosis Bipolar disorder can be caused by head injury, substance abuse or genetics
• Substance abuse or dependence is more likely during mania
• 70% of bipolars that stay up all night become manic the next day

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 16th, 2004 at 5:00 am and is filed under Bipolar Disorder. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.