“The biggest issue related to bipolar disorder lies in the diagnosis”, insists Renaud Maigne, president of Bipolarité France and himself suffering from this disease, in the investigation report (source 1). Approximately 2.5% of the French population suffer from this psychiatric illness characterized by mood disorders. However, according to the High Authority for Health, it is necessary on average between 8 and 10 years to establish a diagnosisespecially because bipolar disorder is often mistakenly confused with other psychiatric illnesses such as depression.
According to a survey by the Bipolarité France association conducted among 1,204 people diagnosed with bipolar disorder and published on March 30, the finding would be even more alarming. For 20% of respondents, the diagnosis was made more than 15 years after the first symptomsand one in five patients will have waited more than 10 years before having a name put on their disease.
Bipolar disorders are all the more devastating when they are treated late. Beyond untreated mood fluctuations, the risk is that other disorders are associated with them. The whole can promote social and professional disintegration or even suicidal behavior while people whose bipolar disorder is stabilized can have a completely satisfactory functioning and quality of life, explains Pre Chantal Henry, scientific director of the Pierre Deniker, partner in the investigation.
While the first symptoms of the disease generally appear between the ages of 15 and 25, the diagnosis is made after the age of 25 for more than 3 out of 4 people. diagnostic error has a significant impact, particularly at the level of personal relationships, but also on their professional life, their mental health, even on their suicidal thoughts – 15% of bipolar people die as a result of suicide. Once made, the diagnosis also helped 60% of respondents to benefit from better care, and 69% from more appropriate treatments.
Recommendations to reduce diagnostic time
Faced with this major challenge, the Bipolarité France association has drawn up a list of recommendations to improve the diagnosis and management of bipolar disorders.