Diagnoses and treatment interventions have a critical bearing on the quality of life of bipolar individuals.

Serious mental health conditions burn a massive hole in America’s pocket.

According to one estimate, the annual per capita cost associated with them is equivalent to more than $1,000. (The estimation ignored the co-occurring conditions, homelessness, incarceration, and reduced life expectancy associated with them.)

Yet, the National Institutes of Health spends disproportionately less on mental health research than it does on cancer research.

According to Vladimir Maletic, M.D., MS, clinical professor of psychiatry/behavioral science at the University of South Carolina's School of Medicine Greenville, ‘Recognizing bipolar disorder early on and effectively treating it may help diminish the comorbidities and mortality associated with the disease.’

A Steering Committee member of the Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Learning Network’s Psych Congress conference, Dr. Maletic also warns that bipolar individuals face several increased risks, [1] which are only compounded by inaccurate, belated and/or inadequate diagnoses and interventions:

• Compared with the healthy population, bipolar individuals are twice as vulnerable to migraine, asthma, chronic bronchitis, and chronic fatigue syndrome.

• They are two to three times more likely to succumb to endocrine, cardiovascular, or cerebrovascular conditions.

• They are also more likely to succumb to vascular disease vis-à-vis suicide, which is nevertheless a major concern with bipolar disorder—about 1 in 2 bipolar individuals is likely to attempt suicide, especially during a depressive episode.

Studies have shown that early detection of bipolar disorder, besides education and marriage, can contribute to functional recovery. [2]

Because functional recovery is likely to be limited in those with bipolar disorder, research into timely & accurate diagnoses as well as effective treatment interventions is of vital importance.