[Atypical bipolar disorders]

Some epidemiologic data reveal how difficult detecting atypic bipolar disorders is: 9 years of progression before the diagnosis is properly established and a specific treatment is initiated, and intervention of 4 to 5 different specialists. Incomplete symptomatology, impulsive actions, periodic alcohol abuse, compulsive buying behaviors, acute delusional episodes, medicolegal actions and comorbidities can hide or modify bipolar symptomatology. Bipolarity should be systematically screened for in case of substance abuse (40 to 60 percent of bipolar disorders), anxiety disorders (panic disorder, generalized anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders etc.) and feeding disorders. In these various situations, history taking and clinical examination will help to detect signs of bipolarity: reaction to antidepressants, inefficiency, paradoxical worsening, development of behavior disorders and mood changes. Besides screening for thymic disorders, the examination will be completed by history taking of thymic disorders, suicide, toxic abuse, anxiety disorders, personal history of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in childhood, depression or postpartum psychosis in women, as well as premenstrual depressive manifestations.