Is bipolar and intermittent explosive disorder the same?

Answer 1

No, they are not the the same, however, they share many similarities. I am very well informed on both the symptoms of Type 1 Bipolar disorder and those of IED. I myself suffer from IED, and my girlfriend suffers from bipolar disorder. The symptoms are very similar, as well as the patterns and neurological conditions that exist in the disorders. This is why both can be treated with Lithium Salts and various Anti-Convulsants.

The similarities vary, as the symptoms and cycles of bipolar disorder and IED often vary from patient to patient. Both are expected to quickly enter aggressive behaviors when having an episode, even if they would not be violent when in a neutral state. However, a person with bipolar disorder will already appear very volatile and unstable before a violent outburst, as the symptoms of bipolar mania are very present during an explosion. However, a person may appear very calm and neutral before and IED explosion, and only sometimes can an explosion be predicted. When manic, a bipolar person will often experience racing thoughts as increased physical strength and energy. Some people who have IED experience episodes in clusters, experiencing several episodes of varying intensity through a period of a few weeks, returning to normal for several months afterwords, in a similar pattern to the manic "phases" of a person with bipolar disorder.

There are several differences too. While the level of mania fluctuates during a manic period, it is nearly constantly apparent in the patients thoughts and behaviors for the duration of the manic period. A person with IED may be "rigged to explode", but during this period their thoughts and behaviors are entirely normal, until a small trigger releases the explosion. This is often very shocking to the patient and cannot be followed as easily as the cycles of bipolar mania and depression. After major explosions, people with IED often experience depression and exhaustion, however, it is never clinical and is quickly overcome, unlike the major episodes of bipolar depression. Bipolar mania and depression is also much more long lasting, and where a bipolar person may be exerting mania for several weeks or months, and then depressed for several more, a person with IED will only be altered for 10-40 minutes before "coming down".

It should also be noted that Intermittent Explosive Disorder is often comorbid with bipolar disorder, as well as other mental illnesses. Because of this high rate of comorbitity, as well as the many similarities, a psychiatrist must first rule out bipolar disorder before diagnosing a patient with IED.

Hope I helped.