Self diagnosis of bipolar disorder on the increase

The willingness of high-profile bipolar disorder sufferers to talk about their condition has led to more people diagnosing themselves with the illness, according to researchers.

By The Newsroom

Published 2nd Mar 2010, 11:14 BST

Updated 2nd Mar 2010, 11:14 BST

Bipolar disorder, previously known as manic depression, is a condition affecting people's mood, which can swing from one extreme to another.

Writing in The Psychiatrist, Dr Diana Chan and Dr Lester Sireling, who both work in London, claim the increase in self diagnosis is due to greater public awareness and a willingness of celebrities such as Stephen Fry to talk about their personal experiences of the illness.

About one in every 100 adults has bipolar disorder at a given time, but more recent studies suggest the true rate may be as high as 11 in every 100.

The psychiatrists wrote: "We have noticed in our clinical practice a new and unusual phenomenon, where patients present to psychiatrists with self-diagnosed bipolar disorder."

London Stephen Fry