Topic Three

As indicted in recent class lectures as well as in Essentials of Abnormal Psychology, it is not uncommon for two or more disorders to coexist within one person (Durand & Barlow, 2006). Consistent with said textbook, an article published in the “Psychiatric Times” states, “Patients with BPD are at higher risk for many other anxiety subtypes” (Sagman & Tohen, 2009). Such is the case in the comorbidity of bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Bipolar disorder, a mood disorder, is identifiable by a “tendency of manic episodes in an unending roller-coaster ride from the peaks of elation to the depths of despair” (Durand & Barlow, 2006). A case report written by Dr. Stephen Salzbrenner and Eileen Conaway for the National Center for Biotechnology Information indicates that post-traumatic stress disorder, an anxiety disorder, is identifiable by a “patient’s re-experiencing of an extremely traumatic, often life-threatening event and is associated with symptoms of hyperarousal and avoidance of stimuli that reminds the patient of said event” (2009). The overlapping of symptoms of each disorder can often result in challenges when interpreting the symptoms, treating such disorders, and the resulting prognosis.
According to the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists, research shows that anywhere between 16% to 39% of bipolar patients also meet criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder due to the overlapping of symptoms between the two disorders (2012). It is not entirely surprising that the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists further reports that high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder are found among individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder, as many individuals with bipolar disorder also have a histo...

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...ps://www.aacp.com/Pages.asp?AID=10227 &issue=&page=&UID=#0212ACP_ Schaffer-tab3.
Dilsaver, Steven C. (2010). How to treat PTSD in patients with comorbid mood disorders. Current Psychiatry. Retrieved April 2, 2014, from http://www.currentpsychiatry.com/ fileadmin/ cp_archive/pdf/0904/0904CP_Article2.pdf.
Durand, V. M., & Barlow, D. H. (2006). Essentials of Abnormal Psychology (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth.
Sagman, D., & Tohen, M. (2009). Comorbidity in Bipolar Disorder. Psychiatric Times. Retrieved April 2, 2014, from http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/bipolar-disorder/comorbidity-bipolar-disorder.
Salzbrenner, Stephen., & Conaway, Eileen. (2009). Misdiagnosed Bipolar Disorder Reveals Itself to be Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. National Center for Biotechnology Information . Retrieved April 1, 2014, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ articles/PMC2743211.