Why is my Therapist Telling me I have ADHD?

Sitting across from your therapist, you might hear them suggest you have ADHD, and that’s why you’ve been struggling with attention, racing thoughts, and low energy. However, after more digging and a deeper conversation, the diagnosis takes a turn—It’s not ADHD after all. It’s bipolar disorder!

Surprised? You’re not alone. The overlap between ADHD and bipolar disorder can confuse even seasoned professionals at first glance. Let’s explore why it’s easy to mistake one for the other and, more importantly, why this shift in diagnosis makes a huge difference.

1. The Overlapping Symptoms: Racing Thoughts and Inattention

Both ADHD and bipolar disorder can lead to racing thoughts, difficulty focusing, and a sense of mental chaos. But there’s a key difference: in bipolar disorder, these symptoms tend to come in waves during specific mood episodes, whereas with ADHD, they are more constant. In bipolar disorder, the racing thoughts often coincide with manic or hypomanic phases, when the mind feels like it’s moving at hyper-speed, or depressive phases, where focus is impaired due to low energy.

2. Energy Fluctuations vs. Consistent Distractibility

While ADHD often results in continuous difficulty paying attention, bipolar disorder brings mood swings. In manic or hypomanic episodes, energy levels soar, and focus might seem heightened, but it’s scattered and impulsive. During depressive episodes, the energy plummets, and focusing on anything can feel impossible. This fluctuation can sometimes be confused with ADHD’s distractibility, but it’s the cycling of energy that’s key in bipolar disorder.

3. Mood and Emotional Instability

One of the clearest indicators of bipolar disorder is the instability of mood. While ADHD can cause frustration or irritability, bipolar disorder swings between emotional highs and lows. During manic phases, someone might feel euphoric, irritable, or overly ambitious, while depressive phases bring hopelessness, fatigue, and disinterest. These intense emotional swings aren’t typical of ADHD.

4. The Big Reveal: It’s Bipolar, Not ADHD!

So, after considering the symptoms more closely, your therapist might shift their initial thinking. Ta-dah! It’s not ADHD after all, but bipolar disorder. And this matters because the treatments are different. For bipolar disorder, stabilizing moods is key, often through mood stabilizers or medications like lithium, along with therapy to manage both manic and depressive episodes.

What Now?

Getting the correct diagnosis is a huge step toward finding the right treatment and support. If you’ve been living with symptoms like racing thoughts, fluctuating energy, and trouble focusing, knowing that it’s related to bipolar disorder means you can begin addressing it properly. Therapy, lifestyle adjustments, and possibly medication can make a world of difference in managing these mood swings and leading a more balanced life.

Remember: understanding bipolar disorder opens the door to better management, more empathy for yourself, and the tools to thrive.