The Primary Differences between Major Depression and Bipolar Disorder: A Comprehensive Study

Many people not savvy to the numerous types of mental illnesses might, at first glance, be confused by the similarities between a major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. However, these two mental illnesses are quite distinct, & each carries with it a unique set of symptoms that help to differentiate them from both each other and the rest of the mental illnesses. The key here is identifying these differences so that one may identify whether an individual is suffering from bipolar disorder or major depression, & identifying the primary differences between these two mental illnesses is the most important step to achieve this end.

The most telling difference between these two mental illnesses is that bipolar disorder is characterized by sudden shifts in polarity or the general attitude of an individual (Goodwin & Jamison 2007). While these shifts in polarity are indicative of bipolar disorder, the length between polarity shifts, their duration, & their severity, differing from person to person (Goodwin & Jamison 2007). More simply, an individual who does not experience periodic manic bouts could usually be assumed to not have bipolar disorder & would, in most cases, have some form of major depression. Mania is easy to spot because it almost always forms a clash with the other "half" of an individual's personality. Mania generally entails symptoms such as extreme confidence, hyperactivity, or sudden euphoria, all symptoms that clash greatly with depression symptoms (Goodwin & Jamison 2007). The mania side of bipolar disorder is important to recognize because studies indicate that the depression side of bipolar disorder (that is, the foil to the manic side) is almost identical in terms of observable symptoms to major depression.

Another way to differentiate these two mental illnesses is to assess the different "levels" that each illness contains. These levels act as general guides for both severity & specific symptoms within both major depression & bipolar disorder. In the case of depression, there are a number of levels. Perhaps the most prevalent are what are known as "vegetative symptoms," which are long periods of inactivity within a patient with major depression in which they are not even active enough to attempt suicide or any other form of self-destructive activity (Goodwin & Jamison 2007). These vegetative states are indicative of major depression because of their length. They are sustained as well as observable signs, such as erratic brain activity while they are asleep, which also oftentimes leads to the sufferer of major depression awakening early in the morning, whereas most other forms of depression & bipolar disorder involve the sufferer not being able to go to sleep in the first place (Goodwin & Jamison 2007). While the depressing episodes of bipolar disorder are similar, the differences between it & major depression can be observed physically. Furthermore, the most severe of bipolar disorder, known as "Bipolar 1," has the most severe symptoms of both mania & depression, but both also are sustained for the greatest length of time, meaning that there is a great deal of time to observe either the mania or depressive sides of bipolar disorder & reach a conclusion that way. In addition, there are oftentimes blended elements of mania & depression, known as mixed episodes, which are unique to bipolar disorder, & are yet another telling aspect of that particular mental illness (Goodwin & Jamison 2007). Again, the actual depressive episodes are very similar to those of major depression, but differences may be observed nevertheless. The most reliable way to determine if a mental illness is a bipolar disorder is to watch for the shifts in polarity within the patient, of course, but if the polarity shifts are extremely infrequent, the aforementioned measures may be used to differentiate the depressive moods of bipolar disorder with major depression, since, oftentimes, receiving diagnosis & treatment quickly is a priority with severe mental illnesses such as these.

Reference

Goodwin, F. K., & Jamison, K. R. (2007). Manic-depressive illness: bipolar disorders and recurrent depression (Vol. 1). Oxford University Press. 288-292, 511-533, 541.