Edinburgh — Depression Diagnosis Was Bipolar After 14 Years

A psychiatric hospital in the United Kingdom reversed a 14-year depression diagnosis for Kimberley Atkinson, determining instead that she has bipolar disorder, according to the BBC. The correction came only after Atkinson was admitted to a psychiatric ward against her will, following months of what she described as increasingly erratic behavior.

Atkinson, who was pursuing a PhD at the University of Edinburgh, had been treated for depression since her teenage years, the BBC reported. She told the outlet her mood had "always been up and down," and that her depressive episodes felt like "sinking into a dark hole," leaving her unable to get out of bed.

What Changed Before She Was Sectioned?

Atkinson said her thinking became "erratic" and she began experiencing delusions, rapid speech and irritability, per the BBC. In one episode, she drove to London after seeing a news report about someone in danger, convinced she was the only person who could help. She also came to believe her moods were influencing the weather. Friends and family grew alarmed, and she was admitted to a psychiatric ward involuntarily. During a three-month hospital stay, doctors diagnosed her with bipolar disorder, the BBC reported.

How Often Is Bipolar Disorder Mistaken for Depression?

Studies cited by the BBC suggest that a significant share of people with severe or recurrent depression may actually have bipolar disorder, with some research putting the figure as high as one in five. The distinction matters clinically because antidepressant medication prescribed for depression can worsen symptoms in people who actually have bipolar disorder, according to the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the charity Bipolar UK, both of which back calls for updated screening guidance.

What Are Doctors Recommending?

Prof. Danny Smith, chair of psychiatry at the University of Edinburgh, told the BBC that clinicians need better "screening" tools, including routine questions about manic symptoms and family history of bipolar disorder. Smith's call for urgently updated screening guidance has the support of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and Bipolar UK, which say earlier detection could be "life-saving."

How Is Atkinson Doing Now?

Atkinson initially resisted the bipolar diagnosis, the BBC reported, but said years of symptoms eventually made sense in retrospect. "When I think about how my life was before my diagnosis, it was so chaotic," she said. "Whereas now I'm stable, which is in large part due to the medication."

What Is Bipolar Disorder, in Brief?

Formerly known as manic depression, bipolar disorder causes extreme mood swings, according to the BBC. During "high" periods — mania or hypomania — people often feel unusually energetic or creative, experience racing thoughts, need less sleep and can become irritable. In severe cases, mania can trigger a break from reality, as described in Atkinson's case.

By the Numbers

• 14 years: how long Atkinson was treated for depression before her bipolar diagnosis.
• 1 in 5: the share of people with severe or recurrent depression who research suggests may actually have bipolar disorder, per studies cited by the BBC.
• 3 months: the length of Atkinson's psychiatric hospital stay during which doctors identified bipolar disorder.

Read the original BBC report.