Up to 4% of people in the U.S. live with bipolar disorder, what used to be called manic depression.

But as common as this mood disorder is, it is also often misunderstood and misdiagnosed.

Indeed, many people with bipolar disorder wait years between experiencing their first symptoms

and receiving an accurate diagnosis.

And the general public perception that bipolar disorder is always severe and untreatable is

both harmful and out of date.

Over the past few decades, researchers have made great strides in understanding how to recognize,

diagnose, and treat bipolar disorder with both psychotherapy

and medications. So what are the symptoms of bipolar disorder and how is it diagnosed? At what

age do symptoms usually first appear? What does bipolar disorder look like in children and teens

versus adults? What treatments are available? And is bipolar

disorder linked to creativity or is that just a myth? Is it genetic or something that people develop

as a result of trauma? And what are researchers learning about helping people with bipolar disorder

manage it and live healthy, productive lives? Welcome to Speaking of Psychology, the flagship podcast of the American Psychological Association

that examines the links between psychological science and everyday life.

I'm Kim Mills.

We have two guests today.

The first is Dr. David Micklewowitz, a clinical psychologist and professor in the Department

of Psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles Semmel Institute.

Dr. Mikulowitz treats and conducts research with people who have bipolar disorder and their

families.

Much of his research focuses on family's psychoeducational treatments

...