Overview
Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are serious mental health conditions that affect mood, thinking, and behavior, but in distinct ways. Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme mood swings, ranging from manic highs to depressive lows. Schizophrenia primarily affects perception and thinking, with symptoms like hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized behavior. While both can involve psychosis, bipolar disorder is a mood disorder, whereas schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder affecting cognition and perception more broadly.
Disease Summaries
Bipolar Disorder: This is a disorder marked by extreme and persistent shifts in mood that last for weeks to months, from periods of sustained depression to periods of elevated mood and euphoria. The precise cause is unclear, but genetic and environmental factors contribute.
Schizophrenia: This is a psychotic disorder characterized by disturbances in thinking (cognition), emotional responsiveness, and behavior, with an age of onset typically between the late teens and mid-30s. Hearing voices and/or believing things that aren't consistent with reality are common symptoms. The exact cause is unknown, but a mix of genetic, psychological, and environmental factors are likely responsible.
Comparing Symptoms
Overlapping Symptoms
- Psychotic episodes (delusions, hallucinations)
- Disorganized thinking or speech
- Difficulty functioning socially or at work
- Impaired judgment
- Poor insight into condition
Bipolar Disorder Specific Symptoms
- Mood swings between mania and depression
- Manic symptoms: increased energy, impulsiveness, euphoria
- Depressive symptoms: sadness, hopelessness, fatigue
- Changes in sleep and appetite
- Periods of normal mood between episodes
Schizophrenia Specific Symptoms
- Hallucinations (commonly auditory)
- Delusions (false beliefs)
- Disorganized thinking and speech
- Flattened emotions or lack of motivation
- Social withdrawal and impaired daily functioning
Treatment Approaches
Bipolar Disorder Treatment Approaches
Consistent medication and therapy are important and effective. In severe cases, hospitalization may be necessary to prevent the patient from harming themselves or others during their extreme mood episodes.
Schizophrenia Treatment Approaches
Regular medication and structured support are important for good disease control. Therapy can be helpful as an additional treatment.
Reviewed By:
Kenji Taylor, MD, MSc (Family Medicine, Primary Care)
Dr. Taylor is a Japanese-African American physician who grew up and was educated in the United States but spent a considerable amount of time in Japan as a college student, working professional and now father of three. After graduating from Brown, he worked in finance first before attending medical school at Penn. He then completed a fellowship with the Centers for Disease Control before going on to specialize in Family and Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) where he was also a chief resident. After a faculty position at Stanford, he moved with his family to Japan where he continues to see families on a military base outside of Tokyo, teach Japanese residents and serve remotely as a medical director for Roots Community Health Center. He also enjoys editing and writing podcast summaries for Hippo Education.
Yu Shirai, MD (Psychiatry)
Dr. Shirai works at the Yotsuya Yui Clinic for mental health treatment for English and Portuguese-speaking patients. He treats a wide range of patients from neurodevelopmental disorders to dementia in children and participates in knowledge sharing through the Diversity Clinic.
Content updated on May 1, 2025
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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http://www.eurekaselect.com/article/76306Zimmerman M, Morgan TA. The relationship between borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2013 Jun;15(2):155-69. doi: 10.31887/DCNS.2013.15.2/mzimmerman. PMID: 24174890; PMCID: PMC3811087.
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