Is bipolar disorder more common in women? Many people ask this, given the high rates of misdiagnosis among women with bipolar. Women are more likely to be misdiagnosed than men, and for almost two years longer than men. Why? Because symptoms in women tend to mimic depression, which is more common in women than men as well.
Bipolar Types
Bipolar disorder can be divided into three main categories:
- Bipolar I: Where individuals have manic and possible depressive episodes.
- Bipolar II: Where individuals have depressive and possible hypomanic (but no manic) episodes.
- Cyclothymic Disorder: Where individuals have hypomanic and depressive symptoms that are less severe than bipolar II.
So, is bipolar disorder more common in women? This depends on which subset you are looking at.
Prevalence Among Men and Women
For bipolar 1, according to the DSM the 12-month prevalence was 1.5% and did not differ between men (1.6%) and women (1.5%). In fact, men had prevalence rates slightly higher than women. Moreover, the lifetime prevalence ratio of men to women is approximately 1.1:1.
For bipolar II, it is more common in women than men, often manifesting later in life for women compared to men. Moreover, the cycles of manic to depressive episodes are more severe for women compared to men.
For cyclothymic disorder, it is equally common in males and females. In clinical settings, however, women are more likely to receive treatment for cyclothymic disorder than males.
Severity of Bipolar in Women
So why is bipolar disorder more common in women than men, specifically bipolar II, and why are the episodes generally more severe?
It often comes down to changing hormones. The changing hormones can influence how severe bipolar II episodes are, including hormones from:
- Menstruation
- Pregnancy
- Menopause
Moreover, women who have a history of bipolar disorder are more likely to experience depressive episodes immediately after giving birth or to develop postpartum depression.
Co-Occurring Disorders
Just because men and women are equally likely to have bipolar I or cyclothymic disorder does not mean the onset or symptoms are the same. In fact, women with any bipolar disorder are more likely than men to have other mental and physical health issues like:
- Alcohol use
- Depression
- Obesity
- Thyroid disease
Many of the co-occurring symptoms are brought about by self-medication or by the prescription medications used to treat the condition. These higher rates of co-occurring disorders are what contribute to the higher rates of women who get treatment for bipolar disorder (and other conditions).
Establishing Treatment for Bipolar
Given the rates of misdiagnosis, prevalence, and severity of symptoms in men versus women, there is often a need for more treatment centers to help women, particularly with co-occurring disorders. The fact that, among treatment centers, more women are receiving help compared to men means that women are more likely to reach out for qualified care, too.
That said, facilities looking to establish a healthcare treatment center might consider what treatment is already available in their area, and the considerations for providing womens bipolar treatment. Those that are already established centers looking to expand the services they offer, could consider adding treatment options and programs for bipolar as well.
This type of expansion or provision of services often requires a deep understanding of the area and the demand within that area, as well as how to get in-network with different insurance providers operating in that area to facilitate referrals. Hiring qualified professionals can ensure your facility offers valuable programs and therapies for women with bipolar disorder.
At C4 Consulting, we can help with all of this.
- Our consulting services can help new companies with their initial market research, to determine the level of demand for things like women’s bipolar treatment.
- Our healthcare financial consulting can review your current budget and help determine the level of expansion you can afford to provide additional bipolar services at an existing clinic.
- Our consultants can help you with your insurance paperwork, getting qualified with local insurance providers so that you can offer services to a broader range of those in need.
- Our staffing consultants can lend a hand finding qualified professionals for your staffing needs, once you establish a new bipolar treatment branch.
When you need to expand your healthcare services, you need help, too. That’s where we come in. With our many consultation services for healthcare professionals, we can help you design the right treatment services for women with bipolar disorder.
Bipolar disorder II is more common in women than men, and for all three main types, women are more likely to have co-occurring disorders and reach out for help. Consider how your healthcare center can provide that help today.
