For many people with bipolar anxiety is a bigger problem than mood swings.
It is not that unusual for someone with bipolar to report that their first “symptom” of a psychiatric nature was the onset of anxiety early in childhood.
Let’s take a look at this information again…
90% of people with bipolar have an anxiety disorder diagnosis.
2/3rds have had panic attacks.
Nearly 40% have generalized anxiety disorder.
50% have a phobia.
Roughly a third have posttraumatic stress disorder.
And there isn’t a big difference in the frequency of anxiety in bipolar 1 or bipolar 2.
Treatment of mood swings and depression often helps the anxiety. But for many additional treatment for anxiety may be necessary. And psychotherapy is probably the most effective treatment for most of those people.