Depression, Borderline Personality, and Bipolar Illness: Differential Diagnosis and Treatment

Depression, Borderline Personality, and Bipolar Illness: Differential Diagnosis and Treatment

Instructor: Brian Quinn

May 2, 2024

9:00am – 12:00pm CT

3 CEUs

Live and Interactive via Zoom

At least 40 percent of those diagnosed with major depressive disorder actually have unrecognized bipolar illness. In the best designed studies, antidepressants have been shown to be ineffective in bipolar depression. In addition, they have been found to cause or worsen irritability and agitation, increase the risk of suicide, and, paradoxically, lead to more frequent depressive episodes in a substantial number of bipolar patients. Effective psychotherapy often proves to be difficult, if not impossible, when bipolar patients are misdiagnosed and inappropriately treated with antidepressants.

This training will provide clinicians with a four-part diagnostic method to distinguish patients with major depressive disorder from those with bipolar depression and borderline personality. Clinicians will learn about the medications that should form the foundation of treatment for bipolar illness, including the one medication that has been repeatedly shown to dramatically reduce the risk of completed suicide.

Drawing on research from empirically tested individual and family therapies for bipolar disorder, Dr. Quinn will discuss the many ways psychotherapists can help patients and families struggling with bipolar disorder.

Attendees will learn the following:

• The four clinical validators used to distinguish bipolar depression from major depressive disorder and borderline personality
• Key elements of empirically-tested psychotherapies for bipolar illness

• The four medications (mood stabilizers) shown to prevent new mood episodes in depressed and bipolar patients
• Why the new atypical antipsychotics are not mood stabilizers and should not be used in place of drugs such as lithium

Register by April 30, 2024