Bipolarité France, Unafam, the Pierre Deniker Foundation, and Bipolar UK are launching a large online survey of people suffering from bipolar disorder in order to collect data on the difficulties of diagnosis of this chronic psychiatric illness.
Draw up an inventory of the diagnosis of bipolar disorders in France and issue recommendations for professionals and public authorities: these are the objectives of the major national survey launched by the association Bipolarity France in partnership with Unafam, the Pierre Deniker Foundation, and Bipolar UK.
Bipolar disorder, a widespread but underestimated pathology
This will be carried out with people with bipolar disorders and should also allow a better understanding of the issues related to the diagnosis while the number of people concerned in France is underestimated according to the association Bipolarité France, and this, in particular, in because of the difficulty of its diagnosis.
“In France, it is estimated that up to 2.5% of the population suffers from bipolar disorder, making this disease one of the most widespread chronic mental health problems, comments the association. This figure is however underestimated: the average time of diagnosis of bipolar disorders being on average 8 to 10 years, it is assumed that hundreds of thousands of people live with this disease without knowing it, as well as all the other associated disorders ( consumption of alcohol and toxic substances, panic disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, eating disorders, personality disorders, overweight, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, etc.)”.
A psychiatric illness characterized by mood disorders
The association also recalls that bipolar disorder is ranked among the 10 most disabling pathologies according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Considered as one of the most serious psychiatric pathologies, bipolar disorders can lead in particular to social isolation, school or professional difficulties, dangerous behavior (sexual, financial), almost daily insomnia, and for half of the patients suicide attempts. Indeed, 1 out of 2 patients will make at least one suicide attempt in their lifetime and 15% will die by suicide.
“Bipolar disorder is a chronic psychiatric illness characterized by recurrent mood disorders (3), explains the association. Bipolar people alternate between manic, hypomanic, depressive or mixed episodes. Favored by biological and genetic factors, this disease sometimes appears in adolescence but most often in young adults (generally between 15 and 25 years old) (3). In France, it is estimated that up to 2.5% of the population is affected by bipolar disorder, i.e. up to 1,600,000 people (1)”.
An online survey open to anyone diagnosed
The survey is accessible online and open to anyone who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder by a healthcare professional. It is anonymous and it takes between 5 and 10 minutes to complete it in its entirety.
“This survey is dedicated to patients diagnosed by a health professional, to all those who are willing to share their experience so that we can identify the major diagnostic issues, issue recommendations, and also inform, raise awareness and encourage dialogue around the disorder. bipolar and symptoms. Your feedback is extremely valuable, and we thank you for your commitment”, specify the initiators of this survey.
The various answers obtained will give rise to a report which will be released on the occasion of World Bipolar Disorder Day, March 30, 2023.
“Things can change!”
“We want to send a strong message with this survey: things can change! Bipolar disorder is an extremely complex pathology, which suffers from many received ideas, declared Renaud Maigne, president of Bipolarité France. Symptoms of bipolarity are common with many other psychiatric illnesses, making diagnosis very difficult. Most patients spend years, up to 10 or more for some, before benefiting from appropriate therapeutic care. And all the while, they have to live with their episodic mood swings, and all the symptoms that go with it. It is very hard both for the patient and for those around him. There is a real urgency to act to improve diagnosis and accelerate treatment. We hope this survey can get things moving, which is why we encourage all patients to complete it! “.
You can access the survey questionnaire by clicking on the following link : https://bipolaritefrance.com/questionnaire-sur-le-diagnostic-des-patients-bipolaires
1 High Authority for Health. Bipolar disorders: identification and diagnosis as a first resort. June 2014
2 Hamon M. Screening and management of bipolar disorder. Formalized expert recommendations (RFE) [éditorial].
L’Encéphale 2010;36 (Suppl. 4): S77- S8.
3 Amélie. Understanding bipolar disorder. May 11, 2021
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