New National Online Survey Says Bipolar Depressive Symptoms Have Impact on Day-To-Day Tasks as Well as Social Act...( Ninety Percent of People Being Treate...),Health

Ninety Percent of People Being Treated for Bipolar Disorder Say They Have Difficulty with Day-To-Day Tasks Due to Depressive Symptoms (1)

WASHINGTON, April 17 /PRNewswire/ -- A new national online survey of more than 2,000 people living with bipolar disorder and 500 physicians who treat patients with bipolar disorder identified that the greatest concern among people living with bipolar disorder (73%) is that their symptoms will impact daily life, such as family, relationships, or job.(1) In particular, about 9 in 10 patients (89%) said they have cancelled social engagements because of bipolar depression.(1) In addition, people with bipolar disorder reported that bipolar depressive symptoms affected their ability to manage housework (73%) and run errands (59%).(1) This online survey was commissioned by the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare and AstraZeneca to better understand the impact of bipolar depression on people's lives.

Bipolar disorder may affect approximately 8 million American adults.(2,3) People with bipolar disorder experience extreme mood swings from lows, called bipolar depression, to highs, called bipolar mania.(4) Many people with bipolar disorder report spending more time in the depressive phase(5) -- which includes feelings of sadness and emptiness, depressed moods and inability to concentrate -- than in the manic phase.(4) This fact was confirmed in the online survey, with 61 percent of people with bipolar disorder saying their depressive episodes last longer than their manic episodes.(1)

"This survey clearly demonstrates that many people with bipolar disorder are feeling the effects of bipolar depression in their day-to-day lives," said Linda Rosenberg, president and CEO of the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare. "Bipolar disorder is a manageable disease, but there are a number of factors that can get in the way of successful treatment."