Main difference between BIPOLAR and SCHIZOPHRENIA?

There is a world of difference. In the first place schizophrenia is not a single disease but a spectrum of disorders. For info on both of these disorders type "Schizophrenia" and "bi-polar disorder" into Yahoo! web search (wikipedia has good summaries) as well as looking them up by accessing "DSM-IV TR", the Bible of diagnostic psychiatry. THE MAIN DIFFERENCE IN MY OPINION IS THAT THE ONE (BI-POLAR) IS CHARACTERIZED BY EXTREME MANIC EPISODES.whereas schizophrenics may be depressed too but not so manic for extended periods.

Good luck in your research, good mental health, peace and Love!

Bipolar disorder is not a single disorder, but a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated mood, clinically referred to as mania. Individuals who experience manic episodes also commonly experience depressive episodes or symptoms, or mixed episodes in which features of both mania and depression are present. These episodes are normally separated by periods of normal mood, but in some patients, depression and mania may rapidly alternate, known as rapid cycling. The disorder has been subdivided into bipolar I, bipolar II and cyclothymia based on the type and severity of mood episodes experienced.


Schizophrenia is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a mental illness characterized by impairments in the perception or expression of reality, most commonly manifesting as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions or disorganized speech and thinking in the context of significant social or occupational dysfunction.

Bipolar manifests itself as a swing between a manic (highly excited) state and a depressive state, whereas schizophrenia is a break with reality.

Bipolar- When there is a period of abnormal, elevated or irritable mood lasting 4 days for depressed state and one week for mania. Mania stage must show decreased need for sleep (rested after 3 hours), more talkative than normal, racing thoughts, easily distracted by unimportant things. depressed- if the mood change is noticed by others. there are many other symptoms. MOOD CHANGES

Schizophrenia- psychotic disorder meaning delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech and disorganized behavior. ALTERED REALITY

It is valuable to understand the difference between psychosis and schizophreia. Psychosis is a general term used to describe psychotic symptoms. Schizophrenia is a kind of psychosis. Several different brain disorders can lead to psychotic symptoms, including lesions in the brain resulting from head traumas, strokes, tumors, infections or the use of illegal drugs. If a serious depression goes untreated for a long time psychotic symptoms may develop. These examples demonstrate that not all psychosis is schizophrenia. If is for this reason that doctors may take quite some time (6 months or more) to diagnose someone, because while the symptoms of schizophrenia are quite obvious - the fact that the symptoms are not being caused by some other brain disorder is frequently not obvious.

In laymen's terms....Bipolar, half the time you are fun to be around. Schizophrenic, nobody wants to be around you or they are scared out of their mind.