Unipolar and Bipolar disorder: The Primary Care Perspective

Mood disorders are a group of mental health conditions that afflict an estimated 21 million American adults each year. Due to the high incidence of mood disorders, including depression and bipolar disorder, in the general population, a family physician must be prepared to recognize and appropriately evaluate, diagnose, treat, and manage a patient who presents with a persistent alteration in their mood. This article will provide a general overview of two major types of mood disorders: unipolar and bipolar disorders, and will provide primary care physicians with additional tools for approaching such conditions in the adult population