HOW UNDERSTANDING THE TEMPERAMENTS CAN HELP CLINICIANS TO MAKE A CORRECT DIAGNOSIS OF BIPOLAR MOOD DISORDERS: 10 CASE REPORTS

The temperament is a key factor when assessing a patient within the bipolar spectrum. The temperaments are conditions in their own right within the bipolar spectrum, since they are ‘soft’ forms of bipolar condition within the spectrum: they can develop over time into a more clear bipolar condition, and hence are important in early diagnosis. Bipolar disorders are very often diagnosed late (approximately 25 year late, on average, from the beginning of the illness), in part because the temperaments of the patients have not been identified early