As noted in recent classroom lessons and in Essentials of Abnormal Psychology, it is not uncommon for two or more disorders to coexist in one person (Durand & Barlow, 2006). Consistent with said textbook, an article published in “Psychiatric Times” states: “Patients with bipolar disorder are at higher risk for many other subtypes of anxiety” (Sagman & Tohen, 2009). This is the case with the comorbidity of bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Bipolar disorder, a mood disorder, is identifiable by a “tendency for manic episodes in an endless roller-coaster ride from the heights of euphoria to the depths of despair” (Durand & Barlow, 2006). A case report written by Dr. Stephen Salzbrenner and Eileen Conaway for the National Center for Biotechnology Information indicates that posttraumatic stress disorder, an anxiety disorder, is identifiable by “the patient's repetition of an extremely traumatic event, often life-threatening." and is associated with symptoms of hyperarousal and avoidance of stimuli that remind the patient of this event” (2009). The overlap in symptoms of each disorder can often lead to difficulties in interpreting symptoms, treating those disorders, and resulting prognosis. According to the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists, research shows that between 16% and 39% of bipolar patients also meet criteria for PTSD due to symptom overlap between the two disorders (2012). It is not entirely surprising that the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists also reports that high rates of PTSD are found among individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder, as many individuals with bipolar disorder also have a history… paper ......ps://www.aacp.com/Pages.asp?AID=10227 &issue=&page=&UID=#0212ACP_ Schaffer-tab3.Dilsaver, Steven C. (2010). How to treat posttraumatic stress disorder in patients with comorbid mood disorders. Current psychiatry. Retrieved April 2, 2014, from http://www.currentpsychiatry.com/fileadmin/cp_archive/pdf/0904/0904CP_Article2.pdf.Durand, V. M., & Barlow, D. H. (2006). Essentials of Abnormal Psychology (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth.Sagman, D., & Tohen, M. (2009). Comorbidity in bipolar disorder. Psychiatric times. Retrieved April 2, 2014, from http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/bipolar-disorder/comorbidity-bipolar-disorder.Salzbrenner, Stephen., & Conaway, Eileen. (2009). Misdiagnosed bipolar disorder turns out to be post-traumatic stress disorder. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved April 1, 2014, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2743211.