Camera Icon Ms de Haan said an earlier diagnosis of bipolar disorder would have saved a decade of her life. stated identifying people at risk of bipolar was challenging because the early signs of a mental illness do not specifically predict bipolar disorder. The study followed a sample of young Australians from childhood and tracked which individuals developed bipolar disorder by young adulthood. Camera Icon A combination of biomarkers could potentially predict bipolar disorder onset. It’s no different for those living with undiagnosed, untreated or incorrectly treated bipolar disorder.