Implicit cognition is another influential predictor for bipolar disorder and unipolar disorder. Research proposes patients with bipolar disorder show more common implicit and depressive self-referencing than unipolar patients. Implicit cognition plays a strong role for patients with both bipolar and unipolar disorder. These patients have dysfunctional self-schemata, which is viewed as vulnerability for potential illnesses. Patients who have this vulnerability usually do not seek mental assistance which can later become more problematic to treat. Bipolar disorder patients with low implicit self-esteem are more defensive. This is an unconscious reaction to be manic protective when they feel threatened in any way.