I think sometimes a mood is just a mood and nothing more. Of course everyone can have a bad day or be in a good/bad mood. For me, I distinguish moods by looking at why I'm in a particular mood. If something has happened to provoke a mood then it's natural....just like everyone else. If I'm in a mood for no apparent reason, I think it's probably BP. That's my thoughts on it. Hope they help.

Tough one. I think people around us can run the risk of seeing us one-dimensionally, even when they don't mean to. It's easy to credit our mood changes to BP; sometimes that's where the credit lies, but sometimes it's just plain old regular moods. The only time I think this is a real problem is when people (for ex a dh) stop listening to you and start crediting all your actions, all your opinions, all your reactions, to BP. The rest of the time, I think you gotta give them a break, because when it's all still new, they're hypersensitive to your moods and worry that they're all a sign you're about to go off your rocker. It passes.

I can't help you much, but I agree with you, people without bp have bad days, so why can't we. It is always bp to blame for everything most of the time for me.
Take care
Bett

Being bi-polar is just that. Of course you can have a bad day. The problem with this illness is our capability to handle the bad days with out taking it out either on ourselves or others too harshly.

I agree! We are alowed to just have a bad day once in a while. It's not always BP and I hate it when they say "did you take your meds today" I'm just having a bad fucking day leave me alone!!!

Sadly, once people know a diagnosis like that, they blame everything on it. "Normal" people are allowed bad days, we, for some reason are not.
I hate the word "normal." Normal as compared to what? Is there such a thing?

I think "normal" is a cycle on the washing machine.

I'm like Malice, if I get pissed at something my husband did and start going off, he starts asking me did I take my fucking meds? WTF? That makes me even madder. Can't we get angry too? I'm angry now just thinking about LOL!!!

What is DH?

I hear you, but you have a stigma that comes with your Dx. Sucks for us, and other people cannot distinguish between the two. That is why we have each other... We are the X-men....

One time my ex asked me if I remembered to take my "crazy pills"...what an ass.

Anyway, I think it's important to pay attention to the severity of the swing. I mean, when my mood flips I can literally feel the chemical change in my body. It's like it washes over me. Typically BP swings last months, day to day moods can just be moods. Just keep tabs on whether or not you find yourself irrationally flip-flopping

Benitro a DH is a dear husband or a da*ned husband. Depending upon the mood one is in. :)

Myybe if we grabbed them by the short hairs and said now here is the difference, if I'm just having a normal bad I'll let go if it is a bp mad you'll be bald! Think they'd get it? I hate the question when I snap at something, did you take your meds today, next time I'm going for the short hairs!!!LOL

I too very much resent people asking me if I've taken my meds! It makes me furious. I've started asking them if they need one! Being bp is "normal" to me.

It's irritating isn't it.. I get that sometimes too of course. Bugs the begeezers outta me.