Bipolar Disorder Support Group
Bipolar disorder is not just a single disorder, but a category of mood disorders marked by periods of abnormally high energy and euphoria, often accompanied by bouts of clinical depression. This is the place to talk about your experience with bipolar disorder, learn from others' experiences, and find support.
How can I tell if I really have bipolar, or it's just depression. I try to alk to my doctor about it and she just acts like I don't know what I'm talking about. My old therapist said it was only depression. When I started seeing a new one after moving to another city she said it was bipolar and had the dr put me on bipolar meds, but they don't seem to help and I hate the side effects.
ZanyBeeper
Well.......what are your symptoms?
deleted_user
have you done much research on bp? Look it up on net... describes me to a T..
deleted_user
For someone to be considered to have bipolar, they must have had at least one episode of hypomania (bipolar II) or mania (bipolar I). If you are not sure by what criteria your pdoc is diagnosing you, ask outright: "What are my symptoms of mania or hypomania"?
deleted_user
From what I understand bipolar people are depressed 75 percent of the time and manic 25 percent. One size dosent fit all so these numbers vary from one person to another.
deleted_user
I was diagnosed with depression for many years. Periodically it would go away and I would quit taking my meds. In retrospect I believe these were steadily increasing periods of mania. Eventually when it was bad enough that I believed I had a special connection with God and my rages became horrible I went to see a pdoc. I had seen one years earlier but, after that, just a family doc. There's lots of information about how mania manifests available on the internet and, of course, a wealth of experience here that you can draw upon. I'd start by doing some research. For me it was also helpful to keep a journal. Once I suspected bipolar it was easy to look back and see it in what I wrote.
deleted_user
I was diagnosed with depression for years. The was diagnosed with BP2. Been on different meds current one works for me. Search on the web for Bi Polar it will explain the mood swings and all.
deleted_user
i agree with buco... depression hits me the most... and then sometimes i will get manic while depressed... which is my most dangerous time... and then i just get manic and wanta go get a tatto or get drunk or something... run off a bridge... something like that... or just crazy thoughts going thru my mind... rapidly so too... like 900 mph... i also agree w/everyone here... i have studied and studied everything that i could on bp... cause i didn't believe i had it either... i have been suffereing from it for over 30 years and wasn't properly dx'd... oh lordy... if i could have only been dx'd earlier... what a difference it may have made... but i am dealing with the hand i have been dealt... mine... i hope that you find out what you are looking for... good luck and hugzzzz
YoungDepressedMom
I never have mania though. I looked at the symptoms of mania and had nearly none.
deleted_user
What about hypomania? Ask your doctor what symptoms they are considering hypomanic symptoms. More than 4 days of little sleep, happier (or more agitated) than normal, hypersexuality, etc? You need only 4 days of that to qualify for a diagnosis of hypomania...
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