In all honesty---I would not want to trade with a BP1

It is a fear that I might get progressively more BP1 in my thoughts and behavior.

I would not want to have a true psychotic break. hats off to those that have and survived it.

Surfachica, I can attest, psychosis is NO JOKE!! When your mind betrays you and you finally realize nothing was real, it is devastating!!

However, I think we all suffer from the same problems that all Bipolar brings: jobs, relationships, self-confidence, overall loss in many other areas in our lives. We are all equal, IMHO.

Having been manic depressive/BP1 for life, the only treatment that has worked effectively for me were old school shock treatments.

Seems it's impossible to return to repetitive behavior when you can't even recall your own name.

*can relate with upanddownguy

As a bp1 I've had two super severe psychotic episodes that were very scary. I went from being Juliet from Romeo and Juliet, to Jesus. As in, Christ. Imagine my surprise when I landed in the ER and not Six Flags Great America like my family told me (the only way they could get "Jesus" in the car.) From age 19 to 33 I've been through quite a bit. My husband is bp2 (diagnosed 3yrs into our relationship). He's a rapid cycler. Sometimes I'm jealous. Most days I'm happy we are partners in life (both living with bipolar) and KICKING ass in general!!!

i,m cyling day to night maninc to douable deppreshion with irratablty..i rather be ..its always worse..

Grass always looks greener on the other side and it's probably true for any illness. I read a great book that had a bunch of interesting quotes...."if everyone threw their problems on a table,you would grab yours and run".

I feel BP1 is much worse

im schizoaffective, so i understand the hallucinations and huge delusion side of things. i think this is impossible to answer because each disease has it's degree of severity. i would rather have a milder case of bp1 than a severe case of bp2, and vice-versa.

I am bipolar with psychotic features. I was delusional for a whole year after my last manic episode. I was undiagnosed as a II. I did not get my diagnosis until I turned into a I. They are both destructive and hard to live with but as a I my life took a turn for the worse. I am on disability because I am no longer able to work. That sucks.

as i am reading....i realize that i have not been diagnosed properly all these years....as i only went to doctor when depressed....of course not when i was high and mighty and picked up the house and turned it around so the kitchen could face the west....Now i am seeing i was given the wrong medicine and made me worse...many years of this...I have been distructuve to all around me....so sad

I am BP1 and my mania's are highly destructive. I love my hypomania's though. My depressions are just as deep as those of a BP2 but are maybe shorter in duration. I would rather live with mania's (as long as the psychosis doesn't get out of control) than to have very long term depressions.....

How about the mixed ones???

what is behind the question?

I have BP !! with hypomania and painful mixed episodes. My sister however has BP ! and I believe she is the one who suffers the most by far with her destructive manic episodes. She has done horrible damage to all her love-relationships: all the men are gone or divorced, the kids are with the dads or in hospital (for BP too), and family keeps her at arm length. She's not insightful enough to be effective at psychiatic therapy such as CBT, or DBT. So she stays the very scary lady flipping burgers at Krystals.

In my opinion they both suck- I myself BP1/rapid cycles and psychosis is always just around the corner- That and about 4 other"disorders." Other than that I am just ducky-