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.

8,884 Members
129,557 Posts
0 Online
Mental Health
/ Bipolar Disorder Support Group

Can anxiety make you unstable if not depressed?

SullenKitty
SullenKitty

I've been struggling, but I dont really feel depressed and I'm not manic.


I'm very anxious and sometimes it wells up into panic attacks. Quite often I'm in severe mental anguish, not classically depressed and not manic....but I'm clearly not stable. What is this? Are there other mood states I could be in or is it just severe untreated anxiety? It's not dysphoric mania but I guess it could be a mixed state. Whatever it is, it's always my first stop when I go down from stable, I feel this way alot. 


Thoughts?? Does anyone else feel this way sometimes? What is it and how does your pdoc treat it? 

arfie
arfie
I don't know which comes first, the anxiety or the instability, but the two are definitely running buddies in my own strictly personals. The anxiety doesn't vary much, but the instability comes in so many flavors that I feel them as distinctly separate phenom. The hardest part of getting a handle on the instability is recognizing when I am unstable.

I've used meds for the phenom, and will again if the need arises, but currently manage ^it^ with psychotherapy exercises, including maintaining a peer support network to help with the stability monitoring.

Great topic, Kitty. One I was in need of reviewing this morning. Thank you.
beckyp
beckyp
I take klonopin for my anxiety. Recently I discontinued my Abilify, an anti psychotic, and I developed extreme anxiety and depression. Prior to that I was stable, but did have anxiety at stressful times. I don't know if that helps, but this has been my experience.
Community LeaderSunCloudJD
SunCloudJD
A mixed state is dysphoric and it sure can be the way that it presents itself.... It did to me

I was in a completely paranoid state..... I would discuss this with your doctor.... Make sure your meds are working as they should be

It's miserable and I feel for you..... There is stability to be had though..... Don't lose site of that sweetie..... Gentle hug.....xo
Community LeaderSunCloudJD
SunCloudJD
There are different types of mixed states so it people can have different experiences with this

https://blogs.psychcentral.com/coping-depression/2016/12/bipolar-disorder-with-a-mixed-episode/
RealHeart
RealHeart
It is hard to say. There is BP 1 and BP 2 and then there is states in between. All I can say that I still have anxiety while presently being stable. I deal with my anxiety by practicing mindfulness and Distraction every Day. It helps so much. I just deal with the rest of the anxiety by keeping busy and I only bite some skin off my fingers some times. For some reason I catch my self doing it and I figure it is my anxiety.
OlderCPer
OlderCPer
This is one of this "areas" that can be a different thing for different people. It can be Anxiety on top of the BiPolar. It can be a Mixed State, as which SunCloud mentioned there are many different kinds and they're usually different for each person. It can be the slide into an unstable state and just the way your mind feels when moving in between the Poles.

For me, its Anxiety on top of BiPolar, I have very cut and dry "States" with clean cut edges. I don't slide, I move from one to the other, generally overnight. I go to sleep fine and will wake up so depressed I can't take a breath, when I move into a hypomanic or manic state its the same way. Its like there are breakers in my brain and someone besides me is throwing them on and off.

When Anxiety sets in I can't think, I get cloudy and jumpy in my skin, I feel disjointed, very uncomfortable in my own home and just not centered well. I take Klonopin PRN for the Anxiety when it hits which is usually when i'm overtired, overstressed and dealing with too much pain.

Have you ever tried Charting these feelings when they hit, or keeping a Mood Journal to see if you can find Triggers or patterns to when the different types of moods come about. It may help you figure out triggers and situations that irritate your brain.
Posts You May Be Interested In