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.

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curious

tranquilrage
tranquilrage
How can you tell the difference between "normal" happiness and mania and/or hypomania? That one is really getting me. It has recently come to my attention that not everyone gets "hyper" now and then... Doesnt everyone have cycles of ups and downs isnt that just life?
deleted_user
deleted_user
Believe me.You'd know what a Mania was.
deleted_user
deleted_user
The difference in my life is I can be manic even when my life is shit and when I am down it doesn't matter how good life is I am still down
deleted_user
deleted_user
every one gets "happy" or "sad" not everyone turns into "god" or gets "suicidal"

is this making any sense? let me try this again....

if emotion was a house normal people would have a roof and a floor, and that would be that

BP on the other hand has no roof, and no floor...
dobiedots
dobiedots
but we have a toilet
deleted_user
deleted_user
no we need a toilet ...for all of our bullshit!!lol
deleted_user
deleted_user
hmmm In my opinion: Sometimes I know I'm manic. There are times that I don't care because I feel it's better than the flip side. Times when I drink 5 16oz cups of coffee and just fly on manic wings so that I won't be outright fearful...etc... and those times when I'm like a yo-yo... like this morning.

However, sometimes I can't tell the difference between manic and extremely joyful and uplifted.

The mind is complex wow
deleted_user
deleted_user
biiiiig toilet and one in each room.... who needs a roof and a floor...... long as i can dump?
deleted_user
deleted_user
AMEN!
tranquilrage
tranquilrage
I know I have had some symptoms of mania but like orb3d said sometimes I cant tell if maybe im just happy... I know sometimes I am really agitated but I guess I just really want clarification because I really dont want to be bipolar so part of me wants to explain it all away somehow... so its useful to have some feedback about that

Does that make sense?
deleted_user
deleted_user
seriously? go read up on typical bipolar symptoms.... there are plenty of sites out there for real that will give you the basic description... if you can answer yes to most of them, then odds are you are Bp,
tranquilrage
tranquilrage
I have read all the stuff but its not convincing me. I think I just dont want to believe I want to think I have some control over my own emotions... I guess that is a common thought as well for BP
deleted_user
deleted_user
So yr not diagnosed but yr having thoughts that you may be BP.

Once yr diagnosed there are different types.
Hypomania is NOT full on mania just as the depressive lows differ from one type of BP to another.

In BP1...I know what a mania is..it's too extreme to mistake for other states such as happiness or even 'euphoria' as the sane mind experiences.
People have different perspectives depending on their diagnosis.
tranquilrage
tranquilrage
I was diagnosed BPII at one point but i think it might have been a mistake because of the meds I was on... I know that without meds I have experienced some hypomania but not full on mania except on Geodone I did experience full on mania. I want to be sure thats all... and talking about it helps me sort it out and I think hearing from you guys has given me some clarity... It is common that we dont want to believe the diagnosis isnt it?
deleted_user
deleted_user
Dear Tran: The ONLY symptom of hypomania I have is insomnia. I have never experienced a manic high and it's accompanying risk taking behaviour. The only way the doctors knew I wasn't hypomanic anymore was when I started to sleep again. Hypomania and feeling "normal" is a very subtle diagnosis and is often missed if the patient only has one symptom. The pdoc's really need to take a good history of a patient's moods to look for clues.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Quote, "normal" peope have ups and downs and good and bad days. It is part of life. There is a big difference in bipolar mania and depression. I have never had a severe mania episode, more on the depressive side, but doing well right now.:)
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