hi..i have been diagnosed with bipolar 1..and years ago they diagnosed me as bein low grade but i hid from them and my family just rode me thru in a sense until recently wen i took a bad turn..am starting a new med soon and didnt realise the lower the dose the more sedative it is..how does that work??

I was diagnosed as Unipolar in '85 and then in 2004 I had my first manic episode, very severe. I then became bipolar.
I think I was manic before and didn't know it was out of the ordinary. And because of that didn't know enough to tell pdoc.

I didn't even know there were different types until I came to this site. I was told I have BP rapid cycling. What's the difference between BP1 and BP2? Would love to know.

In a few years we will hear about Bipolar 5, 6, 7, 8 , 10. 1A, 1B, 2B, 3C, D, & E.

I'm bipolar 2 and have never had a manic phase

i don't agree taht bipolar 1 is more serious.
It is just different.

Please see my second post on Lisamh's thread, Bipolar I and II

Bipolar 1 is the most severe form. Almost every bipolar 1 patient goes into hypomania, which can develop into full mania. Someone with hypomania would tend to have very high energy, become more productive at work, have some trouble with overspending, but they would not reach the point of being hospitalized. How you might feel in a hypomanic phase is like hitting the lottery or winning a prize. But in hypomania, the euphoria tends to feel artificial to the patients.

Full mania is much worse and not pleasant at all - it's more than a cocaine high. When manic, people are often psychotic and are really disabled by the illness. They may need to be hospitalized against their will. They may have trouble with the police.Full mania is much worse and not pleasant at all - it's more than a cocaine high. When manic, people are often psychotic and are really disabled by the illness. They may need to be hospitalized against their will. They may have trouble with the police.

Some people may have rapid cycling where they have four or more episodes in a given year or even within a 48-hour period. One out of every seven will be rapid cyclers.

Bipolar 2 is mostly depressive episodes with some hypomania. Bipolar 2 patients rarely or never have a full blown manic episode.


Cyclothalmia is definite mood swings but no cycles of severe mania or severe depression.

Unipolar is marked my definate swings of mood in one direction. i.e. Depression to stable or Manic to stable. But the moods dont really crossed over.

Mixed states are exactly how they sound.
Such as depression with severe anxiety and panic attacks. Or being manic but unsatisfied with anything you do.

I am a BP 1 manic little jackalope.