ok ...

a serious reply...

cuz all my manias have been dysphoric, except for one.

and i've read all the stuff. and i've come to the conclusion that there is no difference between a dysphoric mania and an agitated depression. i really think they are the same thing and i don't understand the literature that tries to distinguish between the two.

yeah, they wanna make our lives more confusing.

I'd like to know the answers to this too!

sometimes it confuses me so much & i stop and think, it's all just labels. it has to just all be about labels and names. doctors need to identify symptoms and use labels in order to be able to medicate us correctly.

i guess i don't care what they call it.. i experienced it... the meds work...

you know?

mixed episodes: A mixed episode is essentially an episode that simultaneously presents symptoms of both depression and mania.

dysphoric mania: The presence of a depressed or unpleasant mood during an episode of Mania produces a clinical picture called Dysphoric Mania.

agitated depression: a state of depression that presents as anxiety and includes akathisia (heightened restlessness), suicide, insomnia (not early morning wakefulness), nonclinical (meaning "doesn't meet the standard for formal diagnosis") and nonspecific panic, and a general sense of dread.

That is a damn good question, I don't have the answers here but maybe one of our DS walking encyclopedias do? It is a pity that this message is hidden behind sarcasm you may have gotten more fish to bite otherwise?

Looks like one encyclopedia has answered this, thanks to the encyclopedia gods.

In the context of mental illness, a mixed state (also known as dysphoric mania, agitated depression, or a mixed episode) is a condition during which symptoms of mania and depression occur simultaneously (e.g., agitation, anxiety, fatigue, guilt, impulsiveness, irritability, morbid and/or suicidal ideation, panic, paranoia, pressured speech and rage). Typical examples include tearfulness during a manic episode or racing thoughts during a depressive episode. One may also feel incredibly frustrated in this state, since one may feel like a failure and at the same time have a flight of ideas. Mixed states can be the most dangerous period of mood disorders, during which substance abuse, panic disorder, suicide attempts, and other complications increase greatly

Thanks seekingpeace, that explained things simply.

oh and have to add this:

akathisia; is an unpleasant subjective sensation of "inner" restlessness that manifests itself with an inability to sit still or remain motionless

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yes Seeking they are all "mixed states" but blueblur was asking what the differences were.

Agitated Depression and Dysphoric Mania are not even in the DSM IV, the manual that pdocs and insurance companies come up with their diagnosis from and neither were they in any of my psyche books. I find them confusing and I'm a psyche RN, I think they just make up these categories for people who don't neatly fit in the official ones. As for "mixed episodes" there are about a dozen different classifications eg mixed with psychotic features, mixed without psychotic features etc.

I'm reading a very large textbook on bipolar disorder at the moment and, from what I can tell, any of the symptoms can be mixed with any of the others at any given time and there are dozens of labels and classifications depending on who you talk to.

Thx, everyone...so if I'm trying to explain it to a pdoc, I should just simply say Mixed Episode and not even try to figure out what kind?
My biggest problem with this was when I was trying to keep a mood diary...totally impossible to do...I used to check off the bad high AND the bad low...let the doc figure it out.
Interesting to know they are the most dangerous periods...they certainly do feel like it :-)
Thx, again..B