waht are the simularities with adhd bipolar and odd?
142756
Since it is such a long answer you can find look for yourself.  Try these:\n\nChildren and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder\nwww.CHADD.org\n\nAttention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA)\nwww.ADD.org\n\nSchwab Learning\nwww.schwablearning.org\n\nLearning Disabilities Association of America (LDAA)\nwww.ldanatl.org\n\nJuvenile Bipolar Research Foundation\nwww.bpchildresearch.org\n\nChild & Adolescent Bipolar Foundation\nwww.bpkids.org\n\nAmerican Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry\nwww.AACAP.org
674085
I have depression but not bipolar.
430132
Yes I do, my mother was diagnosed with both. What do you want to know about them, need more info.\n\nEmotional highs and lows are part of life for everyone. But for someone with bipolar disorder, these ups and downs can be so extreme they can interfere with daily life. Sometimes they can even be dangerous.\n\nBorderline personality disorder is a mental health condition that causes unstable emotions, impulsiveness, relationship problems, and an unstable self-image. People with the disorder often behave self-destructively, have problems managing anger, and have an intense fear of being rejected and left alone (abandoned). They often also struggle with other conditions such as depression, eating disorders, or substance abuse problems.
725393
Education. Read the Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide (Amazon link below). It's an excellent book on th esubject, and will give you a very good idea what to expect and how to deal with it.\n\nYou should also visit one of the many online support groups below.
472293
Weird is in the eye of the beholder.  Some people's brains are wired a bit differently (those with ADD, ADHD and Asperger's Syndrome, for example) and biologically think differently than the typical folks.  Some people have mental illness (OCD, bipolar, etc.) that make them act in extreme ways.  To these people, "normal" people are the weird ones.\n\nAnd some people really do go out of their way to act weird.  Go figure.
591200
You may be bipolar. You should consult your doctor about it and maybe you can be prescribed a medication or be referred to a psychiatrist.
1051897
Regarding responses you've already received...Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective, and Bipolar Disorder are probably not what's going on.  The symptoms you describe sound much more like Borderline Personality Disorder to me.  Google it, go find it on WebMD, whatever...just check it out and see if the descriptions sound familiar.  No matter what you choose to do, the most reasonable and sensible course of action is to first see your regular doctor to rule out any physical illnesses that could be producing your symptoms (i.e., problems with your pituitary, thyroid or adrenal glands, etc.).  Next, if your doc doesn't find evidence of any physical causes, have him/her refer you to a psychologist or counselor for evaluation.  Jumping to conclusions and trying to diagnosis yourself is just asking for trouble especially if you're already depressed - you'll end up thinking you have every symptom of every horrible illness you hear or read about! :)  Go seek answers and help from competent professionals who have actually spent years of their lives learning about how to diagnose and treat illnesses.  That's what they went to school for - so the rest of the population can pick their brains and get answers when they need them without having to do all the studying themselves! :)
710848
Well, what you've described are sort of the symptoms of bipolar disorder, but not really, so I don't understand the question. What you describe would barely count as cyclothymia, to be honest. Have you been diagnosed as bipolar, or do you just think you may be?\n\nHere's the lowdown: OK, so it's a mood disorder and a serious mental illness. It has a strong genetic component, but appears to be triggered environmentally. There are no diagnostic tests for it, just psychiatric evaluation. Most sufferers are not diagnosed until middle age, and it takes an average of around 8-10 years to get a correct diagnosis. In recent years bipolar disorder has become an 'in' diagnosis, and many more people are being diagnosed at younger and younger ages.\n\nIt is characterised by episodes of severe clinical depression and mania or hypomania (for definitions of those, see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Current_diagnostic_criteria_for_bipolar_disorder The extreme end of mania often turns into psychosis, complete with hallucinations and delusions. During manic phases, the persons judgement and perception of reality is severely compromised, leading to risky actions with potentially damaging consequences (financially, sexually and relationship-wise). Untreated, episodes generally worsen over time due to an effect known as kindling. Untreated Bipolar sufferers are at a very high risk of suicide: 20-25% attempt it, and and 15% succeed.\n\nThe cycles in bipolar disorder are much longer than people generally believe. Anyone whose mood changes from minute to minute is very unlikely to be bipolar. Bipolar 1 is characterised by mood episodes lasting many months, while Bipolar 2 has episodes in the region of weeks to months. Rapid and ultra-rapid cycling bipolar disorder is rare, and cycles last days to weeks.\n\nThere are many drugs available to treat the symptoms of bipolar (there is no cure). These are either anti-convulsants or anti-psychotics (personally I take both), and the most well known of these is Lithium. Most patients will go through a number of different drugs before finding one that works for them.\n\nIf this really isn't you, then be thankful. Best wishes.
1137432
very twisted question indeed.. I am manic depressive/bipolar, been on medication for years.. I would never consider stopping the meds. And I know I am tainting the part of the affliction that was most 'fun' because of the medication.. being manic is what most people would become if they found the ability to live out every ability of any superhero you could pull out of a comic book.. you have the answers for everything, you have the power to rationalize the most complex and unreachable ideas of what life is and what it means.. the secrets of life magically have rational explainations to the manic mind... But then it is no fun at all..\nFor me, I can say that when the know-it-all stage has given way to the out of control phase... the fun becomes beyond amplified.\nParanoia sets in, everyone and everything becomes an enemy and has to be dealt with in the most harshest means possible. There is no fun to be found in feeling like a powerless puppet dangling at the bottom of invisible strings you can not see to cut... and nobody else can see them to be able to help you out. \ne being medicated and finding the right mix of prescriptions and dosages I feel a different kind of bipolar.. the colors of life are the same.. just less brightness.. more neutral.. everything averages out now.. and I am the one that holds the strings. Being bipolar has become my puppet to dangle, and I dont abuse the privilage. I know the day will come  when medication may not work so effectively and I go crazy all over again.. lots of fun, but lots of stupid decisions that can not be remade, and lots of consequences that can not be avoided.\nLife is more stable and emotions are more controllable.. and this brings an alternative to the madness. Life is so much better.. but not 'fun' .. I find a medicine induced sense of predictablity is a fair compromise.\nIf I could choose I would where to freeze my personal spectrum of it all, it be slightly below the psychotic stage of over the top... that is where the all fun is found..
545791
You are likely Hypo-manic. I am Bipolar II also. I had very deep depressive episodes and very few periods where I felt normal. I was never happy.  So yes, you can definitely be bipolar and not have manic episodes.\n\nAs a point of reference I am including a link to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). It is a very good source of information for you. Just click the link below to visit the site. It will open in the bipolar section.\n\nIf you would like more info or just to communicate with me click my name and see my profile. I really hope this clears things up for you. I will be glad to help in anyway I can, just ask.\n\nSincerely,\nTerry
390810
No. I'm polar.In fact, I'm bipolar. I'm sorry I can't tell you anything about it, but maybe the link below can.\n\nI hope this is helpful. Good luck.\n\nSincerely,\nTerry
382824
No. I'm polar.In fact, I'm bipolar. I'm sorry I can't tell you anything about it, but maybe the link below can.\n\nI hope this is helpful. Good luck.\n\nSincerely,\nTerry \n\nSource(s):\n\nhttp://www.webmd.com/search/search_resul...
829753
I'd like remark about the comment "I have know 2 people who are bipolar, both who treat the disorder with Ritalin."  I have Bipolar and A.D.D. I take a separate med for the Bipolar (Lamictal) I LOVE IT!!  I take Medadate cd for my A.D.D. which is equivalent to Ritalin.  Not sure how the people you know with Bipolar are doing but I would think that when they go into their High Manic state they could harm themselves or someone else.  I know that until I was treated my Highs were pure RAGE so I can only imagine what could have happened if I were taking an amphetamine alone.\n\nWhat is Bipolar Disorder?\n\nThe exact cause of bipolar disorder is unknown.\n\nBipolar disorder (also known as manic-depression) is a serious, lifelong medical condition. It affects more than 2 million people in the United States. \n\n It’s a medical condition. Bipolar disorder may be related to a chemical imbalance in the brain, genetics, or abnormalities in brain structure. \n\nPeople with bipolar disorder can have mood swings, including depression (extreme lows) and mania (extreme highs). \n\nA period of depression or mania is called an episode. Individuals may experience episodes of depression or mania throughout life. \n\nEpisodes may be separated by long periods with few or no symptoms. To help keep bipolar disorder under control, medication is often taken even when few or no symptoms are present.
855514
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bipolar-disorder/DS00356\nBipolar disorder\nIntroduction\n\nFrom high to low. From euphoria to depression. From recklessness to listlessness. These are the extremes associated with bipolar disorder, which can be a serious and disabling mental illness. Bipolar disorder is also known as manic-depression or manic-depressive illness — manic behavior is one extreme of this disorder and depression is the other.\n\nBipolar disorder often begins in adolescence or early adulthood and may persist throughout life. The causes of bipolar disorder are elusive, and there's no cure.\n\nThe flares of bipolar disorder may last for weeks or months, causing great disturbances in the lives of those affected, their friends and their families. Left untreated, the condition usually worsens. But bipolar disorder can be managed with medications and other therapies.\nSigns and symptoms\n\nBipolar disorder is characterized by an alternating pattern of emotional highs (mania) and lows (depression). The intensity of the associated signs and symptoms varies. Bipolar disorder can range from a mild condition to a severe condition, and there may be periods of normal behavior.\n\nManic phase\nFor many people, signs and symptoms in the manic phase may include:\n\n    * Feelings of euphoria, extreme optimism and inflated self-esteem\n    * Rapid speech, racing thoughts, agitation and increased physical activity\n    * Poor judgment\n    * Recklessness or taking chances not normally taken\n    * Difficulty sleeping\n    * Tendency to be easily distracted\n    * Inability to concentrate\n    * Aggressive behavior\n\nDepressive phase\nIn the depressive phase, signs and symptoms include:\n\n    * Persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, guilt or hopelessness\n    * Disturbances in sleep and appetite\n    * Fatigue and loss of interest in daily activities\n    * Problems concentrating\n    * Irritability\n    * Chronic pain without a known cause\n    * Recurring thoughts of suicide\n\nCauses\n\nDoctors and researchers don't know exactly what causes bipolar disorder. But a variety of biologic, genetic and environmental factors seem to be involved in causing and triggering episodes of this illness.\n\nEvidence indicates that differences in the chemical messengers between nerve cells in the brain (neurotransmitters) occur in people who have bipolar disorder. In many cases, people with a bipolar disorder may have a genetic disposition for the disorder. The abnormality may be in genes that regulate neurotransmitters. However, not everyone with a family member who has bipolar disorder will develop the disease.\n\nFactors that may contribute to or trigger episodes of bipolar disorder include drug abuse and stressful or psychologically traumatic events.\nRisk factors\n\nBipolar disorder tends to run in families. A family history of depression appears to exist in 80 percent to 90 percent of cases of bipolar disorder. Researchers are attempting to identify genes that may make people susceptible to bipolar disorder.\nWhen to seek medical advice\n\nPeople with bipolar disorder often don't recognize how impaired they are when experiencing a mood episode and how greatly the disorder is affecting their lives and the lives of others. Friends, family and primary care physicians are all important in recognizing possible signs of bipolar disorder and urging the person to seek professional help.\n\nIf a family member or friend shows signs of bipolar disorder, encourage that person to seek the care of a psychiatrist.\nScreening and diagnosis\n\nYour doctor may ask you or a family member who has accompanied you about your signs and symptoms and to describe apparent episodes of mania and depression. Diagnosis also involves ruling out other mental health conditions that may produce some symptoms similar to bipolar disorder. These may include other mood disorders, sometimes schizophrenia, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or borderline per
420895
I am bi-polar. I take my medication daily and have learned to relate to life without abnormal depression, as in my past. I now own my own business and am very lucrative. Happily married, and life is good now. It took years of Doctor's misdiagnosis' to find the right med for me, but am fine now and proud that I faced it after 9 years of wondering why I felt "different".\n\n"Bi-polar" disease is actually a chemical deficiency in the brain It Is Not A Mental Illness Like People Think..., actually it's a chemical problem and nothing to be ashamed of, I'm not. I do NOT see a psychiatrist, it's maintained by my regular family doctor.\nThe general public is not well educated on this chemical imbalance-it's not mental illness. It's physiological.
551705
That sounds pretty weird that your doctor after only 2 visits would diagnose you with bipolar right away. It's really tricky to diagnose because it's so complex. Bipolar has a lot of similar symptoms as other disorders. The best way to really find out what's wrong with you is to tell your doctor EVERYTHING that you feel. Write stuff down between visits so you don't forget to tell her about some things that may be important. Plus, you might be feeling different when you go see her and not be able to explain how you were feeling inbetween. Communication is SOOO important because there's no other way they can tell what's wrong. As far as meds goes....you've got to be patient because different meds work for different people and the side effects are different from person to person too. It's trial and error and the same thing applies....you HAVE to tell your doctor everything that you're feeling.
455665
Bipolar and mania are MILD mental disorders?  I'd like to know how you came up with that definition!\n\nPeople with bipolar are usually aware of when they are depressed, but not necessarily when they are manic, as mania is often experienced as a positive feeling - being ultra happy, feeling invincible etc