How do you know if you are a bipolar?
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I think it's great that you are reaching out and I can tell you that there is nothing to be embarrased about.  BP disorder is a very serious mood disorder that effects nearly 3 Million Americans.  If left untreated, the disorder can be disabling and distressful to those who live with the afflicted.  There is a high suicide rate attached to those afflicted, where nearly 30% attempt suicide, compared to those with Major Depression at 12%.\n\nI'm 26 and have recently been diagnosed with BP.  I have it under control through an intensive medication management plan and psychotherapy.  I have two very good Dr's that I work with (Psychopharmacologist and Psychotherapist who specializes in CBT).\n\nThis may or may not apply to your condition, I am not a Dr and cannot diagnose.  But if you are BP, it's imperative that you get it treated because of the potential consequences.\n\nI didn't just wake up one day and decide I needed help, I got into a lot of trouble and put my friends and family through a lot of pain, especially over the last two years, where I experienced rampant manic episodes.  In addition, I was hospitalized twice for two suicide attempts.\n\nOne of the common effects of the disorder is substance abuse; where someone who feels manic will often ignore the consequences to their actions and engage in high risk behavior, with exagerated optimism and improved flight of creative thoughts and ideas, feeling authorotive, oftentimes verbose and overwhelming.  All the meanwhile, this person feels as if they are in their best mental state.\n\nI had three long years of hardcore drug abuse, putting my life at risk by sleeping around, experimenting/mixing drugs.  Half the time I was blacking out and who knows what I was pulling.\n\nIn the last 6 years, I've gone through 3 jobs, 3 girlfriends, 6 different apartments and proceeded to create and distroy more relationships than most people make in a life time.\n\nI don't know if you've gone through anything similar (I hope not) and if you are bipolar and start treatment now, you can avoid it.\n\nMy first recommendation would be see a Psychiatrist who specializes in mood disorders.  Oftentimes it's difficult to find a Dr. you are comfortable with on the first try.  You may have to interview 3 - 6 Dr's before you strap yourself in and start working the therapy.\n\nAfter you find a good Dr. work towards getting a firm diagnosis so you can get treated properly.  It's imperative that you do not get misdiagnosed with Unipolar Depression vs. Bipolar Disorder.  If you're misdiagnosed, the Dr. may prescribe an SSRI (common antidpressant) which is a NO-NO for those with BP and will make things worse, which is why it's more important that you find a Dr. that "specializes" in BP.\n\nIf you're having trouble finding a good Dr., refer to this link and take a shot.\n\nhttp://www.dbsalliance.org/referral/\n\nAfter that, I would spend as much time as possible educating yourself on the disease and treatment plans.  You're going to have to be an active participant in this process, as it's not as easy to treat a mental disorder as it is a bactereal infections.  It's important to understand why you are feeling a certain way, research it, communicate with your Dr. and understand why you are wired a certain way, so you can keep it under control.  I strongly recommend that after you get leveled out with the meds, you start participating in Psychotherapy.  Your Dr. will certainly be able to refer you to a good Psychologist and will work in tandum to assist you better in your treatment and containment of BP.\n\nHere are some good links for info on meds and BP\n\nhttp://www.dbsalliance.org/info/aboutmood.html\nhttp://www.crazymeds.org\n\nIf you are BP, maintaining the condition will be a life long process.  Better to getting aclimated sooner, which will make it much easier for the rest of your life.\n\nI wish you the best and please email
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Internet or self diagnosis is dangerous, so you need to see a doctor, but first read some background and see if it really fits...\n\nOK, 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. Historically, figures suggested it affects about 0.8% of the population at some point, which makes it about half as common as schizophrenia. In recent years, bipolar disorder has become an 'in' diagnosis, and many more people are being diagnosed at younger and younger ages. As with ADHD, this fad may well pass with time, although for the moment many celebrities appear to be 'popularising' it.\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 person's 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 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.
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No.  If you were in mania, you would be hyper and unable to sleep, and fully functioning on an abnormally low amount of sleep.  some people with depression sleep very long hours or spend a lot of time in bed staring at the ceiling.  Some people with depression have insomnia.  \n Sleep is not a reliable indicator of bipolar disorder.   Mood swings, reckless behavior, delusions, walking and talking faster than normal, having more energy than usual are typical symptoms of the mania phase of bipolar.
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Go to the library.  There are alot of books that will go into details of both.  Bipolar two is mostly depression rather than manic.  Also try this... www.bipolar.com  Hope that helps!
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Bipolar Disorder:\nWhat Is Bipolar Disorder?\n\nBipolar disorder used to be known as manic depression. It's a serious illness, one that can lead to risky behavior, damaged relationships and careers, even suicidal tendencies -- if it's not treated. \n\nBipolar disorder is characterized by extreme changes in mood (poles) -- from mania to depression. Between these mood swings, a person with Bipolar disorder may experience normal moods.\n\n"Manic" describes an increasingly restless, energetic, talkative, reckless, powerful, euphoric period. Lavish spending sprees or impulsive risky sex can be irresistible. Then, at some point, this high-flying mood can spiral into something darker -- irritation, confusion, anger, feeling trapped.\n\n"Depression" describes the opposite mood -- sadness, crying, sense of worthlessness, loss of energy, loss of pleasure, sleep problems. \n\nBut because the pattern of highs and lows varies for each person, bipolar disorder is a complex disease to diagnose. For some people, mania or depression can last for weeks or months, even for years. For other people, bipolar disorder takes the form of frequent and dramatic mood shifts. \n\n"There's a whole spectrum of symptoms and mood changes that have been found in bipolar disorder," says Michael Aronson, MD, a clinical psychiatrist and consultant for WebMD. "It's not always dramatic mood swings. In fact, some people seem to get along just fine. The manic periods can be very, very productive. They think things are going great."\n\nThe danger comes, he says, when the mania grows much worse. "The change can be very dramatic, with catastrophic results. People can get involved in reckless behavior, spend a lot of money, there may be sexual promiscuity, sexual risks." \n\nThe depressed phases can be equally dangerous: A person may have frequent thoughts of suicide.\n\nIf you or someone you know has thoughts of death or suicide, contact a health-care professional, loved one, friend, or call 911 immediately. \n\nBipolar disorder is equally difficult for families of those affected. The condition is the most difficult mental illness for families to accept, Aronson tells WebMD. "Families can more easily accept schizophrenia, to understand that it is an illness. But when a person is sometimes very productive, then becomes unreasonable or irrational, it wreaks more havoc on the family. It seems more like bad behavior, like they won't straighten up." \n\nIf this rings true -- either for you or a loved one -- the first step in tackling the problem is to see a psychiatrist. Whether it's bipolar disorder or another mood-related problem, effective treatments are available. What's most important is that you recognize the problem, and start looking for help.\n\nBorderline Personality Disorder \n\nTopic Overview \n\n\nWhat is borderline personality disorder?\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. \n\nSigns of the disorder usually first appear in childhood, but problems often don't develop until early adulthood. Treatment can be difficult. Setbacks are common, and recovery from troubling emotional and behavioral symptoms can take years. However, treatment may be more effective than was previously thought, and even people with severe symptoms usually improve over time.1\n\nWhat are the symptoms?\nFeatures of borderline personality disorder include aggressive behavior, difficulty controlling emotions and impulses, problems with unstable and intense relationships, a low sense of self-worth, and frantic anxiety
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Bipolar diagnosis is this decade's equivalent to co-dependence in the 80s and ADD in the 90s. It's something that everyone has that becomes a bigger problem the more you fear it.\n\nThere are evolutionary reasons for bipolar symptoms. Your best bet is to get some professional help dealing with the underlying causes from someone who is willing to look beyond covering up the problem with medication. Even alternative medicines are a sign that you've given up hope trying to deal with the cause. Chemical imbalances are founded in a deeper problem. The underlying issue can be rooted out when it isn't covered up.
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Bipolars usually don't think there is anything wrong with them...they think it is everything else. They will not get help until they see it themselves and choose too. Just be supportive and loving.
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You could have mood swings that are entirely mormal if you live with a man or someone else that is abusive.\nOn the other hand if some days you are really depressed and other days you are hyper and don't need more than a few hours of sleep and your thoughts race and you talk nonstop and you are super confident and on top of the world then you could be manic.\nThe only way to tell is to go to a psychiatrist who treats bipolar patients and let him evaluate you.\nJust having your husband say you have bipolar if he is not a psychiatrist is a way for him to verbally abuse you.\n\nI suggest you read "The Verbally Abusive Relationship" which is available on http://www.amazon.com .\nIt will explain exactly how statements like this are abusive and tell you how to handle it.
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you haven't described anything that sounds like a manic episode to me - bipolar is NOT what most people conceive of as 'mood swings'. You haven't described anything that sounds like mania. It's more than just feeling cheerful - if someone is manic, they will talk a mile a minute and might go and do all sorts of crazy things, assuming that they can do it automatically, like go and gamble away their lifes savings because they're certain they've found a 'code' that will win them millions of dollars, or they'll commit crimes because they don't realise that what they're doing is wrong at the time. And then they come down and often feel really terrible about what's happened. You haven't described anything like that.\n\nIf there has been a tragedy, it is quite normal that you could be having problems .\nReally though, you should seek out professional help. Why delay and be in pain for longer than you need to? As both a mental health professional and a sufferer of depression, I can't recommend going and seeing a psychologist enough!\n\nIf your mum isn't a professional, then she doesn't know what is wrong with you most likely. Only a professional can make any sort of diagnoses, but far more important than a diagnosis is helping you to cope better with life. It doesn't matter what you have a potential diagnosis of really.
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I've done a lot of research about exactly what you're asking because I'm bipolar too. From what I've found out, people are born with bipolar but it often takes a traumatic experience to trigger it. Once bipoar is triggered it's very important to find the right medication because bipolar is with you for life and without treatment will only get worse. There are many different medications that help with the symptoms so it's equally as important to find a doctor you can discuss all your options with. Finding a proper diet helps too as well as staying away from street drugs and alcohol.
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Major depressive disorder—what people commonly call “depression”—and bipolar disorder do have some symptoms in common. However, they are two different conditions that require different treatments. \n\nIn general, major depressive disorder involves overwhelming feelings of sadness, worthlessness and hopelessness. Bipolar disorder involves episodes of depression but also episodes of mania—symptoms of which can include excessive energy, extreme irritability or “out of control” behavior. (People with depression do not experience manic episodes.)
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it seems you have bipolar symdrom. go to the doctor
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It may be if you are having psychotic episodes. You may want to go to a doctor and report this right away. People with bi-polar disorder can hallucinate. It is usually delusions that many people with manic depression suffer from but hallucinations may indeed be part of your illness or it could be that you suffer from Schizo Affective disorder . Maybe something else. You need assessment right away.
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I'm bipolar. The predominant symptom with me is the depression. It is dark, empty and so incredibly lonely. I tried to commit suicide 4 years ago and that wasn't even my low point. There are other symptoms too like anxiety, paranoia, social anxiety, ocd....I've been married twice (one time for only 3 months) I've claimed personal bankruptcy twice and have moved 10 times over the past 8 years. I maintained a great career for 12 years as an illustrator but lost my job 14 months ago when I went manic and got into drugs like pot, cocaine and ecstasy. Last year I was in a mental hospital 3 times for 1-2 weeks each time. It seems like I've been on every mood stabilizer under the sun like risperdal, lithium, epival, olanzapine and anti-depressants like paxil, effexor and wellbutrin.\nI've been on an anti-seizure med called lamotrigine/lamactil and wellbutrin since January and I'm doing great (knock on wood). Currently I'm back in school ironically to become a pharmacy technician.\nAs rotten as all that stuff sounds I think there is hope for people with bipolar. The most important thing is to not make the same mistake when I stopped taking my meds. The meds are for a reason and when we feel better it's because of the meds and a good reason to keep taking them.\nI've got a daughter and not a day goes by without me praying that she never has to go through the same pain that I've gone through.
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My daughter who is now 28 has bipolar.  She was diagnosed in her late teens and was in denial for quite along time.\nShe fought it, tried self medicating, refused to take any pills.  She was a mess.  This is an illness that will stay with you as they have yet to find a cure.  The good news that with the right combination of medications a good support system you can learn to cope and indeed have a good life.  Bi-polar has nothing to do with you not being you- it is a chemistry disorder and that is not your fault.
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Yes I'm sorry to say Bipolar is genetic. It doesn't have to be from your parents but from someone down your family tree. If you could look up your parents family trees  you will find it.   I am bipolar 1.  I have been dignosed for several years. At first I spent many months off and on in a mental facility trying to understand what happened to me. Now, I am on medicine which helps a lot. I haven't been hospitalized for almost a year now. If you are having black-out periods  or extreme anger outburst then you need to get some help now.
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The technical term is Bi-polar Disorder, either type I, II, or NOS (non specific). You need to be formally diagnosed by a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist through your insurance provider.\n\nTreatment: Depends on the severity of mood swings, mania, depression. Treatment may include medication and/or therapy.\n\nYou can look for the formal diagnostic criteria of Bi-Polar, by searching for the "DSM-IV" manual on the internet or checking it out from a library.