Bi-polar?

[Queer Fringe]

What should I do? I have nearly every one of these symptoms, and by saying nearly every one, I mean every one except from two of them...I might be getting assessed...I need to talk to the family "therapist"
I don't like self-diagnosis but it really sounds like I have this...


Signs and symptoms of a manic episode of bipolar disorder:

happy, expansive, optimistic mood


alternative mood: irritable, angry, aggressive, provocative, intrusive


impaired judgment; reckless; unpredictable

excessive involvement in pleasurable or high risk activities, such as sex, drug or alcohol use, or shopping sprees


high physical and mental energy; increased productivity; excited; a feeling of high intelligence and creativity


extremely talkative, rapid thoughts


decreased need for sleep, less ability to sleep


inflated self-importance; in some, delusions or hallucinations


extremely sociable


inability to concentrate; distracted; restless, impulsive


no perception that the mood and behaviors are abnormal


A person in the manic phase of bipolar disorder rarely seeks help; the person may feel good and not recognize that anything is wrong.


Signs and symptoms of a depressive episode of bipolar disorder:

profound sadness, hopelessness, pessimism; crying spells

low self-esteem, worthlessness


"flat" mood: apathetic, indifferent; lack of interest or pleasure in most activities


fatigue, lethargy: decreased energy and activity;

difficulty getting out of bed in the morning


decreased sexuality


restless, irritable, angry, worried, anxious, guilty


fewer thoughts and less talking; slower thinking and talking


difficulty in concentrating, making decisions, and remembering


social withdrawal; diminished ability to give and feel love


drug or alcohol use


change in appetite; weight gain or loss; loss of interest in food, even if eating more


change in sleep patterns: sleeping more or less than usual


suicidal thoughts, plans, or attempts; life seems devoid of pleasure


Severe depression may be accompanied by symptoms of psychosis. These symptoms include hallucinations and delusions. Sufferers may also have paranoid thoughts of being persecuted or monitored by some powerful entity such as the government or a hostile force, or become paranoid that they'll be abandoned and left by those close to them.

[Ami]

Ermm.. i cant diagnose, but they must infere to a great extent with your life. Also, to be diagnosed with hypomania symptoms last 4 days and depression 2 weeks. I read youre on the pill for your moods - is it helping? It can be hard to diagnose bipolar in teens cos of natural mood swings. (i dont understand why i was diagnosed at 16 then, but hey ho).

if youre getting assessed they can work out a diagnosis from there xx

[Queer Fringe]

but my friend knows a girl whos being diagnosed and she's 13?!?! I've been having mood swings since I was 13?!?! well my mania lasts for one day and depression 1/2 weeks...I've only been on the pill for a week today, but I don't see any improvement...my mania lasted about 4-5 days last week and my depression 1 week...? but sometimes its daily...

[Ami]

I think you need to give the pill a few weeks hun.

Yeah i dunno. I thought they didnt really diagnose bipolar in teens but there you go. Do you ever feel "normal"?

None of us can diagnose.. but the asessment psych can. When are you seeing him?
xx

[dark_light]

You need to see a doctor for a diagnosis, and they are often reluctant to diagnose until they have monitored you for a while to make sure they get it right. Hopefully when you get assessed they can work something out to help you, having a label won't necessarily make it get better quicker. But mention it to the doctor and see what they think, your opinion is the most important, you know you better than anyone.
Jo xx

[Ami]

yeah. if youre wanting a diagnosis.. it can be helpful because the problem ahs been identified and you kknow how to solve it , ie what medication.

but i am reluctant to accept mine. I dont even belive it even though ive been told be several drs. But it makes things easier for professionals when i tell them what is wrong x

[Queer Fringe]

I do have times where I'm stable...y'know like my mood? and I think...gosh was it a phase? maybe there is nothing wrong. then it comes back...
I did go to my GP but he thinks im fine and my psych thinks its a "teen" thing...grrr if it is why did I attempt suicide twice? is that normal? I'm not being sarcastic...is it normal to attempt suicide in your teens? *stupid*

[Queer Fringe]

coz ive been told I'm normal so many times that I think it is normal to cut, attempt suicide, cry all the time, and feel crap and not go out...?!?!

[Ami]

**huggles**

I get what you mean. Ive never had that problem but i can imagine its very fustrating. :(

take care xx

[Queer Fringe]

Thankyou xx*hugs*

[dark_light]

I don't think its 'normal', i don't think you should have to feel this way honey. You deserve help and should keep asking until you get what you need.
I was like that when i was 14 and i sometimes think if i had been given proper help then would i be better now? I think you should definitely try and get help now.
Sometimes i don't like my diagnosis either, but i know what ami means, it does help professionals deal with you when they know whats wrong.

[Queer Fringe]

thats what I mean...what were u diagnosed with? sorry to ask...I'm 14 now and I asked for help when I was 13...but never mentioned my mood swings as a huge problem until later on when my cognitive therapy finished...
xx

[Queer Fringe]

I feel low when I'm manic too...I mean I feel high but I still feel low if that makes sense?

[dark_light]

I was diagnosed with depression at 16 and bpd a year ago, i don't really like the bpd diagnosis but it has meant that i have been given the right treatment fianally, i'm starting the right therapy soon and they know what meds to give me now. So i suppose i do wish in a way i had been diagnosed earlier, although i don't think they diagnose personality disorders until late teens? not sure.
xxx

[Queer Fringe]

I guess, but they expect to put my life on the line just because they dont like diagnosing?!?! 4 years without help could kill me, I mean at the moment I cant even go a week without help, well I can it's just so hard... *sobs*

[dark_light]

Sorry i'm not saying they won't diagnose you or they won't help you, just trying to explain how things work sometimes. even if they didn't give you a diagnosis they should still help you if you are struggling.
are you ok? want to talk? xxx

[Queer Fringe]

Ahhh thanks, I'm not good... yeah I'm really upset 'cause of today...

[dark_light]

you can add me on msn if you want or you can pm me x

[Queer Fringe]

Thanks sooo much xx

[romancandle]

Like others said, a doctor would know best whether or not you have Bipolar Disorder. Even if you don't have BD, they'll at least get a general idea of what's going on with you over a period of time during counceling and also help in treating it. The best thing to do is go to a new doctor [since you seem to have had a bad experience] without even thinking of any mental illness you might have. The symptoms of mental disorders listed on websites can be very vague towards severities, so be careful not to jump the gun on this whole Bipolar thing when there's a chance you may not know the whole spectrum of the disorder.

By the way, [even though I didn't see why Borderline Personality Disorder came up, it's fine by me] they normally don't diagnose a patient with a personality disorder until they're at least 18. I've heard of patients younger than that being diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, but to me personally [and most psychiatrists nowadays, for that matter] I have a hard time believing that diagnosis in a person that young. Psychologically a personality isn't really developed completely until your mid-20s, so early diagnosis of a personality disorder means a greater chance of misdiagnosis. The beginning signs of Borderline Personality Disorder may appear in the early teenage years, but these signs can also be attributed to other disorders so it is unsafe to diagnose at that time. This is all theory and speculation. To put it bluntly, quite a few believe that personality disorders can't be properly diagnosed until you're 18. Doesn't mean that they're not going to treat you for whatever you might have.