Hi, Rose 76,

Everything you're saying makes sense to me. I experience a lot of "mixed-state" moods and unfortunately can have deep depression underlying hypomanic states. After doing a lot of reading, I've decided I'm Bipolar II, and I've been diagnosed over the past 32 years by separate pdocs (first time I've used that; I like it! pdoc!) as manic depressive 32 years ago, then more recently bipolar). I think there isn't a DSM category yet for Bipolar II and that's why we aren't getting the diagnosis. It exists, nevertheless. :-). There are quite a few books on it.

Many docs label people with the borderline diagnosis, also, when the M.D.s themselves just don't feel equipped to work with the client/patient. I think it's a diagnosis that seems to blame the patient, really. Nevertheless, there is a supposedly reputable approach used for borderline personality disorder and now for bipolar that is based on a person named Marsha Linehan's book. Someone else wrote the new workbook for bipolar and it's titled Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for Bipolar Disorder. I can't remember the author, but I bought it last week and have begun reading. It looks very helpful. It includes a mood chart that can be copied.

Didn't I read somewhere here that there's something we can have e-mailed to us that's similar to a mood chart?

I am grateful to have found this forum. All of you have been very helpful and caring to me.

Annie Laurie