Quote:
Originally Posted by ultramar
Although probably necessary in some cases, I have a bit of an aversion to multiple diagnoses -because some different symptoms/experiences may well just be part and parcel of 1 diagnosis instead of separate ones. Plus I'm afraid of the idea of being medicated for each diagnosis separately which could lead to a boatload of medications, which may or may not be necessary.
For example, ADHD-type symptoms could be part of your anxiety (i.e. lack of focus), depression part of bipolar, etc. Although I think the DSM doesn't always take everything into account, maybe it would be useful to look over the criteria of just bipolar and anxiety and see if other experiences you're having that seem separate might be part of these two.
My personal belief is that anxiety is a different phenomenon, although that it can definitely affect other issues you're having. As far as anxiety vs hypo or mania, can you think of what you may be reacting to when you get anxious? Try to keep an open mind, there are tons of different things that might make you anxious (i.e. your own thoughts and fears as well as anticipated anxiety-provoking experiences). Anxiety can definitely make you very very energetic (not in a good way), frenetic, sleeplessness, etc., but there is something making you feel anxious.
There are things that can trigger anxiety as well as bipolar episodes, I think figuring out these triggers can be very helpful
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I definitely believe that ADHD/ADD type symptoms are tied both to bipolar activated and inactivated states. As in, when I am anxious my mind can't grab unto a single thing, and this can make me very anxious or frustrated to the point of depression because there is nothing I can focus on, work on, or distract myself with. When I am depressed, I am simply too mentally exhausted and there is no pleasure in participating in anything, anyway.
However, as I have been studying my own triggers of late, I can say that I probably do have a sort of Psychological-Panic-Disorder type of separation from the bipolar. I believe that the panic attacks may have originally sprung up from the bipolar disorder, especially the intense periods of paranoia that hit me like a bulldozer out of no where and especially when the panic just initially
happened, without triggers.
Yet, as time went on, I began to experience anticipatory anxiety in relation to panic attacks and certain situations....and that is how a psychologically fueled panic disorder begins. So, in that sense, that response may have developed from the bipolar disorder and although the bipolar disorder may be of biochemical origin there is no doubt that the panic is worsened psychologically. So it's like I have a base bipolar panic intensified from a developed panic disorder.
I was just thinking about that, so maybe I just learned something very new about myself!