Quote:
Originally Posted by ultramar
There have been some questions lately about mixed episodes, so I thought I'd cut and paste the description from the National Institute of Health (NIH):
Mixed states
In a full-blown mixed episode, criteria are met for a depressive episode and a manic episode nearly every day for at least 1 week ( American Psychiatric Association, 1994). However, a mixture of manic and depressed symptoms may occur without reaching full diagnostic criteria. For example, a patient may have racing thoughts, agitation, overactivity and flight of ideas, but feel worthless, guilty and suicidal. The patients with bipolar I disorder who took part in the 12-year longitudinal study mentioned previously spent an average 6% of weeks in a mixed or cycling state (where polarity of episode was changing and symptoms of both were present) ( Judd et al., 2002). For patients with bipolar II disorder the proportion was just over 2% ( Judd et al., 2003). It is estimated that approximately two thirds of patients will suffer a mixed episode at some point in their illness ( Mackin & Young, 2005). A study of 441 patients with bipolar disorder reported that subclinical mixed episodes are common – with 70% of those in a depressed episode showing clinically significant signs of hypomania and 94% of those with mania or hypomania showing significant depressive symptoms ( Bauer et al., 2005). Sub-threshold mixed episodes were more than twice as prevalent as threshold mixed episodes. The combination of morbid, depressed affect with overactivity and racing thoughts makes mixed states a particularly dangerous time for people with bipolar disorder.
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Hi Ultramar,
I read the above criteria and have a few questions. I started going through a depressive episode last Oct and it seemed to get better in February (after a med increase Lithium). I was getting out the house more and crying stopped.
In March I started getting depressed again, by April my pdoc started me on Lamictal. I have days were I have energy and motivation. I even put thought into my close and put on make up. I joined s gym. I started back cooking and stopped buying junk food. However a week or two later I started back not practicing good hygiene and don't leave my apt for days at a time. I've canceled appts w/ my T and haven't been to church in 7 weeks. I'm in the process of moving, I was doing really good packing. Now I can't find the motivation to finish the last little bit. I also quick going to the gym. I look forward to laying in the bed and watching tv. I'm more agitated and lose
my cool very easily. I don't know what's going on w/ me. I called my pdoc abt it, I just started 200 MG of Lamictal. She wants to give it a little time. Could this not be depression?