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Old Oct 04, 2013, 01:18 PM
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dragonfly2 dragonfly2 is offline
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Member Since: Mar 2011
Location: New England
Posts: 873
The thing about bipolar disorder is that it is so individualized. We all experience it differently to a certain degree. Some people get crushingly suicidal, others don't ever reach that point. Some people have debilitating lethargy with their depressions, others tend to be more agitated and on edge. Ultimately you need to talk to your pdoc or therapist about questioning your diagnosis, but I can certainly identify with your descriptions, particularly your hypomanias.

I don't really think that bipolar disorder results in us having different personalities per se, even if the ones you're referring to don't mean it in a more literal, DID type of sense (mult. personality disorder). Yes, the way we interact with the world does change, but at the core we are the same person. If I don't like beets when I'm not symptomatic, I'm not going to suddenly like them when I'm manic or depressed. People with true personality shifts can have that change. They can even be right or left-handed differently from the "main person". So on that point, I definitely agree with you.

On the subject of personality though, a couple of things you said make me wonder if there isn't a touch of Borderline personality disorder going on there - again, only your clinicians can determine that - and you may not have full-blown BPD, but can have traits. Particularly the rapid shifting moods and your depressive reaction to abandonment. Something to certainly talk to your pdoc/T about.

But to answer your question - yes, I can identify with your bipolar symptoms.
__________________
I've been scattered I've been shattered
I've been knocked out of the race
But I'll get better
I feel your light upon my face

~Sting, Lithium Sunset


Thanks for this!
BipolaRNurse, mzunderstood79