Some SSRIs can work as anti anxiety meds. Only BP1 can have a mixed episode (my uneducated view) - BP ii don't (citation required ......)

I think you're withdrawing from your old meds.

Lamactil is more of a mood stabilizer. And because you could be tritating up at 25mg per week? You wouldn't be at a therapeutic level just yet - you have to wait til you're on 200-300mg mark.

Some people probably do switch easily. I'm still on an AD plus lamactil so I don't know.

Mixed episodes can be one of two forms - a predominant mood of hypomania with features of depression (which may have been what you had in which case AD would do you no good) or dysphoric mania where the predominant mood is depression.

Think you need to see your pdoc about your anxiety. There must be something that can help you.