I had the opposite experience. I spent a couple years going in and out of mania in childhood with psychotic events and was always dx'd with freaking depression. I was like where the hell are you getting that?? Obviously, urge antidepressants made me MORE psychotic, more manic. It was HORRIBLE. I wasn't properly dx'd until I was forced into an appointment in full-blown mania at the place I now work (but at the outpatient clinic). They wanted me hospitalized, but I'm a single mom so they just loaded me with seroquel. I was 26. My first symptoms appeared at age 8. That's WAY too long.

Some kids don't change at all. I have never wavered in who I am, neither has my kid. She's had the same life plan since at least age 7. Maybe we are weirdly consistent people? Maybe we were born knowing who we were? I have no idea... I really should've been dx'd much earlier, her too. At the very least, when she was admitted to the hospital and held there with a guard for days on end (severe HI)... that was clear full blown-mania induced psychosis. I was so frustrated because it was so obvious! I lived it and couldn't see how anybody could possibly not see it! She cheeked her haldol, of course, because she thought they were poisoning her. She threatened staff. She refused to eat. She only drank bottled water (not even ice! Hospital ice is her favorite and they know that). No wonder they B52'd her on her next admit...