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Originally Posted by LonesomeTonight
Thanks for your comments. I also have anxiety and OCD, along with recurrent depressive episodes...so maybe it's the same for me? I remember at one point describing to my T how I had so many thoughts in my head at one time, but I had just assumed that everyone was like that. And she was just like, "Uh, no." The OCD has been there since I was a little kid, anxiety starting in adolescence (though I've always been a worrier).
I mostly was wondering about bipolar II because one of the main defining features was that the first bout of depression was before age 21 (or maybe 18?) and that there were multiple recurrences of it. And then some descriptions of hypomania rang true for me, like irritability, distractability, colors seeming brighter/nature seeming more beautiful, etc. And being less careful about spending (but nothing to the level of what's described for full mania). Plus I've had some negative reactions to fairly low doses of SSRIs, like agitation. And worse mental health reactions to SNRIs like Cymbalta, which apparently tends to happen in people with bipolar II.
But maybe it is just part of the depression/anxiety/OCD?
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I almost always have a ton of thoughts in my head at once, so I can relate to that (it's exhausting). My anxiety began around age 4 when I started school, and my OCD began in college (hmm, I never noticed the school theme there, DUH). I have issues focusing these days (and have had a full battery of psych testing done; I don't have ADHD). Currently my inability to focus is being chalked up to my anxiety level as well (which really is always extremely high) and perhaps also my depression, which has been one long unrelenting episode since 2010. Anyway, I have never experienced that color/nature seeming more beautiful thing, altho it sounds pretty nice! I have bad reactions to pretty much all psych meds (except benzos), but I have had genetic testing done and that explained a lot of my bad reactions (or why stuff hasn't worked for me).
It would be nice if there were a blood test or something that could tell a person
for sure if they were bipolar, wouldn't it? I know some people don't like labels, but for me they explain why I am the way I am & what is happening to me.