Hi all,
I don't know if any of you remember me, about two years ago I was diagnosed with bipolar II and frequented this forum a bit. However a little more than a year ago my diagnosis was changed to GAD and major depressive disorder so I stopped posting here as I felt I didn't belong.
I just started seeing a new doctor and he diagnosed me with bipolar II right away. I'm not sure I agree. He says that because I experienced a couple episodes of hypomania two years ago, I have bipolar. But I have suffered from depression since I was 15 and I have been depressed since those short and infrequent hypomanic episodes, cycling between low grade depression and severe, deep depression.
My doctor says that to meet the criteria for bipolar, I only have to have had one hypomanic episode, ever. So I'm a bit confused. What if I never have another hypomanic episode and I am just depressed for forever? Does that mean I am still bipolar? I feel as if I don't "belong" if I really am bipolar but I don't experience cycling between episodes, like I have read about others doing.