I agree with you, apparently one benefit of my internet being down for awhile is that I wasn’t checking this board regularly enough to see whatever caused this fiasco.

I just don’t see the clear divisions between bipolar 1 and bipolar 2 to warrant a sub forum. Are bipolar 2 people not feeling any love that would only be felt through a separate sub forum? I was originally diagnosed with bipolar 2, for several years. Had my first major manic episode about 4 years later, my pdoc never mentioned how my diagnosis “changed” to bipolar 1. I didn’t realize my technical diagnosis was bipolar 1 until I was hospitalized about 3 years later, said I had bipolar 2 to the evaluating psychiatrist, and was then told I had bipolar 1 ever since that episode 3 years ago. And I was in a mixed episode now. Oh...ok. Whatever.

I’ve had both diagnoses, and for me the only difference is that I went from hypomania and significant depression, to severe mania and severe depression. Just because I have bipolar 1 doesn’t mean I don’t experience the exact same type of hypomania and depression I experienced with a technical bipolar 2 diagnosis. When I’m not in a state of pure crisis, I am usually hypomanic. I have plenty of experiences and understanding of bipolar 2 symptoms, would I still not be welcomed into the bipolar 2 forum because my diagnosis got revamped? Making a sub forum just doesn’t make sense. If it weren’t for most of you putting bipolar 1 or 2 in your signatures, I wouldn’t have a clue what your diagnosis was. And I frankly wouldn’t care. Bipolar disorder is already one of the most stigmatized mental illnesses, why even try to divide us? We all need support from one another.