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Originally Posted by Moose72
I chose "Can't even approximate" because I know for sure I had a manic episode last year in April/May- pdoc confirmed it? But how do I count the times that weren't "official"? How do I account for all the times before I was diagnosed? I have a memory of riding my bike while listening to upbeat choral music and singing along with the high part with much enthousiasm! I guess I was hypomanic that day. But that's just one time of many. How many times have I gotten dancy and bouncy and talkative? About a million I'd say. Is that hypomania or just my personality? My friend thinks I'm not sick when I get like that. Where does my natural personality stop and hypo/mania begin? It's gradual sometimes. That's why it's hard for me to spot. I was diagnosed at age 33. I,m now 48 so that's 15 years ago but I know I experienced both hypo and mania before being diagnosed- and psychosis for that matter.
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Hi Moose72. Your questions are incredibly good ones, that I think many of us have asked ourselves. I certainly have. It is difficult to separate personality from bipolar episode, sometimes. I mean, we all have the right to have extremely good days in life! People without bipolar disorder do, often. I think it's especially difficult if you are a naturally high energy and upbeat person. Like I have always been very gabby. Am I simply a Chatty Cathy sometimes? Or is it my bipolar disorder?
What has helped me in the recent past was to write about extra special experiences (great and horrible). I know that while I was living them, they seemed within the range of normal. Then I compared the experiences to other times of my life, and to other people's experiences, and I realized that they must have been episodes.