Is it ADHD? Or it is or Bipolar?

My counselor that I've seen for eight months and I have noticed that even though I've worked through an enormous amount of intrapsyhic trauma that I still tend to exhibit ADHD symptoms. I also mentioned to him that I had been diagnosed as a child with ADHD by a clinical psychologist and received medical treatment for it.

At first, I thought I may have a mood disorder.

But I notice that even when I'm 'depressed' I continue wanting to be stimulated unless I'm physically exhausted (though not as much as when I'm more so 'normal'). I may distract myself if I feel depressed with some other 'activity' (be it physical or mental).

I notice that when I'm more 'normal' it appears as if I'm 'manic'. I simply want to be 'doing' something (be it physical or mental!). But I don't feel as if I have an over-exaggerated sense of self nor any sort of delusion or psychosis.

Regardless of whether I feel 'depressed' or 'manic' I tend to sleep a regular six to eight hours every night. I have a high sex drive regardless of whether I feel 'depressed' or 'manic'. My thoughts move rather quickly regardless of whether I feel 'depressed' or 'manic'. The moods may taint the thoughts, but the thoughts nevertheless travel at my 'normal' speed regardless. And my speech doesn't fluctuate either, as I tend to communicate rather consistently.

It feels like an overlap of ADHD and typical manic symptoms, and I become confused as to whether or not it is ADHD or a mood disorder.

So, I would like some help in understanding this phenomena. I would gladly like to hear from those who have a similar issue like myself!

Most of those with childhood ADHD still have it as adults, and medication helps a lot. Most also have one or more other disorders. Bipolar is one of those and probably underdiagnosed.
I have that combination, and now, with meds for both, have got a much better life.
The experts still quarrel about the coexsistence, my experience is that it does.

I will remember that!

I do remember reading a section in "Driven to Distraction" about the coexistence of ADHD with, say, depression, bipolar disorder, dissociative and borderline personality disorder. Very enlightening! =)

I feel that I do struggle with my moods in a neurobiological sense. But I'm also reluctant to pursue psychiatric treatment. I intern for a psychiatrist at the moment. Through what I've seen I'm wary of the information that one's insurance company has on one's mental health.

Fortunately my counselor is helping me research other means of pursuing psychiatric treatment. =)

I am diagnosed with bipolar and ADHD. Have you ever heard of Dr. Amen? He believes there is more than 1 kind of ADD/ADHD and one of those is called a "Ring of Fire " and it is thought to be closely related to Bipolar.

It appears that since you are not losing sleep and are not suffering from grandosity that you are not experiencing classic mania. I would research ring of fire ADD and see what you think about that. good luck.

I will! If you happen to have a link about this 'Ring of Fire' ADHD, would you share it? That'd help too!

I have Bipolar Disorder Type I & adult ADHD. Going only by your post, you are not describing mania. There is a huge difference between mania and hypomania as well. You might want to look into that. You would not be able to successfully function if you were manic. With bipolar disorder, in general, you have "episodes," so you would be manic or hypomanic consistently for several days, depressed consistently at other times for weeks at a time and then would also have periods of "normalcy." If you are shifting more rapidly and have no times in which you are free of symptoms, it is less likely that you have BP. (There is a rapid cycling form of BP, but I'm trying not to complicate the issue any further. What you are describing does not sound like that anyway.) And obviously you can't diagnose over the internet, but especially since your sleep is within normal range, BP is unlikely. I have looked into the "Ring of Fire" form of ADHD like the other poster was talking about, and I agree that you may want to look into that. He has a website & the library should also have one of his books that talks about that. I'm just using my phone otherwise I'd google the site for you myself. Just google "Dr Amen." Hope you can find some relief regardless.

To help answer your question you can have both ADD & Biplor...I have been seeing a pysciatrist for years for biplor & my doctor has been confused that I wasn't getting much better & then I remembered I was diagnoisd with ADD when I was in my 30"s but never really took it serious. Now my doctor has put me on adderal along with my other meds...I am still struggling ...however I do know feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel & determined to live as normal live as I can....I hope this has help with your question & good luck

I have a book by him and describes "Ring of Fire" ADD as: Angry, aggressive, sensitive to noise, light, clothes, and touch; often inflexible, experiencing periods of mean, unpredictable behavior, and grandiose thinking.

The book is called Healing ADD: The Breakthrough Program that Allows You to See and Heal the 6 Types of ADD by Dr. Daniel G. Amen, M.D. if you want to look into it... It describes the 6 types and says some people can have more than one. I qualify for 4 of the types.