[Stranga91]

MY younger brother can be the KINDEST loving person and brother in the world (he is 15) or he can be the most selfish, mean and cruel person with his words and actions. He likes to think that he is "on top of the world" and that everyone else is lower than him and that it is an "Honor" for anyone to know him. He seems to have two different personalities....do you think these may be signs of bipolar disorder? I have ADHD/OCD and my dad has OCPD (even though he is in denial) but OCD/ADHD run in my dad's side of the family.....thanks for your input.

[thinker22]

I have no idea. It could be a chemical imbalance (which tend to be genetic like schizophrenia or bipolar) or it could be a personality disorder. Like borderline or narcissist. Or a combo of a PD and a mood disorder.

He'd need to be seen by a therapist or psych doc for a long term period (probably 3-6 months) to get an official diagnosis. Most people are diagnosed with bipolar in their 20s or 30s, but there are exceptions of earlier and later. Whoever he sees will first be working on his behaviors (or acting out) after they build a trust and from talking about those periods of time when he feels on top of the world vs. being more meek and kind, the therapist or doc will have something to report to your parents about how to best treat the differing personalities.

I had different personae in each class in high school and on different days depending on my mood, but I don't think I ever treated people like **** all day long. I was just quiet and withdrawn in one class, hostile and irritable in another, class clown in yet another, teacher's pet in a fourth, etc. Perhaps I just react differently to varying environments, but then, I would have both depressive and manic days with the exact same people in similar situations.

Hope this helps some. But your parents probably need to get him an eval because the sooner a personality or mood disorder are detected and diagnosed, the better his chances are for getting the proper treatment, reversing behaviors and ways of thinking, and in the end, survival and leading a happy, productive life.

[never clever]

It's possible. When I'm manic I'm mean! Other than that I am a nice person. I would seek medical advice. I was about that age when I noticed something was wrong but I didn't know what it was or who to talk to about it. It was a scary, lonely time. I'm sure if I had gone to the doctor about it the rest of my teens/early twenties would have gone a lot smoother. Even if it's not bipolar disorder, early detection is helpful with any mental health issue.

[Pughead]

That seems to be really grandiose. I've had the whole inflated-ego thing but not quite that bad. I've felt god-like before but I kinda keep it to myself when that happens. At least I try to. My friends called me "Theego" for a while.

Anyway, yes that is something not uncommon in hypomania/mania. Have you ever seen him depressed, hating the world, or really lethargic? It's possible to have several hypomanic/manic episodes though before getting depressed, so who knows. I know that's how it was for me.