Negative symptoms or depression?

Thing is, I don't feel depressed. I have a severe lack of motivation, I cancel plans with friends and family because I just don't feel like going. I don't shower more than once a week, and only because I am afraid my husband will say I smell. I have a hard time sleeping, and a harder time getting going in the morning.

I suspect I have schizoaffective disorder. There is a difference between when I am depressed and when I am just, well, the way I have been lately.

Are negative symptoms possible in bipolar alone?

yes. It's called depression, and everything you list points to it even if you don't "feel" it. Sometimes depressions is NOT feeling instead of feeling sad or bad.

I am going through the same thing BNLsMom. I talked to my pdoc about it and they started me on prozac because it is symptoms of depression. Unfortunately so far I haven't really seen any improvement. Are you on any anti-depressants? Either way you may want to talk to pdoc about the symptoms you are having. You might need a med adjustment.

i quite often feel totally empty rather than depressed. it's much harder to deal with than knowing you feel like ****.

I have been on Prozac for a year. My p-nurse is hesitant to raise the dose because not too long ago when we added Abilify, I went into a manic/mixed state and had to go to the hospital. She thinks that raising Prozac would cause the same sort of thing. Still, I am going to talk to her, because these symptoms are getting worse and really intefering with life.

I feel like that too sometimes. And I agree that it still sounds like symptoms of depression, even if you may not think you are depressed.
Speak to your pdoc about changing your meds

i do have schizoaffective and i'm going through the exact same things right now, especially the lack of motivation and not showering, but it could definitely be the bipolar too. i'm hesitant to say it's either. i'd just bring it up with the p-nurse. write it down so you don't forget it or become unmotivated to remember. haha, sad but true, right?

It sounds like depression to me. I get that way sometimes. Not really sad just sort of numb. I would go to your p-doc as soon as possible. A med change may be needed. Good Luck!

I agree with the others. Apathy and loss of interest in things or even the inability to experience pleasure that comes from ordinary things in life (anhedonia), are all symptoms of depression. Your meds are not working for you. Demand something be changed (although when you lack motivation, it's hard to remember what you want to say when you get to an appt.). Like katertot said. Write down your symptoms and bring them with you to the next appt. so you don't forget.

I have bipolar II and although I am on no meds right now (not by choice, I just came out of the hospital with 2 saddle pulmonary embolisms from side effects to meds) I understand that feeling also. It's almost as if the body and the mind are not insync.

When I was rapid cycling, the depression was just numbing, mentally and physically. I seem to be stable now but it landed in the depressed with a little bit of functioning mode. So I guess it is functionally depressed? But I feel so numb and that is what really bothers me it is almost as if I am drugged up.

And my normal mood used to be hyperthymic. So I almost feel like I have lost "me". Can't find me, don't feel the same about things including friends and family either. It is hard, it feels like I am living a different life since my onset of bipolar 4 yrs ago.

Anyone else feel this way?

Bipolarmother, I'm either Bipolar I or Bipolar NOS and my natural mood used to be hyperthymic, too, so I feel like I'm not myself when I'm not experiencing that. My depressions, though, are usually very sad/suicidal.

I here ya Unico, I hate to think about it but I guess the suicidal ideations are always there and I dont understand them at all and then add my shutdown to my pdoc and therapist, I live in a body that I dont know or understand anymore

But, I do remember as a teenager being the same way so either I have been depressed/bipolar but as a milder more functioning version all my llife till 4 yrs ago when it totally went out of control and I cant figure out why. And it doesnt matter why it's that i dont know how to keep functioning anymore. You feel the same way?

Bipolarmother, sure you don't mean hypothymic? I looked up hyperthymic because I wasn't sure I knew what it was and found this in wiki -" Individuals with hyperthymic temperament are often seen as strong, energetic, productive, well-respected, and are very often the leaders of the social network; the alpha. By definition, hyperthymic temperament does not have significant elements of dysfunction in mental, interpersonal, business, or social situations, and is in fact, often a benefit."

Hi Anneinside,
yes I mean hyperthymic. That defined me for sure before I crashed with major depression from some significant life triggers or traumas and then I got the diagnosis of late life bipolar. Bipolar though on the depressive side now. Which is where I seemed to have leveled out at without medication. I sometimes ultra rapid cycle but usually that was a result of medication. And mixed moods are quite often.