[prettymuchrandom327]

For the past couple weeks I've been happy, sad, screaming, crying, etc. Its horrible. My mom thinks I'm depressed but I can't be if I sometimes feel happy. I just want to know because my friends haven't made me feel any better on the situation. Even when I do feel sad but I want people to think I'm happy I don't even bother putting on a happy face because it seems like a waste. Today I started randomly crying and I really didn't know why. I don't know much about bipolar except for exessive mood-swings, so I can't be sure. I have an appointment for a therapist but it seems so far away. I just want to know now.

[Tsunamisurfer]

I'm sorry you are having a rough time.
There is a spectrum of bipolar type problems or mood experiences. Feeling happy is generally normal. Feeling suddenly happy in the middle of a serious depressive episode that has been going on for weeks is not typical of unipolar depression, and deserves a closer look.

Here are some links to resources on Bipolar disorder that may help you compare your experiences with what is commonly classified as Bipolar (or the broader spectrum of mood disorders).
http://psychcentral.com/disorders/bipolar/
http://psychcentral.com/resources/Bipolar/
http://psychcentral.com/quizzes/bipolarquiz.htm

Whether your problem is Bipolar or not, it is a good thing to have it checked out.

But be careful: if you think you have any mood instability symptoms, it is important to rule out the possibility of Bipolar before going onto antidepressant medication. Antidepressants on their own can destabilise a person with latent bipolar disorder in a very serious way, and can lead to mania and suicide if not monitored very closely.

http://www.justiceseekers.com/files/NLPP00000/072.pdf for a detailed discussion on antidepressants, mania, suicide and other issues of instability.
If you have good reason to suspect Bipolar, it is a good idea to get stable on a mood stabiliser before beginning an antidepressant.

Hope that helps.

[dragonfly2]

T-surfer has some very good resources there.

You didn't mention how old you are, but something to consider is that bipolar disorder can present itself very differently in children and younger adolescents. I am having my own daughter evaluated because of this. Early-onset bipolar looks different from bipolar that comes on in your late teens/early 20's. There is much more rapidly-changing mood instability, looking more like ultraradian cycling (very fast shifting between moods in the course of the day). Another site that you and your mom could check out is http://www.bpkids.org/ - The Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation. Keep in mind that not everyone has the same symptoms. There may be things there that may not apply to you. Not trying to diagnose you, just some food for thought.

I hope you feel better soon.