[Clinte89]

Last night i felt really good and had a great time. My family said i was being manic i thought i was just having fun but could they be right? I was laughin at everything all day, jumping around making funny comments, feeling tingly like anxious, the day flew by, everything was awesome music sounded better and food tasted better. But i thiught someone was chasing me up the stairs so i ran from them i was safe as long as the stair light was off. Whats the line between manic and hypo? It was supppose to say what is manic or hypo oh well **** it im typing on my phone so get over it!

[Clinte89]

After re reading i think they where right. Oh well **** it brewhahaha my doc has said i have had manic episodes but just wonder where is the line

...if you are happy, then your family should not interfere by bringing illness into it, they might try bein happy for you instead, i dunno

[Seaswept]

I'm not sure either. There was another post I forget which one, but when you are so high that you have complete disregard for others- you're manic.

I know what you mean though about the happy, we were at my sisters picnic last weekend, went swimming and was having a good time goofing around in her pool. My daughter asked me if I took my meds today. I went over to the side of the pool and asked the others if I was acting weird (because of what she said) and my brother told her NO, your just having fun swimming with your daughter. thank you.

This happens a lot. Can't I just be happy?

I wonder that too sometimes, Clinte89. As I was reading your description, it was, "yup, yup, yup" right up until the stairs thing, and I've never been considered manic. BUT, my hypomania can be SUPER obvious to others. There's nothing subtle about it. I've had a couple of things that have been a bit questionable towards manic. For instance there was one time there was this incident one might have well have considered to have fallen under delusional. The Pdoc said, (and was kind of laughing), "But you didn't really believe that did you?!". Thing is, I did. I don't remember exactly, but I think I kind of laughed it off with a mumbly answer. Didn't want to "go there" if I could help it, especially being such a transient thing.

So, I guess the answer is sometimes it's obvious, sometimes... a bit trickier. Good luck. Just keep an eye on it (or better yet with the help of another who isn't prone to labelling at the slightest thing).

...yeah thats a good point both above

...(back on computer now the PS3 is impossible to write with)

we are capable of having good times without it being a bipolar good time!

yet I also understand that those who lack the full understanding, and it's not their fault...they tend to expect the worst, I know my family get concerned when I'm "doing fine"... because my "doing fine" is the beginning of a meltdown and thats why they leave me be I guess.

...could take a few days but it often happens I feel happiness and think "wow this is it forever!!...cool as!"....and I can't sustain it.

it's almost like you can't win? they want us to be happy but are weary when we are it's a twisted set up

I notice people are weary and then what might have begun as a genuine free 'normal' happy suddenly betrays me and bring in the borderline...

and now I'm not sure what I mean

[Clinte89]

Thanks everyone. I think i was just having a good time but they asked did i take my meds, and said your just being manic watch out for the crash which kinda killed my buzz. I dont always get mean when manic my doc said manic can be many different things which is why I asked. I have had times where I get really irritable and irrational and he said thats manic to. So Im just confused on the line. I worry because I just dont often feel that good and I still feel really good. I think Ive just finally found a good combo of meds and not being depressed can make anyone feel amazing. It just kinda offended me when they asked that and said that. Because like you fine people say why cant I just feel good without bringing the whats wrong with you now kinda question into it. Why cant they just leave me alone.

..'fine people'

well Clinte thanks buddy, you are a fine person yourself

[Clinte89]

Thanks and i apreciate all the advice you ladies and gents give me. Whats te chance ive been misdiagnosed and im perfectly fine? Accept for depression, i just want this to go away i guess more than anything le sigh i mean i know ive had what is describes as mania just not the disregaurd for people in a long time maybe ive been cured or something. What do you guys and gals think

Originally Posted by Clinte89

Thanks and i apreciate all the advice you ladies and gents give me. Whats te chance ive been misdiagnosed and im perfectly fine? Accept for depression, i just want this to go away i guess more than anything le sigh i mean i know ive had what is describes as mania just not the disregaurd for people in a long time maybe ive been cured or something. What do you guys and gals think

I don't blame you Clinte for wanting it to go away...not one little bit.

I forgot and lost count of how many prayers and screams to the world that I would 'snap out of it!'

...and so so many times and even more often than that I have believed I was 'fine' and way past it....only to fall on my face or fall off my face...

and it's a delusion in itself and I don't believe it's a bad one either because we need self confidence and self assurance when we have a condition and it's in this marvelous way kinda self sustaining I suppose?

I guess what I mean is that it's best to embrace it and accept whats going on and maintain hope always that it's going to improve

[Clinte89]

I suppose your correct well in fact I know you are. Its just so easy to dream of what my life was like over Id say 8 or so years ago and im only 23. I have been at least fighing depression for that long possibly longer I just dont remember good. And things have always gotten worse or it seems. Im sorry Im kinda sui now. Just hard to think that at least in my head things only get worse but on the same coin I have hope that things will get better. Idk now Im just not making sense.

I dont think mania = disregard for others as Seaswept mentioned that someone else had posted. I've been manic too many times to count but that's not the way it plays out for me.

Its hard to tell mania from hypo for sure sometimes. And just happiness from hypo? Hard still. Mania usually lasts a longer duration than hypomania I believe. And from my experience that's true for me. Also level of functioning. I can function at high speed when hypo, very productive. But when I am manic I might think I'm productive but I'm not and I am also usually functioning at a low level.

It really sucks when every mood change you have is being questioned by family or friends. I understand their worry and caution but it can really make a dent in the person being questioned. Les say my bf really ticks me off and I get upset... " oh you must not be doing good mentally" his response. That really makes a person feel invalidated over what might be a very valid thing, event, situation. And happiness, well we should all feel free to be happy without question. But if it's even hard for us to tell where the line is, I can see why it's even harder for an outsider.

I think tho the more we fret over each changing mood the more we might actually be welcoming in trouble unintentionally. This creates anxiety and stress which is never good for anyone really.

Good luck and I hope it was just some unforeseen happiness coming your way! And keep up hope because things do always change, and things do get better. Feelings are temporary, and every moment is temporary.

[Clinte89]

Thanks thats what I thought Im just trying to figure out how to break it to them. Any advice on how to tell them Im not manic when Im wild like that. I just felt so good Ive been depressed for days and to all the sudden not be depressed feels great.

Well I'd probably just explain it like that. That the happiness is so welcomed after so much depression that it's hard not to run with it a bit. Really who wouldn't? I mean it's an Extremly nice change.

Also maybe it would help if you dissected you mania or hypomania a little more. Is there a build up, climax, duration? I know for me I will get hypo and this can last for a few days. Either from that point I will continue to climb into a longer lasting manic state where I am quite aggitated physically an mentally. Hard for me to even speak, I stutter and can't even carry a conversation hardly ( those are just a few obvious signs for me) Or the other way, I will get hypo for a few days and then it will dissipate back into a more stable mood or depression. But knowing what exactly it looks like for you can help you and them better judge what is going on.

Maybe you can explain to them too just a little about how you feel when every mood change is questioned an how that effects you. Hopefully they will hear you and relax a little. It also might show them that you are aware and you are watching yourself, so they might be able to ease up a little. I hope that helps a bit, and good luck.

[Clinte89]

Thats an idea I dont get hypo or manic really anymore because of the meds, I mean my doc says that I have been manic in his office maybe he is a quak and im misdiagnosed. Idk maybe its the meds doing there job. Most the times when I was described as manic I had told my family all sorts of crazy things and saw things thought I was a god that sort of stuff. Ill explain it to them.

Well that makes sense. Meds can make the symptoms and duration much less severe, but still present on a lower level.

I explained this to my boyfriend. About the questioning my mental state all the time. It took quite a few times and he still does it now and then. But when he does I try to remind him about how it makes me feel. And I try not to get to upset, I know he's trying. If he does do this and I have been doing well I'll gently point that out. It's tricky and it might take a few times of explaining so try not to get too frustrated. It sounds like they are concerned about you and that's good. Good to have people who care.

Misdiagnosis, that's possible, anything is possible. And only you will really know. I always questioned my dx but I have slowly accepted it. Maybe it isn't even a real illness as in disease . I don't know. But I do know that I have all the shared symptoms of a group of people termed "bipolar 1". I try not to focus too much on the diagnosis part and just focus on the symptoms and how to alleviate them.

[Clinte89]

I guess you have a point. Because if I really go down the checklist I fit pretty good. I just dont wanna be bipolar whaaaaaa

Ha yeah. No one wants to be. reminds me tho, short people want to be tall, tall peeps want to be shorted, curly haired wants straight, straight wants curly. Boring lives want excitement and hectic lives want peace. Acceptance I think is the key for all of it. It's not really what you have but what you do with who you are. If you didn't have bipolar you might have something else, could even be worse.

There are some noted good traits about people with bipolar. A few of them were resilience, empathy, creativity, and of course probably intensity. I try to focus on those good points that I have, it does help.

[Clinte89]

Ive determined the way to test this is to go iff my meds

[Clinte89]

Why did my phone dbl post

[~Christina]

Stopping all your meds at one time typically isn't a good way to come off them ...

If you are doubting your diagnosis the best thing to do is talk with your Pdoc and discuss the idea of your tapering off your meds . If you dont think your Pdoc would be willing to do this you can always see another pdoc for a second opinion.

Just my thoughts~

Good luck

[Clinte89]

Im just frustrated I took them tonight as usual even though late. I will talk to him he take my lack of sleep on occasion and awesome feeling as mania. Maybe i need to explain i just feel good. Like tonight is a good night to after being depressed most of the day Im back to feeling awesome. I need to explain that is not mania I think he misunderstands me. He is good so Im sure he will listen.

[Moose72]

Stopping your meds is like coming out of warp drive without a map. You might just end up inside a place that's not good at all.

[~Christina]

Im glad you have a good Pdoc ...

I swear half the battle we all face is just finding good Pdocs and Tdocs .

Heres to hoping your feeling good will continue to last

[~Christina]

Moose what a fabulous way to describe it !!!! Thats sooo the truth !

Moose your awesome