When did you know?

First symptoms at age 14, diagnosed at age 57.

Symptoms began around 6 I guess. Diagnosed at 42. That made everything in my life make sense.

I knew something was up at age 14, only received a dx at 25.

My first symptoms were around age 11. It increased in high school and became much worse in my early 20's. I'm 28 now.

I was suicidal for the first time at age 11. I know I had ups and downs before in regards to how much I talked - people would tell me at some point to stop talking to much, and then other times they would tell me that I should talk more. So I suppose even younger I probably showed some symptoms.

I don't have a clear memory of my first hypomanias. I never really pay attention to them and when I was younger would have just thought that I was happy.

By the time I was 16, 17, or 18 I had read about bipolar and was like "... that sounds like me". Just went and got diagnosed in June, so at age 28.

In my early 20s I had my first manic episode. I think my doctor diagonosed me with OCD and depression ans treated me for that. It continued till last year When I was declared BP after a psychotic episode. In this 12 years, I had several severe hypomanic and depressive episodes. Since the psychotic experience last year, its a cycle going on and I dont know how long its gonna be like this. I guess, till I figure out a routined life other than just taking lithium .

About 13, diagnosed at 23 after a wrong diagnosis of BPD

When did I know? When I was dx'd. Sorry, bit of a smart**. But also true, as you will see.
Dx'd mid 40's. First out-of-nowhere massive depression at 20. Like Christina says, then, it just wasn't like it is now. (This is where I usually go into my little rant about the times and levels of denial we're talking. Will refrain. You're welcome. )

But when did I know….I always knew I was… "different". Symptoms…. yeah, there was bunch of childhood stuff I can look back and wonder, but I don't "count" any of it, because it's too far removed to be able to make an accurate assessment of. So I "count" it starting in earnest at 20, because it was an undeniable watershed event. Between that and actual dx, I knew there was "something" very wrong with me, but was terrified to know what (because it bore too much resemblance to my mother's behavior, and there was nothing I DID.NOT.WANT more than that. Whatever "IT" was! Coming from a long line of Sweep It Under the Rug-ers, there was no way I'd consider a psychiatrist, especially if they were going to say what I did not want to hear and, almost as bad, ask me to talk about stuff!

After many many years of having the patience of a saint, my ex insisted I get help. Had a major misadventure after misdiagnosis (MDD by GP), then the right one, BP, by psychiatrist. I hadn't known diddly about BP till right in that time frame.

So, really, I couldn't have known much earlier than that, since I didn't know about BP! Despite being a walking talking textbook example, lol.

I remember emotions that didn't "make sense" & have been told of things that I did that weren't normal for a 5 yr old. As for as serious, without a doubt symptoms, I was 9. Psych treatment started shortly after. I was dx at 17.

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I was 24 when I was first given medication. Pretty strong Lexapro. It sent me off on a manic escapade that lasted another 2 years. I was diagnosed and assigned a pdoc and therapist at age 26 and have been in therapy ever since.

Not until I was 55! I always knew something was very wrong and figured that I'd find out some day. I am not sure the diagnosis is correct because I was never officially diagnosed, questioned or took any of the written tests for BD. I have asked new pdoc to do this and he said it will take a while. I could actually die before I know for sure if it is Clinical Depression only or BD and exactly what kind of BD. Part of me has no clue and part of me says it is Depression and art of me says BD.

As a child and as a teenager, I was usually sad. I started to have depressive episodes at 15.

I was initially diagnosed with an adjustment disorder and became generalized anxiety disorder at 23. When I turned 26, I was thought to be dysthymic.

After a suicide attempt, I was thought to have unipolar depression. After further sessions, my doctor said that I may be bipolar, based on my hypomanic like symptoms. I was diagnosed with bipolar II disorder last year.

First symptoms at age 6-8 and knew then something was different about me; diagnosed with major depression and suicidal at age 10 (and several other times in life) that over time knew I was so different from others that I had been meeting in groups and therapies that it wasn't only depression but had no idea what. Parents & I both thought the manic spells were great because I was out of bed and out of the depressive episodes that these spells never went noted for the docs. Then finally diagnosed with BP not until early 30's; thank heavens for a doc who asked the right questions. When I think of so many traumatic and wasted years in the process with the wrong meds and therapies meanwhile. I am just grateful that doc that came into my life when he did. It goes to show, the right doc is out there to help, hang on to your patience and know yourself.