[life_in_grey]

I am a young adult female and am worried I may be bipolar. My mood swings aren't extreme in that I go from highs to lows throughout the day, but they last longer. I can be 'happy' for 2-3 weeks before slipping back into depression. My sleep schedule is a mess, I'm irritable all the time, the smallest things can make me extremely frustrated or angry. When I am okay/happy, or think I'm doing okay, I feel like I can take on a lot more, feel more inspired and creative, but am still irritable.

I know that bipolar has the extreme mood swings, but I read somewhere that they can be more subtle. I know I can't get a diagnosis on the internet, but I was just wondering if anybody else is/was similar and received a bipolar diagnosis? If so, how did you go about it and what happened afterward?

A bad sleep schedule can cause havic with moods, regardless of bipolar or not. What have you tried so far to get it right? Perhaps we can suggest something for you to try.

[doyoutrustme]

You need to see a mental health professional for a diagnosis. If we all just skimmed down lists in the DSM, the whole world would be mentally ill 10 times over.

[Mandysue]

I was diagnosed Bipolar and i don't actually have mood swings...ive had 2 manic episodes, after the first one I was diagnosed. I came off meds to go to a recovery program that did not allow meds, i left the program after 3 months but i felt fine and didnt get back on meds, but then June 2013 I had a severe manic episode that put me in the hospital for 7 weeks. Im not sure if you are bi polar, the sleep issues are enough to give ya mood swings! I use to take benadryl and melatonin to sleep. I would look into seeing a doctor though~Good luck with sleep Ive had sleep issues I know how hard it can be!

[life_in_grey]

Originally Posted by Supanova

A bad sleep schedule can cause havic with moods, regardless of bipolar or not. What have you tried so far to get it right? Perhaps we can suggest something for you to try.

In the grand scheme of things I still manage to get (usually) 6-8 hours per night, I just keep awful hours. I usually go to bed around 3AM and wake up between 11AM and Noon. When I am more depressed, I usually am pretty tired throughout the day, but will tend to be okay when I'm in a phase where I feel like life is awesome.

I've tried waking up earlier, not eating anything past 7PM, cutting out caffeine. I'm not too into taking drugs for things so I haven't tried melatonin or anything like that.

We are designed to sleep in the night, in the dark. Messing with that schedule by sleeping in or staying up too late can dramatically influence your moods. One of the first things a (good) doctor might suggest is to fix your sleep schedule.

Whats your sleep hygeine like? A good bedtime routine can really help us wind down for the night. And going outside into the light every morning, do you have a dark or light house? Does natural light wake you up? Theses are all things to think about, plus much more but I dont want to overwhelm you with suggestions.

[life_in_grey]

Originally Posted by Supanova

We are designed to sleep in the night, in the dark. Messing with that schedule by sleeping in or staying up too late can dramatically influence your moods. The first thing a (good) doctor will tell you to do is fix your sleep schedule.

Whats your sleep hygeine like? A good bedtime routine can really help us wind down for the night. And going outside into the light every morning, do you have a dark or light house? Does natural light wake you up? Theses are all things to think about, plus much more but I dont want to overwhelm you with suggestions.

Sleep hygiene? I'm not really sure what that means, but in regards to a routine... I work until 11PM-Midnight, come home, change clothes, wash my face/brush my teeth, try to unwind (it can take awhile...my mind is always racing), get in bed, and try to sleep.

My house is pretty dark, but my room has a window. It faces the street so I don't keep the blinds open often for privacy-sake. I wake up to an alarm.