[x_BabyG_x]

That BP is more a disorder of energy than a disorder of mood? Like the energy drives the mood states?

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[catsrhelm]

For me the jury is out. I do notice I am more depressed and lack energy when I haven't slept well. Also if my sleep gets way off, I get really moody. I notice I am hyper when I am in my manic state.

[venusss]

Ya mean ying and yang?

This seems true to me. When I'm manic I have lots and lots of energy and everything I do is just faster. When I'm experiencing mania or hypomania I am often happy, but not always. Sometimes I'm irritable or even feel hopeless. So it seems to be more about energy than mood for me. With depression, on the other hand, I'm always slowed down AND sad. This is a complex illness, and although I'm just now starting to learn more about it, it seems to manifest slightly differently in each person. I think there's a lot of individual variation.

[hamster-bamster]

I partly agree, but I also think that it is very much of a sleep disorder. So not just moods fluctuate, but also levels of energy, levels of focus and concentration, sleep needs-actual hours slept, or spent in insomnia, anxiety levels, levels of drivenness or apathy - all of those change over time.

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[wiretwister]

I agree with it being a sleep issue, would be interested if anyone has ever ran a pole ,does anyone with bp have NO sleep issues ?

[Curiosity77]

For me it's mood, energy, and sleep.

One of the doctors where I work doesn't consider it a mood disorder because serotonin isn't the primary neurotransmitter involved, and dopamine is. He thinks bipolar depression is different from unipolar depression. He says unipolar depression is a lack of serotonin. He thinks bipolar depression is caused by overusing and using up dopamine during mania/hypomania, especially because of staying awake. So you have a ton of dopamine, and you are energetic and elevated, and then it's all used up and there is a crash with a lack of dopamine, no energy, no pleasure, and depressed mood. He doesn't consider it a mood disorder, he considers it a disorder of repetitive behavior using up dopamine. I agree partially. I think the dopamine theory makes sense, but I definitely think it's a mood disorder. I don't think you need primary serotonin problems to have disturbed mood. He doesn't know I'm bipolar, so I couldn't really challenge him on his theory, but I don't think the conclusion that he is drawing makes much sense. Anyways, my point is that staying awake and high energy states seem to cause the low energy depressive crashes, at least some of the time.

[medicalfox]

I view it as being tied with circadian rhythm sleep disorder since it seems that lack of sleep triggers me the most.

[Lobster Hands]

This probably won't answer your question...For me my mood influences my energy and vice versa. when my energy is way up chances are my mood is gonna be up too.

I guess if you look at it from a certain perspective, yes, it would be more of an energy disorder. But, there are always mixed episodes which kind of seem to disprove it.

[x_BabyG_x]

I read an article recently on BP and the circadian rhythm I'll have to trace it down. Makes sense to me. I don't think there's much emphasis placed on energy and sleep when it comes to the outside world and in the media when it comes to BP. Before they knew the full extent of the condition, my friends and family thought it was more of a mood/psychosis disorder. Seemed to make more sense to them when I explained the sleep thing. I think getting across the energy/sleep thing to the public who are more in the dark about the disorder would break the stigma of BP as a genuine medical condition rather than a "scary" mental disorder

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