[Aenigmatica Persona]

Looking at the other conditions available for research on this site I am finding there is potentially a variety that I can fall under temporarily. Is this just a factor of bipolar? Do others have not only mood swings but wide enough personality swings to categorize as many as 3+ different conditions?

[Altered Moment]

I think there is a wide variety of overlap in the symptoms of conditions. When DBT first came out Kaiser would only let you in the group if you had a diagnosis of Border Line Personality Disorder. My therapist wanted to get me in the group but she said I will have to give you that DX. We looked it up and decided I could qualify for it. I don't have it and I didn't want it in my chart so I said forget the group. It got me reading the DSM though and and I found out I had all kinds of symptoms of this and that.

There is an interesting discussion below. I like what the psychiatrist told the poster in the first post.

http://forums.psychcentral.com/other...l-science.html

[sidney1771]

Bluntly...mental disorders are mental disorders. I find it completely hilarious that people find it necessary to attach names, labels, list and wear multiple diagnoses like it is some kind of contest. There are similarities between so many of these illnesses that only a psychologist or psychiatrist who has seen you for a while can really make the determination as to what you have. In the end, treatment is pretty much the same. Find medications that help stabilize your mood and therapy to help teach you how to cope. That is the big huge magical mystery here.

[Imah]

Yes, I think there is overlapping. Personally, it is very important to me to have a name to attach to my reasons for sometimes over responding. I feel more in control. We can seem to experience obsession, depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder, etc. I have seem many different drs. in 3 decades - they all come back with bi-polar for me right away. There are specifications to each.

[Victoria'smom]

Honestly I'm a fan of one overall Dx. My son has Pdd and symptoms of bipolar, adhd and a couple of other things as we all do. His dx. Is Pdd since all his symptoms can vaguely fit under the PDD dx he only has that Dx. My dx is only bipolar even though clearly I have issues with ED.

[Trippin2.0]

I'm not very articulate at present (thoughts are disjointed) so bear with me as I attempt to get my thoughts across clearly and concisely...

Bipolar mood swings are not a unique otherworldly experience, (bear with me, I'm getting to it) mood fluctuations are part of the basic human condition.

Please note that I am focusing on mood and not psychosis or any other bipolar symptoms in my reply.

Bipolar is labelled a disorder, because for an as yet unproven reason, our mood fluctuations become extreme and cause disorder in our lives and minds.

What am I getting at?

Of course we're going to see a little (or a lot) of ourselves in other labels, just like many people who come on here thinking they have Bipolar due to a b or c.

Those conditions, be it Axis 1 or 2 aren't unique alien experiences or behaviours, but they're only labelled if and when they cause disorder.

So no, I don't think its a bipolar thing, IMO its a plain and simple human thing.