How often do you have a mood swing ?

Ruftin · Jan 30, 2015, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashart10

If it's okay, I'm going to answer both of your threads in one:

I've only had a few severe manias in my lifetime. I can only describe that feeling as heaven (what I once believed I was actually experiencing). It is amazing. It is also extremely destructive because of the bizarre decisions and delusions and it is incredibly terrifying when it turns to psychosis.
I have experienced hypo manias more frequently (maybe once or twice a year). I only notice them in hindsight and for me, not because of the poor decisions but because of my high energy, unpredictable, unusual behavior, and my often very distorted thinking.
I have small depressions (usually laced with anxiety) a couple times a year. Mild as they may be, they are often debilitating. I have only had a few major depressions in my lifetime and they are very scary. I often become extremely delusional and always suicidal. I'm not sure how I have survived them, honestly. My major depressions have usually proceeded my manias and have lasted up to a couple of years (especially when I was in high school).

I had the most major episode of my life three years ago and this was followed by the pregnancy and postpartum of my youngest daughter. Because of this, the last few years I have been all over the place. I have had episodes several times a year. I've had many short hypo manias mixed with long depressions and only brief periods of stability. It's been crazy. What do your mood swings look like?

Ditto!!!

ChaoticSymphony · Jan 30, 2015, 11:17 AM

It sometimes feels like I cycle up to a couple times a day but I'm certain it's not a typical "cycle" it's just whatever cycle I am in amplified by life. I can't describe the feeling of going up, it just feels like it at some point and later I can pinpoint certain warning signs I missed. I feel weird saying this about the depression because it sounds so dramatic but it has felt like literally a black fog slowly but within the minute creeps in from your head to your toes and you're left with just this fog as a shell and anything normal is blocked behind it deep inside of you. I still remember the first time I felt it but the last two years it hasn't felt
So dramatic.

Turtlesoup · Jan 30, 2015, 12:34 PM

Since adding a mood stabilizer my moods became stable for several weeks-prior to that I was having a 2 day cycle that was pretty consistent-2 days ok, 2 days down, 2 days irritable, 2 days giddy then repeat. This week I've been hypomanic lots of exercise busy busy busy, racing thoughts & lot of mood changes. I saw my tdoc yesterday & am going to work toward keeping away from full blown mania by use of various coping skills. See my pdoc 2/9 & the plan is to discuss increasing Depakote a bit. Thanks for this thread-it lets me know I'm not alone in this battle & it's interesting to read the similarities & differences-take care all.

gaway1989 · Jan 30, 2015, 01:15 PM

For me it takes months...

Atypical_Disaster · 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Supanova

I am surprised at the amount of people who say they cycle daily, that is really rare and usually not diagnosed as BP where I am. Are you sure it is BP causing these swings or other diagnosis's like BPD or PTSD?

My cycles last months.

I was wondering about that, too. At my most rapid my mood will change every several WEEKS, not days or daily. Most of the time though, my mood cycles last for months untreated like you said.

jacky8807 · Jan 30, 2015, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Supanova

No its just the opposite, BPD is often first misdiagnosed as Bipolar. And usually when people are re-diagnosed as BPD they never drop the bipolar title despite that being the reason for their swings.

This is true. People with ptsd and borderline are more often misdiagnosed as bipolar

Jan 30, 2015, 08:15 PM

I've checked out the "borderline test questions" and I can't see any of them applying to me. The traits and symptoms just don't match me.

Joheishan · Jan 30, 2015, 08:20 PM

I didn't have moodswings for about 2 years, I was just depressed, but lately I've been under so much stress I had to rage it off.
If I kept it all inside I would go nuclear at some point and probably do something really stupid at the slightest provocation.

unlived · Jan 30, 2015, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlwaysChanging2

I've checked out the "borderline test questions" and I can't see any of them applying to me. The traits and symptoms just don't match me.

Some of them should at least a bit because some overlap with bp symptoms

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Jan 30, 2015, 10:16 PM

On top of being bipolar, I'm moody and have terrible pms (possible pmdd). So my moods swings happen frequently and may not be typical of an average person with bipolar.

My depression/elation/dysphoric phases are random. Some years I have more shifts than others. Depressions can last months to over a year for me. Hypo/Manias are usually a week to a few months at most (so far). Medication is making me cycle less quickly but I can't seem to fully pull out of depression.

Tucson · Jan 30, 2015, 11:20 PM

My depression can last for several months to close to a year. My hypomanias last several weeks to a couple months.

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How often do you have a mood swing ?

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