[BPgf]

What was the age you first experienced a manic or hypomanic episode? Did you have depressed episodes only first? Were you first misdiagnosed as just plain depressed then later showed symptoms of bipolar and re-diagnosed?

[letsgogh]

***Trigger warning***

I've had depression problems since I was a small child. My parents just thought I was quiet. I think my first possible manic episode was when I tried to kill myself in my apartment my sophomore year of college, but it might have been a mixed episode I'm not sure. I'm not officially diagnosed but my pdoc is leaning toward treating it like it's bipolar based on the medications she prescribes me. She says she doesn't want to put that label on me because of all the negative things that go with it?? But I'm taking antipsychotics and they help a lot. My brain doesn't buzz so much anymore.

I think I had some hypomanic episodes in high school though.
It might be a relief to be officially diagnosed with something though. It would explain what's wrong with me.

[Ruftin]

5 years old

[meganb22]

I can't say for sure but I think it was around age 15. At first it was depression and it slowly morphed into hypomanic and agitation.

[Wander]

I was officially diagnosed when I was 37 but my pdoc believes I have had it a lot longer than that. Every time I have been put on anti-depressants since I was 19 I have had hypomanic reactions and I have been wild and out of control at times since my teens in a way that indicates mixed episodes. Most of my manic episodes happen in mixed episodes.

[Travelinglady]

I had had what I called low-level depression for years and some post-partum depression. I was diagnosed as bipolar when I was in my mid-forties.

[BlackSheep79]

It all started at 15, diagnosed as having depression. They put me on SSRIs which made me manic, I could flip in a second. Then diagnosed at 16 or 17 with OCD. I quit all meds at 18. Things weren't as intense but the BP was still there laying low. Then like two months before my wedding at 26 it showed its ugly face. I was then diagnosed at 27, I'm 35 now. It went from BP II to BP I. I've dealt with rapid cycling once and had my first mixed episode a year ago. It's been a blast.

[butterflypower]

14 years old. I had a psychotic break.

[quasicrystalline]

13. Three weeks of next to no sleep brought on mania. Back then, though, my family doc just thought I was a rebellious teen and shunning bed time. Little did he know...

[wildflowerchild25]

I've had emotional issues all my life, mainly because of childhood neglect and trauma. But I first remember becoming severely depressed when I was thirteen. I started self harm at fourteen. Started going in and out of hospitals and residential programs. But At the time I believed bipolar was over diagnosed and they were only labeling me with it to keep me down, controlled and medicated. I didn't begin to accept the truth until I was 25 and had a clear manic episode. But if I looke back through a new lens I can see definite mixed and at least HYPOmanic episodes starting at 18. If I really think about it I might have had a hypomanic episode at twelve.

[cmorales]

I remember everything starting around 12 or 13. The beginning was a mix of mood symptoms (extreme irritability and sadness) and paranoid delusions (people were reading my thoughts). 15 was when the mood swings started getting really bad though.

[scatterbrained04]

It started with depression for me when I was 13 or 14. I think I may have alternated between depression and mixed episodes until I was 17. Then I was hypomanic until around when I got pregnant with my son at 19. I may have had a brief period of normal mood somewhere between the depression and hypomania. Cycled another time or two after that. Didn't get diagnosed until 26 when I sought help after a really really bad mixed episode.

[Becoming]

Probably 16 or 17. It was probably more mixed though. I was "happy" and suicidal at the same time. Then I got put into a psychiatric hospital and that is when I was diagnosed as Bipolar. Prior to that, I always had trouble with depression, so that nearly 7 month period of being "happy" pretty quickly ended when I went through a bunch and attempted to take my life. Very happy I failed though. I've had a lot of great things in my life and now after 4 years of struggling, I'm on track to managing my Bipolar as best as I can.

[fingers1]

Hi there !

I had symptoms of ADD from childhood The start of my concentration problems

took 3 months of work with depression and no energy which was misdiagnosed as Glandular fever at age 23

Long lasting hypomania at 33 diagnosed as possible mental breakdown.
Knocked a wall down in my house as I wanted a spiral staircase ?
crashed and lost my marriage and house

At age 46 After Hypomania which turned into full blown mania in 2004 was eventually diagnosed Bipolar2 with a very slow cycle.

It transpires that it often takes about fifteen years to get a bipolar diagnosis.

Fingers1

[Skywalking]

30, with depression previously (not diagnosed).

[cashart10]

Originally Posted by BlackSheep79

It all started at 15, diagnosed as having depression. They put me on SSRIs which made me manic, I could flip in a second. Then diagnosed at 16 or 17 with OCD. I quit all meds at 18. Things weren't as intense but the BP was still there laying low. Then like two months before my wedding at 26 it showed its ugly face. I was then diagnosed at 27, I'm 35 now. It went from BP II to BP I. I've dealt with rapid cycling once and had my first mixed episode a year ago. It's been a blast.

Minus the OCD and a couple of years age differences here and there, I could have written this. Our stories are strikingly similar. It sure is a blast; I agree.

[avlady]

i had scarlet fever as a child and i think it left a terrible situation for me. i have bad kidneys now as it lead to a kidney infection i was in the hospital a few months because of it too.

[Imah]

I think it is hard to say, only because it was our 'normal'. I am thinking, third grade was the first time I remember being 'psychically' connected to all living things, including ghosts. (I feel dead people). 5th grade I felt the first, hand on my shoulder imagery. I think imagery between reality and the 'wonder world' always was with me. 13 age of first suicide attempt - although I remember thinking, "It might as well be today since I am going to do it anyway". Apparently it wasn't a new idea. I always experienced mania much more then depression, although after menopause that seems to have reversed.

I had my first depression when I was a freshman in college. A few more depressive episodes until hypomanic in mid-20s.

I was born this way.

I had my first memorable switch when I was about 6 because it was like I was falling inside which at that age I knew was not normal. I was seeing things at 8. I didn't get DX'd till 43.

[LDB1]

Dx'ed at 46 after finally going into mania bad enough to be 387'ed. But I've been symptomatic since my teens. 13 was my first major depressive episode and I've been kinda on and off the rails ever since.

[franticpanda]

I experienced episodes of depression regularly up until I was 19. Then I had my first hypomanic episode. Spent a lot of money, went to a lot of places, annoyed everyone with my rambling, and then exploded. Almost ended up in a hospital after an ER trip.