[Livinglife987]

I have been diagnosed with ADHD but am starting to wonder the more research I do if I have bipolar. I have always had very easily triggered quick emotional highs and lows. Most of the time I am pretty even tempered but any little thing can turn that. Any psych tests I do don't show anything because I have always lied on them knowing I don't want that "label". now that I am a mother I want to get my emotions in check. Any advice would be appreciated.

[RisuNeko]

I have been diagnosed bipolar but I'm starting to wonder if I have ADHD!

Bipolar isn't so much about quick ups and downs and being triggered by things into high and low moods. The moods just sort of happen trigger or not, and they tend to last for a longer period of time, like days, weeks, months, or in the case of some pesky depressions, unfortunately, years. I'm coming out of a 9 month depression right now and it's been low low low for 9 months straight. No quick ups and downs.

There's such a thing as rapid cycling, which I think is still defined as having 4 or more cycles per year. But that's still not all that quick.

There's also some people who claim there is ultra rapid cycling where you do have ups and downs that do happen within a day or a half a day or so, but with that you tend to have massive changes in energy and a lot of other symptom changes as well besides just emotional highs and lows. So I wouldn't get too worried right away about being bipolar, but if you want to be sure, run the idea by your psychiatrist or your doctor and they can evaluate you.

Doesn't sound bipolar to me

[Crazy Hitch]

Hi

I can't really say for sure as I am not a professional, but I just wanted to let you know that you are not the first person to post here questioning BP diagnosis being misidentified due to having ADHD. So please rest assured that there are others who have wondered this too and you are not alone.

You have said:

"I have always had very easily triggered quick emotional highs and lows."

Some people super rapid cycle as my pdoc has picked up recently - hard to spot as I have a different disorder that could have been contributing - I digress - usually rapid cycling would be (as in swinging high low) - probably not as fast as high low high low in rapid succession but for a few yes this can occur daily but this is an extreme few really not the norm at all.

Certain events can certainly trigger episodes, stress being a big one. I am unsure though of the link between external triggers and rapid cycling. Mine have seemingly little to do with my external environment at the moment it's just up down up down seesaw for the last 2 weeks.

The difficulty I guess is also that you have the hyperactivity coming in from the ADHD so I dunno.

It's also a little bit challenging because you said that you have lied in every test.

I guess if you seek the truth honesty may help? I do understand though about not wanting the label but I think it's a case of balancing the truth.

I seek truth.

Best wishes moving forward in your journey of discovery.

[xxblackrosesxx]

hmmm. my friend has ADHD and anything small she was triggered that made her super angry and depressed. so IDK. it could be part of your ADHD. she learnt to control her anger now which is good . she use to be angry for weeks.

[Trav1985]

I would suggest speaking with your doctor and be open about your past test. It's better to no if you are so you can work at being better