[Bobbyj]

So i was diagnosed BP, but also have drug problems my psych knows about. I was wondering if any of you out there were diagnosed with BP even while abusing drugs like opiates. How could your Dr know for sure you had BP?

My therapist said that drug abuse creates chemical imbalances in your brain that mimic the chemical imbalances caused by bipolar disorder. He said there's really no way to tell if you're BP or not... unless you have a clear history of sustained mood swings that occurred when you were sober (or maybe you have a relative who has BP). Usually you have to treat the addiction problem before you can correctly diagnose someone as BP.

If you've done a mood disorder questionnaire or you've talked to a mental health professional (namely a psychologist or a psychiatrist), they will ask you are abusing drugs. If you're abusing drugs, they're technically not supposed to diagnose you as BP unless they have good reason to.

Did you have a history of mood swings before you started abusing drugs? When you were sober, did you still have mood swings?

[ComfortablyNumb5]

I think about this ALL the time! But then I think back to my childhood before I started abusing stuff. I was still self harming and insanely depressed with a massive eating disorder. So I think that one way or another I'd be in this same pit so I just drop it before it drives me nuts.

I think a question is, "what you rather it be?" Would you rather be so messed up on drugs that your were considered crazy or do you rather have a legit illness? Both outcomes are horrible. And I admit, I am convinced I've put myself into hypo/mania with substances. I do think the abuse can make the illness worse. But since I've been sick since childhood I believe I was sick first.

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[MobiusPsyche]

I dunno.... If you abuse cocaine and have a manic episode, that is ambiguous. But if you abuse opioids and have a manic episode...well, opioids don't typically have that effect on people.

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[bizi]

The last time I was manic I was drinking like crazy, got my meds straight and now can control my drinking.
bizi

[Bobbyj]

Hey guys thanks for replying to this

To start, so Drs can't diagnose BP while someone has been using? Well mine did. He even gave me depakote... When i look back at my childhood before using i definitely had my mood swings, depression, etc. but it didn't seem unmanageable. I did some very stupid things and fought with friends over nonsense, but i feel now, if i am sober... i am more than capable of controlling any of these destructive urges. When i was sober for the better part or a year i seemed to have this depressive funk that hit me for a ~week about once every month and a half or so. It wasn't terrible, but i wasn't happy either. I had suicidal thoughts, but didn't feel like acting on them. I honestly think my main issue with these mood swings is that they push me back into getting high. IF i could just stay sober i could keep eating healthy, exercising, meditating, and continue with all my other good habits to manage any mood swings. I really don't think i am Bp anymore, maybe just regular depression? I don't seem to have the sleepless mania although i do feel manic at times(from what people describe as mania), but i thought it was just hyper-activeness. When i was a kid my problems seemed to be a rollercoaster all day. If i had interesting things to do i was happy if i was dreading something, bored, lonely, or tired i'd get depressed. I was just alll over the place with emotions.

[Row Jimmy]

Sometimes, those conditions are co-morbid. It is often found that BP leads to substance abuse. It did for me and I never really knew it. When I was manic, I'd go off the deep end with drugs and alcohol. But it took a BP diagnosis for me to realize it. When I look back at my behavior, it all makes sense.

Yeah, it's hard for drs to diagnose BP when someone's been using.

It sounds like you might have BP though if you recall having mood swings, depression etc.. I was able to manage my BP fairly well without meds... until it grew worse over the years. (Symptoms started at 11 yrs old and I didn't seek help until I was 24... because that's when it got really bad.)

You don't have to have a lack of sleep in order to be considered "manic". Decreased need for sleep is just one of the many symptoms of mania. You only need to meet like 3 of the 7 DSM-V symptoms for mania. In fact, some people have very energetic manias but get a normal amount of sleep.

Have you thought about ADHD if you have hyperactivity? ADHD and BP look similar. It's possible you have something like MDD + ADHD if you don't have BP. ADHD has emotional dysregulation.

[Bobbyj]

Oh i'd definitely believe substance abuse and BP are linked. I could see that being linked to my using. I was diangosed with ADD in the past, but my doctor thinks the reason i went into rages from all my ADD meds was because i actually have BP. I just recently took an IQ test along with a test for ADD and impulsiveness with a psychologist. Everything was good and the test for ADD only showed slight indicators that i could have it. The psychologist and my therapist think my issue is more about motivation. If i see something as a worthwhile challenge it's like i'm superpowered and can do anything, but i have trouble seeing things as a means to an end and my brain almost shuts down in frustration when i have to do something difficult that i don't see as being useful. I even did this on my IQ test, i just skipped over questions that i knew how to do, but took too much work and time. Or i would do terrible in school in certain classes just because i didn't see a point in learning whatever. The whole "when am i going to use this?" Taken too way too far. I even have trouble playing games or doing recreational activities that have no payout or don't have some sort of challenge that separates people. Like i want a challenge constantly that shows i am smarter/more athletic/etc. i think i have some weird ego issues going on.

That's interesting about the mania. I always thought people couldn't sleep, but i seem to have textbook mania without the psychosis and delusions(i have felt delusional while high before though). I never want to go to sleep during it, but when i do i sleep well. The only negatives i notice from my mania is the carelessness, irritability, and drug use. It seems my mania is triggered by something, and the same with depression. For example i just got a new Gf and i've been off the wall with energy. Sometimes i get so fired up with sexual stuff around her i get headaches. Or on the flip side, if someone says something that would hurt me, especially as a kid, i'd go into a hopeless depressive feeling for a few days until something switched my mood or i snap out of it. I have a lot of pride and think highly of myself, but i'm also hyper critical of myself and tend to have low self-esteem at times. I also have trouble knowing what i look like if that makes sense? I think i look great in the mirror when happy, and when i'm depressed i think i look terrible. Never sure which to think.

Anyway that's all i can think of right now. Do any of these symptoms sound familiar to anyone?

Thanks everyone

[st0psign]

I was diagnosed bp II before I started using anything. and substance abuse disorders and bp go hand in hand, I think its because its self medicating.

[Bobbyj]

Yeah i can totally see that being why i use, it's just hard to tell. When i am sober for a long time i'm not that bad. Although as many have said, it gets worse with time.

[bizi]

13 years ago when I was put on prozac, I became manic. But my sleeping was fine.
My sleeping is around 6 hours per night. Drinking is starting to increase again but we are planning a trip to europe leave in a few weeks. so very exciting.
Pdoc said to be really careful to not get manic before my trip....will try to be ever watchful.
bizi