[LonesomeTonight]

I've been wondering for a while now if I could have bipolar II. I definitely qualify under the recurrent depression part (off and on since my late teens--now in my late 30s). My T thinks it's possible. But when I asked my former p-doc about it earlier this year after some symptoms last year, the questions she asked me seemed to be more about regular mania (like whether I felt like I had superpowers, etc.).

But the more I've read about hypomania, the more it seems to fit. I feel like I might be hypomanic right now (and for the past week or so). I'm having lots of trouble concentrating, jumping from thing to thing. Trying to do work (I work from home), then being like, "Oh, I haven't contacted friend X in a long time, I should contact her!" and "I should do some continuing ed for my master's!" and searching online for opportunities. And "Oh, I haven't listened to band x in a while--I wonder if they have a new album out?" then I go looking on iTunes. Stuff like that. Definitely having more sexual thoughts. Doing some shopping online, but it's pretty low level (like spending $50, not $5,000). Felt particularly intense affection for my marriage counselor earlier this week. Etc.

And this is different from how I usually am. I mean, I'm never the best at concentrating, but this is worse than normal. And it's like I'm having trouble focusing for more positive reasons, if that makes sense. Like it's not that I'm so wiped out that I want to take a nap or that I'm worry about things (I have generalized anxiety, too)--I want to keep doing things and figuring things out. My appetite is decreased, too. And music feels more meaningful/intense to me, like listening to certain songs again and again.

Could this be hypomania? Just wondering if I should talk to my T about it more next week. Thanks!

[OctobersBlackRose]

In my opinion it sounds like you could possibly be hypomanic right now, I think you should definitely bring it up to your T when you see them.

[franz kafka]

It's totally possible. I'd bring it up, cos it can influence the kind of medications your doctor chooses for you. Therapists can also help you make behavioral changes to reduce hypomania.

[mossanimal]

Oh this all sounds so familiar. Everything you wrote. The music, the sudden distractions, sex obsession, etc. I was also confronted with therapists only talking of mania in the extreme sense... not hypomania. And then I was in the hospital for suicide attempt. Until I started seeing my current psych... I was getting the idea that everybody in my local clinic didn't take BPII seriously or recognize hypomania.

I would never diagnose somebody.. but if there is recurrent depression that isn't directly related to life events.. then I'd say there is a good chance. Is your depression worse in the morning and then you get relief later in the day? I was told that depression related to life circumstances is the opposite. Do you feel like you get hypomanic more in certain times of the year?

Originally Posted by LonesomeTonight

I've been wondering for a while now if I could have bipolar II. I definitely qualify under the recurrent depression part (off and on since my late teens--now in my late 30s). My T thinks it's possible. But when I asked my former p-doc about it earlier this year after some symptoms last year, the questions she asked me seemed to be more about regular mania (like whether I felt like I had superpowers, etc.).

But the more I've read about hypomania, the more it seems to fit. I feel like I might be hypomanic right now (and for the past week or so). I'm having lots of trouble concentrating, jumping from thing to thing. Trying to do work (I work from home), then being like, "Oh, I haven't contacted friend X in a long time, I should contact her!" and "I should do some continuing ed for my master's!" and searching online for opportunities. And "Oh, I haven't listened to band x in a while--I wonder if they have a new album out?" then I go looking on iTunes. Stuff like that. Definitely having more sexual thoughts. Doing some shopping online, but it's pretty low level (like spending $50, not $5,000). Felt particularly intense affection for my marriage counselor earlier this week. Etc.

And this is different from how I usually am. I mean, I'm never the best at concentrating, but this is worse than normal. And it's like I'm having trouble focusing for more positive reasons, if that makes sense. Like it's not that I'm so wiped out that I want to take a nap or that I'm worry about things (I have generalized anxiety, too)--I want to keep doing things and figuring things out. My appetite is decreased, too. And music feels more meaningful/intense to me, like listening to certain songs again and again.

Could this be hypomania? Just wondering if I should talk to my T about it more next week. Thanks!

[scatterbrained04]

I can certainly relate (I'm BP2).

[xRavenx]

I've experienced some of these signs during the early onset of hypomania. Sometimes doctors look for how distressing these symptoms are to you when making a diagnosis or how harmful or detrimental are these signs when it comes to your functioning and sense of wellbeing. Lack of sleep is a big sign to me that hypomania is starting, noises are more intense, increased sexual thoughts and risky behaviors, the shopping, jumping from idea to idea, and other signs and symptoms.

It could possibly be hypomania when I compare it to my experience, although a doctor would likely want to rule out other possible causes. Only a doctor could make that determination. This is absolutely worth exploring more with your pdoc for proper treatment.

[LonesomeTonight]

Thanks for all the comments. I'm definitely going to talk to my T about it next week. I'm currently between p-docs (my previous one left the practice a month ago), but will talk about it with the new one once I find one. She left me with 4 months of refills on the Zoloft--one of the only SSRIs I've been able to tolerate, if that makes any difference (I know SSRIs can be bad for people with bipolar I). Had agitation on higher doses of that one, too. A couple others made my anxiety much worse, as did Wellbutrin. And the SNRIs I tried had much worse effects.