I've notices that I'm usually in one of two states these days: either depressed and in a very low state (which is most of the time), or very excited and hyperactive as I'm now (but this isn't usual and happens few days in months or so). This makes me thing maybe I don't have depression, but rather manic-depression or bipolar I. Does it sound like it?

[BipolaRNurse]

Hyper moods don't always mean bipolar. The key thing to remember is that BP is made up of extreme mood swings; yours don't sound like anything out of the ordinary unless they are unusual for you.

There is a subtype of bipolar disorder called 'cyclothymia', in which mood swings are less severe than in bipolar 1 or 2. You would need to see a mental health care provider to find out for sure what you have, if anything. Believe me, bipolar is a diagnosis you DON'T want.

Please check with your primary care doctor to see if a psychiatric evaluation is right for you. We cannot diagnose you or recommend treatment. Best of luck to you.

I was just wondering. What do you mean by extreme mood swings?

[BipolaRNurse]

You may want to refer to the sticky threads at the top of the forum, e.g. Bipolar 101, for more definitive answers. I can tell you that when I'm depressed, I feel hopeless, helpless, worthless, and uninterested in things that I enjoy in better times. I also tend to have suicidal ideation. When I'm hypomanic (less severe than full-blown mania) I'm chatty, bouncy, and very productive; unfortunately I often go straight on to mania, during which I'm not only hyperactive and hypersexual, but I get grandiose and paranoid, thinking I'm on some mission from God but people are trying to stop me. I also become unreasonably angry and irritable, and I've actually been sent home from work because I was romping up and down the halls alternately singing and proclaiming my rage to all the facility.

Those are only part of the picture. I'm sure others will be along to share their stories too.

[Sesiley]

Originally Posted by BipolaRNurse

You may want to refer to the sticky threads at the top of the forum, e.g. Bipolar 101, for more definitive answers. I can tell you that when I'm depressed, I feel hopeless, helpless, worthless, and uninterested in things that I enjoy in better times. I also tend to have suicidal ideation. When I'm hypomanic (less severe than full-blown mania) I'm chatty, bouncy, and very productive; unfortunately I often go straight on to mania, during which I'm not only hyperactive and hypersexual, but I get grandiose and paranoid, thinking I'm on some mission from God but people are trying to stop me. I also become unreasonably angry and irritable, and I've actually been sent home from work because I was romping up and down the halls alternately singing and proclaiming my rage to all the facility.

Those are only part of the picture. I'm sure others will be along to share their stories too.

That's exactly the way I have felt! Grandiose and a special creation from God that you have a purpose and I used to not be able to stop thinking about or being paranoid about he end of the world

[Sesiley]

Originally Posted by BipolaRNurse

You may want to refer to the sticky threads at the top of the forum, e.g. Bipolar 101, for more definitive answers. I can tell you that when I'm depressed, I feel hopeless, helpless, worthless, and uninterested in things that I enjoy in better times. I also tend to have suicidal ideation. When I'm hypomanic (less severe than full-blown mania) I'm chatty, bouncy, and very productive; unfortunately I often go straight on to mania, during which I'm not only hyperactive and hypersexual, but I get grandiose and paranoid, thinking I'm on some mission from God but people are trying to stop me. I also become unreasonably angry and irritable, and I've actually been sent home from work because I was romping up and down the halls alternately singing and proclaiming my rage to all the facility.

Those are only part of the picture. I'm sure others will be along to share their stories too.

And hyper sexual...among other signs and symptoms. What is your diagnosis?

[RomanJames2014]

I swing rapidly these days as well. I'm either depressed or hypomanic/manic. It's scary for me because they come out of nowhere. I'll be walking around the corner of the hall at school and all of the sudden I'm elevated.

I feel I'm only in one of two states: either manic, or depressed. I don't feel I'm in between. Manic episodes don't last very long because usually I get very excited and do many things, and expect certain outcome, which doesn't happen, so, I go back to be depressed, until I get manic again, usually after sometime. I don't have extreme swings. It happens very slowly to me in the sense that I may spend months depressed, but then in one day I flip to manic state for a couple of days maximum. That's natural to me to be in two binary states, but I don't think it's normal. But I'm not sure if it's Bipolar or something else.