Could this be a mixed episode?

So, for those of you who are bipolar I or II, how would you define a mixed state? Because I'm possibly bipolar II (per p-doc), and the past few days I've felt a mix of depression and intense irritability (after a period of just irritability/racing thoughts/distractibility, which I think is hypomania). It's like I want to either cry (did lots of that in marriage counseling session and after yesterday) or snap at someone (H, daughter, other drivers), and it feels like it's taking more and more effort to manage those urges (done plenty of snapping, too). Plus some self-loathing and guilt thrown in there for good measure.

Maybe I need to contact my p-doc? Been on Zoloft, and she had me try a really low-dose of Abilify (like half of the smallest pill--so taking 1 mg) for a bit (while staying on Zoloft), but that left me feeling extremely irritable all the time and unable to control stuff I was saying, which was causing lots of marital stress. So I stopped that a couple weeks ago.

Just wondering if anyone here had experienced similar symptoms... Naturally, my T is on vacation this week. (E-mailed MC last night but e-mail was about a bunch of stuff, with mention of feeling bad about myself and sort of hopeless toward the end, but may have gotten lost in all the other ramblings. And that e-mail itself may also point to a partly hypomanic state...) Thanks!

Definitely been down that road. Could be mixed. Abilify in conjunction with celexa caused severe mixed state for me - twice, bc pdoc "didn't believe" that the abilify could do that.

I would contact your pdoc if you feel like this, maybe they could try another mood stabilizer or antipsychotic to help.

We need a glossary for these terms! I am new so if there is one can you point me in the correct direction?

Sounds like there may be some mixed features or symptoms. Zoloft can be very de-stabilizing. I experienced horrible mania, even when I was on mood stabilizers too. Zoloft might be exacerbating mood swings in you, even with Abilify, but I'm not a doctor. Were you ever on a regular mood stabilizer (i.e. Lamictal, Lithium, etc.)?

When I experience a Mixed Episode, I will experience rapid, racing thoughts and paranoid thinking with delusional beliefs that lead to impulsive actions. In this state, I am not very reasonable. Also, I feel highly reckless, agitated, irritable, and of course lack of sleep comes along with it in a mixed state. Dangerous, self-damaging actions are common, which I also experience.

This state of mind for me usually goes on for weeks, sometimes a month, and for 3 months straight during one of my first Mixed Episodes. Although the DSM has something called "mixed features," a true mixed episode is defined as going on for at least a full week, unless the state of mind leads to hospitalization.

I hope you feel better soon. Mixed states are horrible.

For me, a mixed episode is where I'm sitting on the bathroom floor at 2 am, vigorously scrubbing the tiles with an old toothbrush and bawling my head off. It's hell. I feel bad for anyone who goes through it.

My mixed episode (whichI am having right now)

Is hypo and negative thoughts. I feel really good, but at the same I have no motivation.

They suck