[annielovesbacon]

Hi all,
I don't know if any of you remember me, about two years ago I was diagnosed with bipolar II and frequented this forum a bit. However a little more than a year ago my diagnosis was changed to GAD and major depressive disorder so I stopped posting here as I felt I didn't belong.
I just started seeing a new doctor and he diagnosed me with bipolar II right away. I'm not sure I agree. He says that because I experienced a couple episodes of hypomania two years ago, I have bipolar. But I have suffered from depression since I was 15 and I have been depressed since those short and infrequent hypomanic episodes, cycling between low grade depression and severe, deep depression.
My doctor says that to meet the criteria for bipolar, I only have to have had one hypomanic episode, ever. So I'm a bit confused. What if I never have another hypomanic episode and I am just depressed for forever? Does that mean I am still bipolar? I feel as if I don't "belong" if I really am bipolar but I don't experience cycling between episodes, like I have read about others doing.

[BipolaRNurse]

Technically, you do indeed have bipolar 2 if you have ever had even a single episode of hypomania. Your doctor is spot on. Don't count out the possibility of having another episode at some point in the future...trying to figure out the course of bipolar disorder is like trying to nail Jello to a tree.

[scatterbrained04]

Good to see you again!

Curious, do you ever get mixed episodes?

It's pretty easy for my baby hypomania to slip through unnoticed by myself and pdoc. Mainly I just get more into hobbies and my job and cleaning. Not very noticable to others.

Problem is my depression sometimes turns into severe depression with a few overlapping hypomanic symptoms.

I have pretty much depression and mixed depression.

But yeah, technically only 1 hypomanic episode qualifies you for BP II. The course of the illness is so hard to predict. Hypomania may or may ever occur again.

[UpDownAround]

I initially didn't recognize my hypomania as anything more than being better after being depressed. I didn't realize I was a condescending arrogant jackass. I really believed I was substantially smarter than anyone around me. When I started having delusions of immortality it was a little more obvious to me but that wasn't happening yet at the time I was originally diagnosed. Anyway, it is possible that you have had more episodes that you didn't recognize as such.

[Sunflower123]

Welcome back. There is some question about my diagnosis as well between doctors and I only ever deal with severe depression and anxiety so I post here and in the depression and anxiety forums. Please feel free to do that as well. Adequate treatment is more important then what they label it. Best wishes.

[NatsukiKuga]

If you ask me, I think the true defining characteristic of bipolar - in general - is its cyclical nature. They can be long cycles, they can be short, but if the ups and downs keep happening over and over again, yeah, that sounds a lot more like BP to me than general depression coupled with anxiety.

After that, a dx of bipolar is more a matter of symptoms to guide the medication plan. BP1, BP2, cyclothymia, w/ev... They really kinda bleed together at the edges, but the labels are good guidelines for which meds to try first.

My suspicion is that BP2 goes wayyy underdiagnosed due to the stigma attached to BP and that nobody complains to their doctor when they're in their upcycle.

So, welcome (back) to the club!

Good Luck

I had one manic episode in 1997, and I was able to find a psychologist friend who told me if it was drug-Induced, it doesn’t count. That turned out to be bad advice (it was phen-fen). I wanted to be told this after a psychiatrist called me bipolar. I didn’t want it to be true.

I had nothing noticeable go many years, until 2015. (Another manic episode, this time triggered by insomnia from
In between those two events I had depression that was not helped by antidepressants (another clue—they just make me anxious).

I’ve had quite the miserable life. I wish I had listened the first time.

I’ve been diagnosed bipolar 1 or 2 by different doctors. The thinking there is maybe I’m just 2 because I’ve never been full-blown manic when it wasn’t drug-induced. I don’t know. Anyway, I’ve been told one manic episode means bipolar

[Innerzone]

Welcome back! Love your avatar, btw.