Type 2

I noticed another poster getting negative feedback who alluded to being type 2 and I noticed myself getting a lot of pushback so perhaps it’s because we’re type 2.

When I first got dx with complex ptsd back in 2006 it came along with a bp2 dx but at the time that was overshadowed by the ptsd. Now that I can manage the ptsd the bp is forefront. The dx has morphed into a mixed moderate episode as well.

Are there others here who carry or carried a bp2 dx? If so I’d like to meet you. I’m sure there are and I would love it if you would introduce yourselves. I know I could go looking through everyone’s profile but this will make it easier. Thanks.

I'm type two and I'm starting to think that I'm probably better off joining a more suitable forum. A comment made yesterday about my knowledge in bp turned me off posting today.

Steve

I don't know what type I am. I've been dxed by different doctors with different dxes. One Pdoc said that bp is a spectrum; not a definite; their are grays and whites and light grays. I'm rapid cycling but I don't know if it's 1 or 2...doesn't matter. We all have our battles with this disease. My friend who is a 2 struggles worse than my 1 friend bc her depression is so bad. One isn't worse than the other...we're just different colors and every experience is valid.

I am type 2. Lately I feel like a misfit here because I have been stable for a few months and it's almost like I am not bp any more. At my last pdoc appointment, she set my next appointment out 3 months. A potentially unrelated brain fog is my primary issue these days. I have to admit I kind of miss the happy puppy hypomania that I had often while my meds were being tweaked.

I know , I saw. Let me know if you find one.

I’m BP2 also. I find a lot of help on here. There are also a lot of people whose experience is different than mine. I grew up with a number of good friends with MI so maybe I feel like I relate to some of the experiences like psychosis since I’ve seen it a bunch. Also I know there are degrees, and I think I’m further toward BP 1 on that continuum than I am toward “normal” whatever that word means. Still, I am able to work and “pass” for normal with effort, but do have to make excuses to hide sometimes so people don’t see me out of control.

If there was another forum I would join that too!

Going a step further, the thing I come here most for these days is the diet thread; there are a group of regulars that I converse with a lot as we cheer each other on. I also visit the addictions forum, but I haven't had any urges to stray in months, so mostly I just offer some moral support to others and mark when I hit significant milestones.

But it is good to know that if I fall into the abyss tomorrow, there are people here who would be understanding and offer some support and potentially guidance and/or opinions on things I might consider.

Type II here, too.

I'm not sure whether to raise my hand...
I was dx'd 2 for a number of years, then they changed it to 1.

All flavors here. As zijax points out, it's a spectrum disorder. Not only that, but that different docs can dx even the same case differently. Lol, honestly, if there were such a thing as BP 1.5, that is probably where they'd put me(!) I relate heavily to the far greater proportion of depression of 2, but have had what I guess they considered psychotic symptoms, and maybe thought some other stuff was more extreme than 2 warranted. I'm not even totally sure. Point is, it can be messy. I need the input of both 2s and 1s, because I relate to both.

We're all in this together. We've got more in common than separates us.

I am BP II. I spend most of my time in depression. My mania for the most part has been in check due to my meds. Some of it begins to break through at times, but fear motivates me to resist, such as trying to keep myself from spending all of my money, and drive more responsibly by not playing tag with other cars on the road. No racing thoughts for awhile.

either Bipolar I w/psychotic features or relatively high functioning Schizoaffective, manic type. clearly, I'm in the "take your tranquilizer, please" category.

I like your posts. I don't much care for the Bipolar II diagnosis, not because I think they're not "bipolar enough" (LOL) or whatever, but because when I was younger, there was a shrink diagnosing -everybody- w/ Bipolar II and loading people up on benzodiazepines, stimulants, sleeping pills, mood drugs, etc. I swear...she had a formula, for treatment. not good. total abuse of power, etc. I had an acquaintaince she got hooked on uppers and downers at a young age, cuz...you know...nothing="Mental stability" like an amphetamine in the AM and ativan at night.

i like your posts, personally. im glad you're testing the waters w/ going drug free. if you can, that's awesome. if you end up needing ongoing psych drugs for a while, thats OK, too.

of course...clearly, i think a lot of this is ********, at least when it comes to labels and such. people go crazy sometimes. happens. are pills the best way to deal with it? i don't know, honestly.

Yeah I’m having a hard time in the middle of the night and at work but honestly I don’t know.
I think this is a good thread then, I’ll move my discussion here.

Please do not allow your experience with this one poster disuade you to visit this forum. Do as I have done. I placed them on my ignore list. This is the first time I have ever done this. Despite the occasional post that may trouble me, I have had a positive experience with most all the posters here. Most do respect those that have posted before them.

I'm BP2 as well. Something I've noticed, not just on this forum but just in general, people assume that BP2 is the "mild" version of BP1. That's a misconception though. BP1 has mania instead of hypomania, of course, so it has the danger of psychosis, hallucinations, etc. However, those with BP2 are more likely to have severe depression/longer depressive episodes, and are more at risk to commit suicide than those with BP1.

So, obviously both dxs are dangerous, just for different reasons. One is not "better" or "worse" than the other. And this isn't the Struggle Olympics. I hope we can all support one another no matter how stable or unstable each person in

I think I technically have Bipolar I since I was hospitalized once for a mixed manic episode, but my presentation is largely consistent with Bipolar II. I have mostly depressive episodes and have never been euphorically manic.

As for having a forum, perhaps we could ask for a sub-forum, like the one for Bipolar Success Stories.

I will report this post and ask the moderation team to consider the request.

I started a poll regarding a sub-forum if you want to participate.

https://forums.psychcentral.com/bipo...sub-forum.html

I'm also BP2.

I am not even sure what I am!! Have been diagnosed with a mood disorder, general anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder. I have fallen in and out of depression my whole life. After reading tons of posts at PC, I realize I do and have done many manic things. I have never fully discussed it with my psychiatrist but since I recently finally got into the VA, I am going to ask for a complete evaluation when I get into the psychiatrist (a 6 week wait).

Because I have never fully discussed my diagnoses with my psychiatrist, (my appointments are 5 minutes long and I have been afraid to ask for new medications nor am I sure I want them) I think my current psych is just continuing with my original meds/diagnoses. I only know what my diagnoses are because I got copies of my medical records in order to apply for disability (which I immediately got because of a serious suicide attempt that also left me physically disabled for a while). I lose my disability in April because I am a lot better but I still have a lot of trouble handling stress and am unsure if in is due to my circumstances (poverty, relationships) or because of mental instability.

Not really knowing how mentally ill I am or if I am bipolar leaves me feeling like I do not have a forum that is my home (but I do love the people at PC including the people at the bipolar forum). So, for me, the best thing about forums and subforums, is that it can be educational for people trying to figure things out. Mental issues overlap but people at the bipolar forum exhibit some characteristics that are unique to this forum. This has been helpful for me in understanding what bipolar symptoms might be. Perhaps if there was a BP1 forum and a BP2 forum, the symptoms of the diagnosis would stand out even more though sometimes I think if we have been given a diagnoses, we start noticing certain traits more because we are stereotyping ourselves. Diagnoses remain completely confusing to me.....

Well reading all the posts I can see it makes no difference.
If someone is different for example is looking at going off medication that is unacceptable to the majority of posters here.
I see a LOT of discrimination and shaming in this forum. I don’t brag about who’s on my ignore list or even about the fact that I have one. That is rather immature. This is more like a clique in some ways. It’s quite hurtful to go on someone’s thread and talk about ignoring them or create another thread on the same topic and talk about individuals who are different from the rest.

Why would people think someone would want to divide a community? That’s a ridiculous idea. It’s about creating safety. I can see that a separate forum won’t create safety so I’m dropping the idea.

Carry on.