Bipolar 101 -- Answers to basic questions

Both. I just cant stop thinking. but im not sure its bipolar, maybe its from anxiety? I have panic attacks, and I think ADD. I just wanted to know content. I wake up, and the thinking begins, I never get any work done because I think about all the things I wanna do with my life, I read one paragraph that interests me and I'll think about that for hours, and connect it to everything.

So I think a lot about the future and fixing my life up, and what I'll do. Then I'll get depressed from thinking too much. and I just cant stop thinking. its driving me insane. but I dont have "highs" anymore... you know? and my depression is very mild. I'm almost normal, but when I'm depressed I'll think about what a pathetic person I am, and that I should die, or that I'm a burden. you know? but this happens all in one day. is that normal in bipolar II? should it not be more "polar" where I have depression for weeks and then get hyper for i dunno 2 weeks?. I dunno, im just so tiered. but It would really help me understand whether for I am bipolar II or just severely anxious.... I used to have bipolar II for sure, but at 18 it just stopped but then I started getting panic attacks and rapid thinking.

i dunno. I'd just like to know the content of your thoughts, how you experience these thoughts, this would help me so much thanks.

for me I have two variations depending on y mood. In hypomanic I am able to solve problems better and faster, I can think of several things at a time often cycling back and forth from one to another. I seem to be more in control during this variation. The other one is I have little or no control over my thoughts and they are all over the place often scrambled like tossed salad unable to stay focused. I hate this one!

But what do yo think about? I dunno if this is really relevant but I am curious. Like I literally get up and never stop thinking. future, failure, happy, depression all in one day. is that how you get? I just pace back and forth thinking. I get so easily inspired, and cant stop thinking. therefore I started to drink a lot. But during the hypomania can u have depressing thoughts? like I get over confident and depressed, anxious and angry all in the same day. its no longer polar its everything at once. like a storm. but they diagnosed me BP 2 because I used to have severe depression and then get the highs. I dont know its like living in hell.

Depends, some times just about any thing! One time I got so caught up in why there is no life on Mars what happened to it or what didn't happen to it I spent most of the day researching it until I finally thought, "who cares?!" But that's what happens to me some times. I get stuck on a damn topic and can't break from it easily/ Other times my thoughts are tossed salad, mixed and all over the place. I also am effected by my mood too. If I am depressed, my thoughts tend to be depressing. Why I am no good, all the things I did wrong or said wrong, etc. The worse imo is when they are racing thoughts and I simply can not keep up. This cause me anxiety, and paranoia and some times delusions.

From what I can tell reading what people say, we all all different with some similarities. There is no blue print to follow. We can and usually are all over the map

For the most part mental illness can be directly linked to family history of mental illness. Meaning that if your Mother had diagnoses of Bipolar Disorder you, her daughter/son is more likely to exhibit symptoms of bipolar disorder. But only more likely, other things like environment child is raised in and which genetics child obtains from parent can determine likelihood of symptoms developing in child. Age of onset of symptoms of bipolar disorder is mid teens early 20s as far as i am aware.
Also one does not start with having symptoms of ADHD and then end up with Bipolar Disorder, the two disorder are connected like that. Although with some disorders there is a high likelihood that you will have one and the other. For example there is a high rate of individuals who have symptoms of depression AND symptoms of anxiety. We call that co-morbidity, when two disorders have a high chance of dual diagnoses. In the same respect ADHD does not result in schizophrenia.
As someone who has minimal experience in behavioral health and is NOT a doctor I would recommend taking your doctors advice to heart and not worry about what could or will happen down the road. If your child is exhibiting symptoms of ADHD then worry about THAT now, and maybe do some research on coping mechanisms for children with ADHD, for example maybe your child NEEDS to move in order to learn, or pay attention. Personally I know if I am in a lecture I need something to do with my hands otherwise I can't focus. Maybe talk to his teachers and see if it would be ok (if not too distracting for the other children) if he stands in the back, or has something to fiddle with at his desk. Maybe that will help. But like I said, I am not a doctor, nor am I counselor. Please take your doctors advice.

No your not crazy, I once shared these feelings, some can control and some cannot, Ativan shots twice in a 6 month period plus blocking out the dumb stuff people do helped me

I've been Dx with Bipolar II. I feel no mania but get extremely depressed. Why is this different from regular Depressive Mood Disorder?

I am going thru such shame over my mental illness. I am so sick of it! I wish I was normal.

I have a question and I believe I know the answer to this ..... is bi polar curable or is it a disorder that can me handled with medication?

Yes it is. My dad's dad had it,my dad had it and so do I.

Hi I would like to know what side effects SSRI's can have on Bipolar people?
thank you

Bipolar is a mental illnes. There is no known cure. It can only be managed. Therapy, support groups, friends and family support, medications, research.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G750A using Tapatalk

Anti depressants alome can sometimes make a person with Bipolar go into a hypomania or manic episode

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G750A using Tapatalk

I just get so angry. So irritable. And I can't stop thinking. Always thinking. Always analyzing and picking things apart. It sucks. I don't even know if I believe my diagnosis. Sure I get tired and depressed. But I'm not sure if I ever hit mania or hypomania. I think I was just in a bad situation when I was diagnosed.

Idk. Maybe I'm rambling. I just hate people thinking I'm crazy.

Bipolar is not curable, sadly. But, as you said, it can be managed with medication and therapy.

do you recommend group therapy? does that help at all? not very good at sharing feelings

I have heard people say that it helps them. But for me with BP I do not do so well in group therapy. My anxiety gets to me too much. But then again like I said with some people they love it and it works well for them.

Yep, unfortunately

Question 1: does bipolar tend to get worse over time?
Question 2a: why has there been made a difference between BP1 and 2? Since the treatment (pharmacotherapy/psychoeducation/selfmanagement etc.) is the same.
Question 2b: why does one qualify for BP1 after even 1 mixed episode?

I am going through major depression and maybe even bipolar disorder. have not gotten diagnosed yet coz am scared to go to a psychiatrist

So whats your question?

Anyway, you should see a doctor!

My daughter(30) has just moved back home, diagnosed bipolar.
Simple question : should I help her keep things basically tidy in her room or is that enabling ? Or would it be better to encourage her to do things for herself?
I've known depression myself & know how the simplest thing can become overpoweringly difficult to accomplish.

I think encouraging is always better but, like you know from experience even the smallest task seems like a marathon, she might need help. Maybe you can ask her if she needs help or how you can help. If she can't answer this open question you can suggest helping keep her room tidy.

I have felt like this...just got on lithium and feel better quickly.

Are u taking any meds?

Thanks

Yes i take lamotrigine. Currently on 300mg

Bipolar and ADD are completely different. Usually Bipolar children are misdiagnosed with ADD because the symptoms for both in children are very similar.