Mood swings but not bipolar

I have been depressed on and off since I was 13 years old (I am now 30.) Lately I realized though, I have a lot of mood swings...I can go from being very cheerful and energetic, to feeling hopeless and depressed. I am not bipolar though because I don't have most of the symptoms of mania or hypomania, apart from having a lot of energy and being really happy. I am really confused though because sometimes I feel I need to take antidepressants, but then the next day I feel fine and don't need to take them.

Anyone else experienced this and is it normal with depression? Or is it something else?

Hello Dancer456: Welcome to PsychCentral... from the Skeezyks! I hope you find whatever amount of time you spend here on PC to be of benefit.

I don't know if what you describe could be considered "normal". There are a variety of different ways people experience depression. In my case, I imagine one of my diagnoses would include depression. (I've never actually received a formal diagnosis from any of the mental health professionals I've seen.) However, I'm certainly not depressed in the sense that I can't get out of bed, etc. I get up every day, take a shower, etc. & do what needs to be done. My depression involves more just overall sadness & a lot of anxiety & anger.

Diagnosing depression, or any other mental illness, is a job for mental health professionals. And, of course there are levels of depression. From my perspective, it's certainly possible for a person to have some depression, but to not need antidepressants. In my opinion, the question really is... is the depression you experience significant enough that it impairs your ability to get along in your day-to-day life. If it is then perhaps antidepressants are something to consider. However, as you probably already know, antidepressants come with their own load of problems. So I certainly wouldn't take them if I didn't have to. Perhaps a few sessions with a skilled therapist might be a way to clarify what it is that's going on with you... before you consider antidepressants further. I wish you well...

Hi, Dancer456, and welcome to Psych Central! I suggest you talk to your regular doctor and get a check-up. Mood swings can be caused by a number of things.

Hi Dancer 56,

I'm sorry you're finding life so confusing and so hard.

There are different reasons for these mood changes for different people. Sometimes meds don't help, but other strategies may.

Best of luck as you look for a way forward.

I feel down a lot and when I'm not down i feel like i am just there and going through the motion the only difference in that is when I'm interacting with my son and even at times with that there is a tinge of sadness or everything else around me is affecting me the same like we are in a little bubble but i can still feel it coming at me from all sides and aspects...sorry that feeling is hard to explain..but anyway there are rare ocassions once in a blue moon that i wake up feeling truely good not ok but fantastic and i am so thankful at first and i try to take advantage of it but it doesn't last long and i always end up in a really bad panic attack feeling worse than what i did..i have mood swings too i get angry and agitated tearful..it is a possibility though that you still could be bipolar you could be rapid cycling..i deffinatly eouldnt put the notion to rest just yet..sometimes timing is everything sometimes it just takes finding the right person who really knows their stuff what to look for and cares enough to take the time and effort to investigate it further.

Mood swings can be cause by a lot of things. It can be hormonal, it could be brain chemical, it could be depression, it could be bipolar, it could be borderline personality disorder, it could be PTSD....you really need to talk to a professional and tell them ALL of your symptoms, even those that seem insignificant, to get a good diagnosis. And if the diagnosis seems off to you, seek a second opinion.

Good luck and welcome.
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