[x_BabyG_x]

I've been advided to post on this forum and ask you guys about this, it was originally posted on Bipolar.

"Ive through the roughest cycling of hypo/depression this year and my memory is suffered. Long term, I still feel like its May. I have hardly any memory of whats happened or what I have been up to this summer.

This week, when I realised it was friday I got scared. I though we were on Tuesday still. I've literally lost 3/4 days this week.

I thought forgetting almost every conversation I engage in was bad, but now I literally feel like my life is dissolving away.

Are memory problems this severe a common thing in bipolar disorder? After a bout of depression I have been feeling fine/great the past week and a half but i'm suspecting i'm on the way up this week after irritabiliy/distractibility symptoms, an increase in productivity and the usual visual peripheral hallucinations have been getting worse. I'm just wondering if the worsening in memory is a warning sign."

Does anyone have any insight to this? Im being assessed for bipolar, however, alot of people has stated the memory aspect of this sounds rather dissociative x

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by x_BabyG_x

I've been advided to post on this forum and ask you guys about this, it was originally posted on Bipolar.

"Ive through the roughest cycling of hypo/depression this year and my memory is suffered. Long term, I still feel like its May. I have hardly any memory of whats happened or what I have been up to this summer.

This week, when I realised it was friday I got scared. I though we were on Tuesday still. I've literally lost 3/4 days this week.

I thought forgetting almost every conversation I engage in was bad, but now I literally feel like my life is dissolving away.

Are memory problems this severe a common thing in bipolar disorder? After a bout of depression I have been feeling fine/great the past week and a half but i'm suspecting i'm on the way up this week after irritabiliy/distractibility symptoms, an increase in productivity and the usual visual peripheral hallucinations have been getting worse. I'm just wondering if the worsening in memory is a warning sign."

Does anyone have any insight to this? Im being assessed for bipolar, however, alot of people has stated the memory aspect of this sounds rather dissociative x

yes this type of memory problem you are having can and does happen with some people who have bipolar disorder....

short version bipolar disorder is a problem where the brain is not working the way it should. people who have bipolar disorder (including me here because I have bipolar disorder too) go through a series of patterns where they are happy, depressed, manic and hypo manic. during these patterns some peoples brains work so fast or so emotion riddled that the brain cant always keep up on a conscious/aware level so its very common for some people to have memory problems, gaps in their memories, missing time, missing days,....

this is kind of why dissociative disorders now have a diagnostic criteria where the symptoms cant be better explained by the person having bipolar disorder, PTSD and other mental disorders that also share the same problems like memory loss, time gaps, missing days...

my suggestion talk with your treatment providers, they will explain to you whether your memory problem is a bipolar one or a dissociative one and why.

[innocentjoy]

Does it seem like you are going around in a daze, and can't keep up with how fast time is speeding, or do you feel like you are losing chunks of time? You mentioned you thought it was still Tuesday on Friday. I get like that sometimes, but if I go back, I realize I didn't lose time, I was just in a daze. Both can be part of dissociation, but losing time is also an indicator of higher levels of dissociating. There are different dissociative scales tests you look into, and even do with your treatment provider, to learn more about how you fit in.
Memory issues can be part of dissociation, but only part. They can also be part of something completely separate, and caused by many things, from medication, to medical health issues, to mental health issues and more

For me, personally, I was misdiagnosed with bipolar for years, and then borderline personality. It wasn't until this year that I was diagnosed with a dissociative disorder that everything fell into place. Obviously, I don't know you to decide for you. However, it is worth bringing this to a treatment provider. Memory issues that impede in daily functioning and cause personal stress are important to look into.
I hope you can find some answers!!!
xo
IJ