Manic – so energetic you might believe things that aren’t real. Happy/angry/paranoid states are frequent.
Hypomanic – you feel like you can take on more than you can normally. Again, not always in a positive way. Joyful/irritable/paranoid states can be common..
Mixed state – both up and down at the same time.
Rapid cycling – four or more episodes in a year.
Euthymic – hooray I feel normal!
Dysthymic – clinically low.
Mildly Depressed – oh definitely low.
Depressed – literally in hell.
Author: reversethebipolarities_oqhia1
Mixed episode??
Hi there, it is possible to have had a mixed episode despite not been diagnosed with any bipolar (or having mania/depression episodes before)??
Hi anon!
It is possible to experienced mixed episodes of bipolarity.
However, the diagnostic definition of bipolar disorder usually involves experiencing repeated and distinct highs and lows. Different professionals have different measures, but it is the distinct and repeating factor that matters.
Without these, it is difficult to say for certain just what you have experienced.
If you have several distinct high/low phases, or repeated episodes – mixed or not – you can raise this with your preferred healthcare professional.
They will help you work through your experiences to determine the cause.
I hope this helps, anon!
Hey! When I get manic episodes my sleep doesn’t change. I might sleep maybe an hour or two less but I’ve never had a problem with that. This makes me doubt whether or not I even have mania because I get tired and sleep fine :(
Hi anon!
Bipolarity cones in many flavours.
Bipolar I tends to involve actual manic episodes. These can include full-on delusions, hallucinations, and breaks with reality. Some people believe they are touched by a deity, or have superpowers. Sleep may not be possible.
Bipolar II is characterized by hypo-mania. The “high” phase expresses itself in feelings of confidence, energy, and racing thoughts. But without the disconnect. So I may feel I’m super good looking, or more capable than I am. But I don’t experience the belief that I am genuinely more than I am. Sleep may be hard to acquire or short in duration.
Cyclothymia delivers high phases that can be intense, but short-lived. They can also be quite spread out in occurrence. So while the sleep may not be good quality – or even possible – sleepless nights are less frequent.
And there’s no real boundary between these? It’s all experiential and your symptoms define the treatment. But it’s not to say that you can’t experience a mix of intensities. You can feel intense lows that would otherwise be categorized as Bipolar I but only experience a brief spurt of confidence/energy/anger similar to Cyclothymia.
Your labels matter because they help you put symptoms in a box. But what matters more is the quality of life you are able to experience around them.
If you are bipolar and don’t experience crazy highs, that’s okay! If you feel energetic AF but can still get a full eight hours a night, great! In my thoroughly un-medical view, if it doesn’t impact negatively on your quality of life, then you don’t need to take steps to fix it.
So anon, rest well when you can!
Fuck Your Hashtags
Hi neurotypicals!
Look. I get it. You want to do your part to #endthestigma.
But it’s not just “stigma” that’s the issue here.
It’s the ease of access to professional medical attention.
Sure, feeling like you have the right to get help – including medical attention – is a big deal. And public awareness and support helps out.
But it doesn’t matter if there is no access to said help.
If you truly want to support mental health issues then tweeting about #stigma is not enough.
I would like to suggest that you start looking at ways to make professional medical support accessible, and affordable for those that need it.
Thank you for your time!
For the longest time I’ve feel that something was wrong with me. Ive always have a quick irritation moods that vanish suddenly, I’d wake up and feel great and suddenly something little would happen and my week would be fucked… I thought it was me. This past week was hell. Like literal hell. Crying and laughing, not wanting to leave the bed then feeling amazing… I don’t want to self diagnose, but I really think I might have some kind of bipolarism because I feel like a mess 1/2
2/2
I’m always screaming at people when I don’t want too, people think I’m
rude but I really can’t help it. I cry for no reasons, I’m tired all the
time, I’ve thought of killing myself… I’m tired of being like this,
soon I’ll go to a therapist and hopefully fix myself, because I can’t
keep on living like this. This week I’ve seriously considered jumping to
the train rails.
Hi anon,
It sounds like you’re doing it rough, and I congratulate you on taking positive action in response.
First, the caveats:
- I’m no doctor and have no training
- I do want what’s best for you
- This is all just opinion backed by experience
- I’m not a substitute for what you should do
- Professional help always trumps what I say
It’s true that strong or heavy feels do characterise bipolarity. The feels we get can be overwhelming and compel us to act. And not acting on them feels like hell because what else are you meant to do with them?
It’s also true that some flavours of bipolarity (such as cyclothymia) do express themselves with fast, intense cycles.
These sensations can stem from a range of mental illnesses – not just bipolar. They can also come from chemical imbalances, thyroid conditions, medications and dietary issues.
If your condition is serious enough to give you suicidal ideation, then it is 100% time to start the process of diagnosis.
You’re right to be cautious of self-diagnosis, as that can lead you to take actions athat don’t bring you closer to an increase in the quality of life.
After all, that’s what we want here, right? To feel better?
So please,take this as a sign from a human who is concerned for your wellbeing – book an appointment with a healthcare professional, and start mapping out what is going on so you can start managing it. You’re the only one who can do this. and you deserve the chance to thrive. So make it happen!
And this goes for anyone else reading this response – you do not have to wait until you are “sick enough” to reach out.
The worst that happens is that you find out that you are going to be okay.
Addictive Personalities
people with addictive personality and historic of addiction (like on cigarettes, alcohol and drugs) are more probable of having Bipolar, or is it the Bipolar that kinda are prone to addictive behavior?
That’s a tough call, anon.
Compulsive behaviour is part of my bipolar experience.
I know I feel a need for nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, and sex when I’m experiencing a high or a low phase.
It’s almost like a displacement activity.
Instead of “I’m sad and I don’t know why” it becomes “I’m sad because I drank too much” or “my heart is racing for no damn reason” it’s “my heart is racing because I smashed three espressos”.
I feel that addiction has less to do with repeated exposure and more to do with a sense of emptiness, or a lack of connection.
Being bipolar gives me both compulsion and emptiness on a regular basis.
So I live clean.
I’m as close to straight edge as I ever want to get, and I like it like this.
I’m underage and idk
I’ve always my diagnosis might be that I’m bipolar II for a number of reasons but I’m underage and idk if my doctor is waiting for me to be out of age. What I know is that I was diagnosed with major depression back in 2014 and more recently with ADHD. What sparked my interest is that I take this pill for my migraines and my doctor forgot to prescribe me them, so I had to mark an appointment. She knows I’ve been taking this medication for about 2 years now for migraines but she said: “Good thing that you mentioned that I forgot. This one is for the migraines and bipolar.” While I know that various medications can be for
many things, idk why she said that knowing that I’m aware that I take
it for migraines and have been for the past year. And I also take
Lithium, low dosage, but idk I think that she might think I have this
diagnosis too. How can I approach the subject? or do I wait to have a
hypo/manic episode?
Good question, anon!
I’d start by asking them outright.
Doctors are medical professionals.
In my experience doctors are more than happy to go through the logic and reasoning behind a diagnosis.
Let’s be real – diagnosis is pretty much 50% of their job.
So they aren’t likely to hold back on explaining their reasoning to you, their patient, no matter how old you are.
If you feel that you are experiencing symptoms of a flavour of bipolar disorder – or any mental health issue for that matter – then speak up about it. And if anything changes, let them know.
With mental health, the professionals can only act with the information you give them.
So make sure it’s complete!
Medical Communication
Getting an accurate diagnosis is a huge part of managing any medical issue.
But so often, we’re so bound up in our pain that we aren’t able to communicate the full extent of our condition. This can result in a dismissive interaction where you feel your concerns are not being taken seriously.
This matters doubly for mental illnesses.
We can’t just get an X-ray or an eye exam. Our symptoms are personal. So our communication should be as well.
One way to help get the message across is to not just describe the symptoms, but how they impact our days.
For a physical ailment, the conversation might change from:
“My back hurts when I sit down”
to
“My back hurts when I sit down.
It is making my life
difficult. I can’t work at my desk, or drive to the shops, or play video games, or watch TV.”
The second option lets your doctor relate to your condition on a human level. They can empathise with your needs more clearly, which gives them the drive to go the distance on your behalf.
The same approach applies with mental issues.
Make
sure your doctor knows the full impact that your illness is having on
your life.
“I feel sad or empty for days at a time”
to
“
I feel sad or empty for days at a time. I’m worried it’s stopping me from getting my work done, enjoying my time off, and that it’s driving me away from family and friends.”
Don’t hold back for fear of being seen as weak.
You’re getting help. That takes guts.
Manic Phases
During ‘manic phase, is sleep affected? Is irritability there ?
Manic and hypomanic phases can include a reduced need to sleep and increased irritability. It’s not all high all the time. But experiencing these does not necessarily indicate a manic or hypomanic state.
Anon Asks
Hi! I have a question regarding bipolar disorder.
My partner has been diagnosed with depression for years now but the antidepressants don’t really help them, and recently I’ve mentioned that it might be bipolar disorder. They mentioned that they did have an older relative who did have bipolar so there is that familial connection there. So now they think they have bipolar as well but hasn’t gone in to get it diagnosed yet. Their depressive states are usually pretty bad though (what I think would be considered their more manic state isn’t really that what I guess is stereotypical hypomania and all? They just seems a lot happier and more productive and all). It just seems like bipolar bc of the sudden changes tho imo, because they’ll be fine for a few days then fall into a depression slum for weeks. I guess I really want to ask if there’s something that is helpful that I can do when they’re depressed? I do my best to be supportive and help however I can but sometimes their actions have me scared and worried and I just wasn’t sure if you had any advice?I really hope you have a nice day too btw!
Hi anon!
The tricky thing with mental health, as you’ve experienced, is that there is very little you can do without a diagnosis.
And depression can come from a number of different sources, with bipolar being just one. The important thing is to focus on the management of symptoms. So let’s put the idea of it being bipolarity aside and instead focus on the effectiveness of their current management.
Without knowing them, and just going on what you have described, it sounds like this could be unipolar depression.
I say this because with bipolarity, the problem with antidepressants is that they work a little too well. They send people off into hypomanic or manic episodes. With unipolar depression, the episodes can happen suddenly and without cause – one day you wake up and just everything is flat and flavourless, sometimes for months.
To get to the bottom of it, your partner needs professional medical assistance. If their meds aren’t working well, it could be due to a range of factors. Talking very generally (I’m not a doctor, after all) some meds work by building up a certain level of chemicals in the brain by blocking their reabsorbtion, other by slowing their production. These ones take time to deliver results. Other meds, people can build up a resistance to them over time, so the dosage needs changing, or a prescription needs altering. If their depression has a base in experience and/or circumstances, then there is a chance that talking therapies and CBT or mindfulness exercises may be useful in giving them a degree of control. Again, medical professionals need to do the heavy lifting on this to figure out the best way forward.
Now the big question – what can you do about it?
Nothing.
Not directly. When it comes to a partner’s mental health, you’re firmly in the passenger seat. Riding shotgun. You’re along for the ride, but you’re not in control.
This isn’t always easy to keep in mind, but the fact is that it’s not your mind. There is no way that you can experience what they are experiencing, and very little that you can do to influence it.
With mental health, Rule #1 is to always look after number one. And that applies to you too.
The best thing you can do is to be your best self. Like you would in any relationship. Perhaps the most helpful suggestion I have is to avoid the logic-trap of “well I did these things so I helped and now you are better … wait why aren’t you better?” I have seen this in action, and it destroys marriages, jobs, relationships of all kinds.
Trust in Rule #1.
Do what you can, when you can. Place no expectations on them and keep none on yourself. Provide support where it’s needed and welcomed. Hold space when they (or you!) needs distance.
What form these actions take is up to you two – you need to work out what it looks like together.
I hope this helps!