Need Your Insight, Perspective and Experiences!

Hello everyone,

Some background information is in order before anything. I am currently a nineteen year old full time college student on the east coast. I am an alcoholic/addict (the two words are synonymous to me) and have been sober for five months and some change. I attended an intensive out patient program by choice, and was introduced to a twelve step program soon after in which I am still active. Most recently, I am on break, which is coming to an end. My sleep patterns are terrible, sometimes I will stay up for 48 hours and sleep for 15 hours, other times I just sleep most of the day. I enjoy the state of conciousness I experience without sleep for a day or so, and on break it is easy for me to stay up and sleep whenever I want. I don't chalk this up to feeling manic, although I experience short periods of excitement that last for an hour or two and seem to reside while I am sleepless for a good while, otherwise I am pretty flat/kinda happy sometimes/kinda sad sometimes.

I was diagnosed by my general practitioner with ADHD in 7th grade and mild depression a year or so later (both of these diagnoses were before I ever picked up a drink or drug). Soon after I started seeing a psychologist and ultimately a psychiatrist. The psychologist was great, although I never took any of his considerations to heart, especially towards the end when I was actively using. Ultimately I stopped seeing him, which even in sobriety, I do not regret nor feel like I need to be seeing a psychologist. I now visit my psychiatrist on a monthly basis. I do believe he is in fact an absolute great doctor, he knows vast amounts and is very informed in concerns to knowledge within and circling around his profession, he does much work with Johns Hopkins Hospital/Medicine.

At the height of my use, he diagnosed me with bipolar 1. I would fully agree, within the period encompassing my use I was very manic and very depressive and experienced text book symptoms of bipolar. My problem now is, I don't know if I am actually bipolar, depressed or have ADHD. But specifically bipolar I am extremely suspicious of. At the very least I am going to suggest a re diagnosis now that I am five months sober. I am currently taking 40mg Vivance, 900ug Lithium, 30mg Cymbalta. As much as I feel that these medications help me here and there, I would like to experience life off of all medication and get re diagnosed. That is a big step how I see it, and a big risk.

I don't know exactly what to ask for, other than experiences, perspectives and insight. I would be happy to answer any questions to the best of my ability if I was too vague or forgot to mention a possible factor (family history, etc?)

Thanks much,
C