What is bipolar?

by **KunA** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 4:59 am

The difference between bipolar and schizophrenia is that bipolar person, even if she has psychosis it is always during her mood episodes, so the person can be delusional during mania but when the mood is normal the delusions are completely gone. Schizophrenic have delusions without the mood altered.
Besides, even when the bipolar person gets psychotic she gets mostly delusional but will not have hallucinations or voices - that is schizophrenic. That's what i think.
Btw, You can visit my blog which talks about life in the mental hospital,
Kuna

http://mentalhospitalinpoland.blogspot.com/

I have a question... my ex husband cycles through mood swings very rapidly. He never had a week long depression or mania, but he could go in and out of depression and manic behavior within a days time. Is that bi-polar? I have often wondered if he had bi-polar disorder, but he would refuse to go to a doctor. He recently went to see one and my son told me that he was diagnosed with adult ADD and put on meds, but that he stopped taking them after about a month and was back to his erractic mood swings. His periods of mania that I remember had him up all night completing a painting or art project, and his down moods would have sitting motionless in a chair not wanting to deal with anyone or anything and having pity on himself. He'd also have periods of explosive temper over little things. But like I said, the cycle was very rapid. Thanks for any input.

by **Jaxz16** » Fri Oct 02, 2009 11:36 pm

RedFish wrote:
To be dx'd bipolar you have to have at least one depressive episode lasting at least a week.

I have a question... my ex husband cycles through mood swings very rapidly. He never had a week long depression or mania, but he could go in and out of depression and manic behavior within a days time. Is that bi-polar?

It could be BPD which like Bipolar has mood swings but instead of lasting for weeks or days at a time someone might wake up depressed and two hours later be manic and 30 minutes later feel fine. I know some people can have rapid cycling, but I myself don't have that so I'm not knowledgeable on that form of Bipolar . There are a lot of different criteria to meet to be diagnosed BPD or bipolar. Read the criteria they have posted in the BPD and Bipolar forums on what the DSM-IV says.

by **angelfire2009** » Sat Oct 17, 2009 11:23 pm

I think msblue got it right. Never down play how hard bp can get at times too.

by **anesthesia** » Sun Mar 28, 2010 3:24 am

Do the diagnostic criteria seem unecessarily confusing to anyone else? I fit most of the criteria for bipolar II except that I hallucinate, slightly. Anywho, someone asked what do we do other than meds. The following help for me:

yoga
meditation
music therapy (relaxing, soft music)
sensory deprivation (dark, quiet room)
focusing my energy (writing, working)
talking about my symptoms
touch therapy (massages and snuggling w/hubby)
...and also a medical herb that is not entirely legal

There are also things that I avoid at all costs when manic:

crowds
loud noises/fast music
excessive or fast-paced exercise (I'm losing enough weight as it is, thank you very much)
shopping
bars and nightclubs
alcohol
caffeine! (please trust me on this--mania and uppers do NOT mix)

Hope that helps!

by **kerry47** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 5:35 am

Hello Friends.........

Bipolar disorder (also known as manic depression) is a disease; it is a medical condition that causes psychological problems to such a degree that daily functioning is hampered by the symptoms. The most prominent symptoms include extremes of mood known as depression and mania. These emotional extremes are usually beyond normal responses to events and often last for extended periods of time

Thanks

by **Dada379** » Wed Jul 28, 2010 2:59 am

Hi, do you think there is a mild symptoms of bipolar disorder?
I'm just wondering if it is possible to experience mild symptoms in an early age?
I mean, I'm only 16 and I think I'm experiencing mild symptoms of bipolar.

by **crazymonkey** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 4:48 pm

Mine manifests as mood swings that encompass hypersexuality, excessive risk taking and spending sprees. I get racing thoughts and get very irritable with everyone. I feel like I am the best looking, sexiest woman alive. The opposite side is the crippling depression and anxiety. I oversleep, can't work, don't shower or brush my teeth, I feel like the worst person in the world. Just the ugliest, loneliest creature ever. I get constant thoughts of death and dying.

by **jennysteven** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 10:15 am

It is very serious mental illness which is impossible for people to understand and ask them to shake or act normal because it is simply an impossible goal. Bipolar disorder is an illness like any other disease that has to be evaluated and treated by a professionals. Mental illness is not anyone's fault and it is quite difficult to live with mental illness without the additional punishment and social stigma that came with it.

by **SpeckledUnicorn** » Sat Apr 30, 2011 11:15 am

MSBLUE wrote:
averity05 wrote:I've been looking up as much as possible about bipolar and I fear that I have it.

I just don't know, because I meet several item's on the manic criteria, but I don't meet one requirement for the depressive state. Is this possible? Please let me know.

I know in the manic state someone can be irritated and have increased self-esteam. It also cause increased happiness and can invole risk taking.

I know that the depressive state of bipolar is very similar to "clinical depression", which involves hoplessness, guilt, and possibly wanting to commit suicide.

That's all I can contribute for now.

To be dx'd bipolar you have to have at least one depressive episode lasting at least a week.

A simple question??? Do you find yourself rambling from subject to subject, rudely interrupting others, with connective thinking involved, i.e. "OHyeah, that reminds me of another story..." and then taking hours to get back to the beginning of what you were talking about, but remembering it, such as a full circle effect?

I am bipolar one, so my depressions are far apart, but hit harder than I can describe, because I'm not used to them. Bipolar one is mostly manic. This I have learned to see and control. With many years of self destruction and loss. I can't control my moods, but I can control how I deal with them.

Do you find yourself self medicating?
Do you go days without sleep?
Do you shop without thinking of the consequences?

None of this is meant as stigma toward anyone, as you all know I have been dx'd since my early 20's. So I am speaking from experience and by no means mean to stereotype anyone. I hate stigma

Okay I know this post is ancient..but when you talked about rambling and connective thinkinking.a.dn then the circle effect...
I was ..that just struck me..because I ramble and ramble and ramble and just dominate a conversation. Then I'lll bring something back up from earlier becuase it will be stuck in my head or I'll jsut think of it.. It make sit so hard to write essays for school because I have trouble focusing..I just want to include everything that could possibly be covered under ther subject. That is so me! hahah! I just ...ramble ramble ramble.

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