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Depressed or Bipolar?

Discussion in 'General Support and Advice' started by Renegades, May 3, 2016.

  1. Renegades

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    Even though I hide it, I am an extremely emotional person, and I feel that something isn't quite right with my emotions. When I am happy, I am very happy. When I am sad, I am practically suicidal. I've gotten so sad that I haven't even been able to cry. I've self harmed. I've wanted to go to sleep and never wake up. I've cried myself to sleep or until I could barely breathe countless times. I don't truly want to die, but there have been times when it seemed like the only way to go. And most people would say I have a mostly happy life. I have a mom who loves and accepts me, open minded friends, a friendly stepdad who does his best to be a good father figure to me, and a great school community with little prejudice. I'm not bullied or harassed by my peers. I have had rough patches, like losing my dad when I was nine, and moving halfway across the country just in time to start high school. But I am stressed by my mom's obsession with my grades and schoolwork, and being the stereotypical lesbian who is in love with her straight best friend. I find myself going into states where I don't care about anything. Not my friends, my family, anything I enjoy, or even myself.
     
  2. bassboss

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    Nothing is wrong your just a very emotional person I have a bipolar diagnosis and trust me that's not what you have being bipolar is like one second your happy next your sad next your happy again next your angry hope I could help
     
  3. ThatRangerGirl

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    My guess is that you are bipolar, due to how you began. In general the quality of your life has nothing to do with either clinical depression or bipolar disorder, so that information is irrelevant. But you said when your happy you are really happy and when your sad you are practically suicidal. This is very characteristic of bipolar disorder.

    Bipolar disorder is defined as a "brain disorder characterized by episodes of mania and extreme depression"

    Basically a bipolar person will be extremely positive, upbeat, energetic, excited (this is mania) . . . this usually lasts about seven days. Then their mood will crash, leading to a period (between 4 days and a week) of extreme depression characterized by self hate, insecurity, self harm and suicidal thoughts or actions. After this they will return to a period of mania.

    These periods often have little to nothing to do with what is actually going on in a persons life.

    Does this sound like you? If that is the case you probably have a bipolar disorder.

    My sources: bipolar best friend, bipolar cousin, NIMH.gov and DSM5: online edition


    PLEASE REMEMBER IM NOT A PROFESSIONAL
    I would recommend visiting a mental health worker, for a professional opinion \trestment.

    ---------- Post added 3rd May 2016 at 08:40 PM ----------

    That's not necessarily true. In fact it's distinctly wrong. There are 4 bipolar disorders-- what she is describing is typical for Bipolar(1) which is the worst but rarest variety.
     
  4. Orchidea123

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    Don't rule anything out. Maybe bring it up your mom.

    But, if you are still school age, those may be difficult times related to all kinds of physiologic and psychologic changes.

    Plus, dealing with one of your first loves can be very emotional and interfere with daily functioning. So, if you are not bipolar then just ride the waves, can be very hard as I said but you should always keep in mind that all is relative and after bad time come good times.
    As you get older, trust me, under normal circumstances the waves subside and you can get a lot more done and be satisfied.
    Paying attention to get good grades is the key.
     
  5. Shadow wolf

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    I don't want to sound rude, but no one on the Internet is going to be able to tell you if you are bipolar or depressed. I am bipolar, and even I was misdiagnosed by professionals. I would seriously advise that you go and seek the help of a therapist and/or psychiatrist. I cannot tell you if you are bipolar, but I think that you are probably depressed. There is definitely something wrong because you shouldn't feel the need to self harm or want to die that badly. Go seek help because mental illness will mess up your life if left untreated. Being really happy isn't necessarily mania, but mania varies person to person. A lot of people will stay up all night when manic and be really happy. I get angry, aggressive and start hallucinating when I am manic. I will start punching walls and speeding 60+ mph above the speed limit :eek:. I cannot emphasise the importance of seeking help for this problem NOW. Don't wait until you are suicidal and start to attempt suicide. From someone who has been hospitalized from a suicide attempt, I will tell you that you do not want to do it, and that mental hospitals suck :icon_sad:. The food is terrible, you have no privacy, and you cannot talk to any of your friends. Anyways, back to the point. Go seek help. Make sure it is a professional and be honest with them or they cannot help you. Tell them if you felt suicidal (they won't hospitalize you as long as you are not currently suicidal). I don't care if other people try to tell you that you don't need help because unless they are a professional, I wouldn't listen to them. Feel free to ask me more about bipolar if you need to. I can also tell you about depression too if you need it. Good luck!! Hope you figure this out soon!!!
     
  6. Chip

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    Shadow wolf is correct. No one can diagnose you over the Internet, nor could any remotely accurate diagnosis be made based on what you have described.

    I disagree that what you describe matches bipolar I as 'mania' is more than just being in an up, cheery mood. That said, diagnosis is complicated and your situation is one where really deserve to get help.
     
  7. Invidia

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    I don't know if you feel the same way as I do, but to me, labels don't matter when it comes to my mood/feelings. I'm diagnosed as bipolar but I don't really care about that. I just know that I have intense mood swings that are often very uncomfortable. Just like you, I sometimes feel completely hopeless and like life is just not worth it (okay I don't know if you feel exactly like this, I'm more describing my own feelings, but anyways), and sometimes I'll be extremely driven, speeded up and optimistic (though not so much the latter since I started taking my medication :/ ).

    If this is something that's really affecting your life, getting some kind of help can be a good idea.