Hi. So before I start this, I'd just like to point out that I know that this website is not a doctor and that not all of you are psychiatrists. This post is purely for advice and not a diagnosis. Okay anyway, I'm fourteen this year and am a girl. Two nights ago I was at a sleepover with my five best friends and another girl who I wasn't very close with, we were talking about everyone in our class. We started talking about the seven of us, and somehow we got to the topic of me. The newer girl, lets call her Gemma, turned to me and said something like "Hey Wren, do you have something wrong with you? 'Coz you seem really weird, like you can get kinda ADHD sometimes, and other times you can be really depressing to be around." I didn't say anything because I was just sorta in shock, since I barley knew this girl and she barley knew me. I knew that sometimes I had mood swings, but I didn't think they were noticeable. I stayed silent so the conversation moved on to a different person, but it still stuck in my mind. When I went home I googled things like 'Dramatic Mood Swings' and came across Cyclothymia. Turns out I fall into multiple symptoms, like: The High Symptoms: -Talking more then usual -Poor judgement -Racing thoughts -Irritable/agitated behavior -Increased drive to perform or achieve goals -Decreased need for sleep -Tendency to be easily distracted -Inability to concentrate The Low Symptoms: -Feeling sad, hopeless or empty -Fatigue or feeling slowed down -Problems concentrating -Thinking of death or suicide -Irritability, especially in children and teenagers -Loss of interest in activities once considered enjoyable -Sleep problems -Restlessness Also, I don't know if this has anything to do with the Cyclothymia, but I know that its pretty similar to Bipolar Disorder. And with Bipolar Disorder, you can have auditory hallucinations. This sounds really strange but I've heard my youngest sister, a friend of mine, my grandma and random strangers screaming in the middle of the night and while alone in my room. I know for a fact that they're not real, but they sound like they are. Last night I heard my sister scream, and it wasn't like a 'Oh I'm going down a roller coaster!' Its like 'I'm being murdered by a stranger in the middle of the night with a blade.' I was petrified, at first I thought she really was screaming, I thought someone broke into the house. I have no idea if you get hallucinations with Cyclothymia. Sorry that was long, oops. I did a few tests, and I got a high chance of having it. They're probably not very reliable, but yeah. I don't know what to do, am I overreacting? Should I talk to someone about it? Schools starting up, should I talk to the school councilor about it? What would you do? Thanks for reading this far. Cyclothymia Symptoms: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cyclothymia/basics/symptoms/con-20028763
I think you want to edit your post or add a new one because this thread is coming up completely blank for me.
Hey I think it's possible that you could have a mental illness or disorder, it could be cyclothymia or maybe something else. Teens can get mood swings, but I guess whether or not that is the cause of your mood swings depends on how strong they are. ADHD can also cause mood swings. If I were in this situation, I would talk to someone and I think that the school counselor would be a good place to start. My counselor told me that therapists/counselors won't tell anyone anything about their clients except if you're in danger of hurting yourself (and I think other people), in that case they have to tell your parents. If it turns out you have a mental illness then they can help you treat/manage it and if you don't, I guess they could help you figure out what's going on. Hope I helped :icon_bigg
Thank you Spot, you actually did help a lot. I think I'm going to book a sessions with the schools councilor when school starts back up, so thank you.
Good idea. If you are experiencing difficulties with how you feel and stuff such that it significantly affects your life, it can be worthwhile to see a professional. Best of luck! xx
Hey. One thing I learnt the hard way was never to look things up. It makes you all confused. Also the symptoms you have described match Bipolar, Cyclothymia, Borderline personality disorder as well as just emotional dysregulation. As the others have said it is best to go and see someone about it. In terms of the auditory hallucinations, how long have they been going on? Have you been stressed at all lately? They aren't common occurrences but they aren't always symptoms for anything. Also one thing to bare in mind... I don't know how old you are but you said you are in school. Therapists and doctors are very reluctant to give diagnosis's to people under the age of 18 because the brain is still growing and developing. You may either grow out of it or it may develop into something more. I hope it all goes well and I hope for your sake that you don't have anything.
HI HeyImStrange, Many of these symptoms you desribed could be related to undiagnosed medical conditions and not a mood disorder. You may want to consult with your doctor for blood tests, and maybe check for UTIs (urinary tract infection) which can mimic mental disorders, including hallucinations and mood swings. Good luck.
You're 14, mood swings are normal. Mental illnesses are more than just a list of symptoms, they're really complicated and only a professional could know. Talking to your counselor seems like a good idea.
The screaming started when I was around twelve, but it went away for a while. I'm fourteen now and they've recently started coming back. School is out and I'm not really stressed, so I have no idea why they keep happening. Thanks for helping
