Posted by DayByDay on September 25, 2003, at 12:49:15
In reply to Re: Depression or Bi-Polar: How do I know?, posted by prodgirl on September 23, 2003, at 20:31:28
Hi Prodgirl!
My guess from what you wrote would be that you are a so called "Bi-polar III" same as me - I tell you what I know about BP and maybe it may be of some help.
There are diffrent forms of bipolarity and varoius numbers of varieties - one researcher has even 6 forms - calling them BP I,II...VI.
Bi-polar I: Mania/Depression and Bi-Polar II
Hypomania/depression are commonly accepted definitions. The rest is numbered diffrent by diffrent scientist.You have the mixed states which can occur in between mania/hypomania and depression or as a indepentent syndrom. These have features of mania
and depression together and can look very diffrent, a very simplyfied explantion i got (at least how I think remember it - im not complertely sure) would be that there are scales of important major characteristics: Mood, Speed of thinking and energy. If all are to high you have mania/hypomania. If all are to low you have
depression. If they go in diffrent directions you have some sort of mixed states but each case is unique just as it is with BPI or BPII. Then there are rapid and ultra-rapid cycling states. Then there is some thing called "BP-and some letters and/or numbers" don´t remember which (some kind of "preliminary generic" name or something. Some researchers are calling it BP III meaning a person
who develops one or more of the above mentioned
types only when taking certain AD´s but otherwhise
for instance only have uni-polar-depression (or some other disorder aswell i think) BPIII often have BP in their family so doctors should be carefull with AD-medication if they know that about a patients family. The solution is most often to persribe it with a mood stabliser or try lamictal with or without a mood stabiliser. One researcher considered depressed people with bi-polarity in the family that does´t react with as yet another milder version of BP (because of the risk i think) Then there is unipolar mania which
is alos considered bi-polar since they sooner or later use to end up having a depression.
As far as the various possible diffrent symptoms of mania/hypomania and depression goes you probably already know them. There are some common
stuff as well as individual variations, naturally.
What diffrent from person to person is also how much a person realises that he´s in a manic states, many don´t consider them self manic if they are, on the contrary they feel healthier than ever, in some cases the family/doctor/friends
can make them aware of that while in other cases
that does´t help and can make a manic person become ignorant or even hostile towards his most loved one´s because he feel they are coming with false accusations -"the symptoms does´t exist or have other reasons -i´m superhealthy, very smart, have total clarity about things and chosen by higher force for a important purpouse so shut the f*** up, you are just trying to sabotage my life". Meanwhile he or she is running around creating all kinds chaos which they eventually while regret deeply. Whoever experienced this in them selves or others (or both)knows exactly what I´m talking about.I really hope that you are not BP and if you are that you have a mild acceptable version of it.
I feel a great sympathy for people with BP (and all other psychologial problems aswell). I´m brought up in a family with a hardcore bipolar parent and I have had depression/OCD since I was 14 years old as with mixed BPIII when on AD´s. The depressions gets nastier and nastier, since i´m treatment refractory so far I feel very uncertain about my future phychoevolution. I hoping for the best just as I hope for U.Love and understanding
DayByDay
poster:DayByDay
thread:262548
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030923/msgs/263211.html