I'm worried that I might have Bipolar disorder...?

but I haven't told anyone. Should I just go to the Docs and see if I'm being overly paranoid or ask some friends/family for advice first?

ok, thanks for the replies so far everyone but I think maybe I should extend this. I'm not around my parents that much but people I work with/hang out with have said they dont understand how my mood goes from hyperactive and chirpy to low and depressed and then back again in such a short amount of time. Sometimes when I'm on one of these lows I even contemplate suicide or leaving everyone I know behind and just going somewhere, it makes me feel completely hopeless and I just lose the will to do anything. But when I'm on one of my highs it's like nothing can get me down, everything seems to be running just as i'd like it to...until my mood switches. If there was something that triggered the depressing feelings then maybe I wouldn't be worrying so much but theres nothing I can think about!
Sorry about the essay!

Only a Dr can say for sure, but it sounds like classic rapid-cycling bipolar disorder. Mental and emotional conditions are not very well understood even by doctors yet, though. I strongly believe that the label is sort of a catch all for a set of symptoms that may have a treatable cause. Psychiatry can effectively treat the symptoms, but it may be possible to find the underlying cause and CURE yourself rater than take psych meds and be labelled "mentally ill". I would look into sleep apnea, vitamin and hormonal deficiencies as well as bipolar. It could be something cureable rather than treatable. Hope that helps.

don't freak out so fast
This is a quiz that helps to see if you may have it :
http://www.bipolardisorder.com/resources...

Ask some friends, and if it all checks out then see a psychologist.

Remember that psychiatrists will only prescribe medication, which can have nasty side effects. If you can try herbal or nonconventional cures (phototherapy, St. John's Wort, etc) then you should try that before getting medicated.

If you are bipolar, you have both manic and depressive episodes. The doctor can prescribe

SSRI/SSI (selective seritonin reuptake inhibitors)
or Antidepressants to help with your depressive episodes, but this can worsen your manic episodes

or they can prescribe Antipsychotics to deal with your manic episodes, but they can be downers.

Usually, you have to try different regimins, and its a long a complicated process.

Make sure you actually have the disorder before taking medication- see more than one psychologist and maybe go to counseling.

If you are a teenager, it's probably hormones. Talk to your family, but I'd guess that someone would have commented by now if your mood swings were significantly different than that of your age range.

If you're over 20, do you have any close family with recurring major depression, bipolar, or schizophrenia? Do you have periods where you don't *need* much sleep? If not, then odds are quite low that you have it.

If you seriously question, make an appt with a psychologist or psychiatrist for an evaluation. Searching the Internet is not necessarily the best source of info and self-assessment generally isn't that accurate.

1. Determine if an individual is "working (engaging in substantial gainful activity)" according to the SSA definition. Earning more than $940 a month as an employee is enough to be disqualified from receiving Social Security disability benefits.

2. Conclude the bipolar disorder disability must be severe enough to significantly limit one鈥檚 ability to perform basic work activities needed to do most jobs. For example:
Walking, standing, sitting, lifting, pushing, pulling, reaching, carrying or handling
Seeing, hearing and speaking
Understanding/carrying out and remembering simple instructions
Responding appropriately to supervision, co-workers and usual work situations
Dealing with changes in a routine work setting
3. Ask if the bipolar disability meets or equals a medical listing. Bipolar is listed under mental disorders. To satisfy the listing criteria for bipolar disorder, a number of variables are considered:
Anhedonia
Appetite disturbance
Sleep disturbance
Psychomotor agitation or retardation
Decreased energy
Feelings of guilt or worthlessness
Difficulty concentrating or thinking
Thoughts of suicide and hallucinations
Delusions or paranoid thinking
In assessing bipolar disability relative to a listing level impairment, the following areas of functioning are evaluated:
Restrictions of activities of daily living
Maintaining social functioning
Deficiencies of concentration
Persistence or pace
Repeated episodes of decompensation--each of extended duration
An individual who has four symptoms present from the depressive syndrome list, as well as extreme limitation in two of the four functional areas, would probably be eligible for benefits.

4. Explore the ability of an individual to perform work they have done in the past despite their bipolar disorder. If the SSA finds that a person can do his past work, benefits are denied. If the person cannot, then the process proceeds to the fifth and final step.

5. Review age, education, work experience and physical/mental condition to determine what other work, if any, the person can perform. To determine bipolar disorder disability, the SSA enlists medical-vocational rules, which vary according to age.
For example, if a person is:

Under age 50 and, as a result of the symptoms of bipolar disorder, unable to perform what the SSA calls sedentary work, then the SSA will reach a determination of disabled. Sedentary work requires the ability to lift a maximum of 10 pounds at a time, sit six hours and occasionally walk and stand two hours per eight-hour day.

Age 50 or older and, due to the bipolar disorder disability, limited to performing sedentary work, but has no work-related skills that allow him to do so, the SSA will reach a determination of disabled.

Age 55 or older and, due to the disability, limited to performing light work, but has no work-related skills that allow him to do so, the SSA will reach a determination of disabled.

Over age 60 and, due to the bipolar disorder disability, unable to perform any of the jobs he performed in the last 15 years, the SSA will likely reach a determination of disabled.

Any age and, because of bipolar disorder, has a psychological impairment that prevents even simple, unskilled work, the SSA will reach a determination of disabled.
Would you like to request a no-cost, no obligation evaluation to determine your eligibility for Social Security disability? Complete our short form now.

Go talk to a doctor, it might be just some sort of clinical depression. If you were bipolar you probably wouldn't even need to ask your parents for advice, because they would have already spotted something was up with you, because your mood would be so changeable, and not just in an adolescent sort of way.

I would think other people would think you have bipolar.

I had a friend who was BP, and one day she would be just fine, sweet, fun to hang out with, etc.

And then like that, she'd turn on me, argue with me because I was married and she wasn't, told me awful things like I just got "lucky" when I met my husband, and so on and so on. It was terrible.

After her episodes she wouldn't even apologize to me or acknowledge them.

One day after an episode I'd had it, I was done, I told her that I couldn't continue this friendship as I was always supportive or her and she'd randomly turn on me, I told her I knew she had BP, but I wasn't strong enough I guess to be her friend.

I found out later she wasn't taking her meds always.

I agree research BP before assuming you have it.

If you have family and friends that have degrees in clinical psychology, then by all means, get advice from them first.

Otherwise, I would see a psychologist and just tell him or her your symptoms. There are alot of things that can seem like bipolar and have similar symptoms to bipolar.

I was diagnoced with that s.......
Thats just another stupid way to Doctors get rich with you!
They are going to give you lots of pils, you are going to be like a zombie all day long, and all people around you are going to tret you like a "imperfect" guy, with all the compation and charity stuff foryou!
Get up! take control ofthis situation! find out what is going on into your body, with your inner quimic, you are the only one who can do something!

Eat more fish its good for the brain, try all kinds of fish and lots of it. Also to aid sleep have a salad meal and honey and hot milk before bed. Try and find a hobby activity that focuses you and keeps you level headed, eg chess, scrabble or go for a quiet run or walk

GET HELP
I am bi-polar
and i have been SO SO SO SUICIDAL today
Its NOT cool
Get help before it is too late
Bi-polar disorder is a DEADLY disease
treat it like your life DEPENDS on it
it might be too late for me but not for you!!!!!!!

First, I would discuss it with your family. You may find that there is someone in your family that has the same or similar disorder. Even after discussing it with family, I would see a doctor.

talk to your friends/family and see is they offer any support. If you continue to feel like you need to mroe help, go to the doctor's and they can perscribe you medications.

look
i dont think you will have it
unless a member of your family has it or something

but go see a doc
better safe than sorry

Yvette - its not a deadly desease, your overreacting!

=] dont worry

you can go to google and get some signs of it and reseach it first then you should go to your doctor if your think you have it.

You need to see a doctor. You never know with problems like that and the longer you leave it the harder it will get to seek help and the worse you'll feel.

Go see your GP and ask for a referral. No-one can help you here. All you'll get is a conflicting and often biased set of opinions.

talk it over with someone you can trust first. if you still think you need to go to the doctor, then go, it's better to be safe than sorry.
x

Check out the symptoms. If yours match, go see a doc. It's always easier talking to someone you aren't related to about medical esp psychological stuff.

Ide recommend getting more sleep, and eating/exerscising regularly. If that does not help your paranoa, then contact a doc.

You could ask your friends/family but they won't be able to give u a concrete answer. If you want to know for sure, i would see a counsellor

You will know when you get it. You haven't By all means worry, though.

you might, but then on the other hand you might not.

it depends do u have the symptoms

if u do tell your mom or something 2 make an appointment

U should talk to family about it first.

If you seriously think you might have it, see a doctor.

Self diagnosis is weird.

I'm a doctor, you haven't.

By all means Google search depression and Bi-Polar disorder. The beauty of having Internet at our fingertips is that the information obtained can help empower us and while at the same time, the Internet can also offer some support.
However, the information found on various websites is not a substitute for professional medical advice, and can sometimes scare us to death too! So please do not self-diagnose. Besides, trying to treat depression is not approached in the same way as a doctor treats bi-polar disorder. (Take it from me... I was misdiagnosed as depressed and the prescription I was given on worsened my condition) After consulting a professional, I was able to get my life back on track.
I strongly suggest that you see a doctor (a GP) and ask for a referral to see a trained psychiatrist (as opposed to a psychologist or therapist). The psychiatrist can clinically determine your mental state, and can offer suggestions on how to deal with your condition(s).
BTW, if you are feeling extremely depressed or suicidal, please call someone, anyone.
Best of luck!