# Bipolar?



## young and confused (May 13, 2012)

I have been experiencing mood swings for the past month or two. These mood swings are not long periods of time, but they seem to come and go faster than usual. I have never had this before I got DP/DR. At first, the DR was the biggest problem for me, but now it doesn't seem to affect me. Also, DP sort of shows itself only because I have a weird perspective of things around me now (my DP doesn't seem to affect me as badly as other people on this site and it does not bother me that much). The reason I began to suspect I have bipolar is because I sometimes get these feelings of euphoria and I feel really good. Then there are other times I feel very foggy in the head and feeling like I can't enjoy things around me.

Anyways, I was wondering if anybody on this site has the same problem? Somebody else on this site was telling me that I am "healing" which could hold some truth, but I may just be bipolar now.

My problems before were Depression and Anxiety and I have never had any signs of bipolar, but after a major panic attack on Buspar and Wax (concentrated THC) I have some small moments of DP/DR with what seems to be mixed bipolar or something.

Please let me know what you guys think. Thanks


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## young and confused (May 13, 2012)

I am trying to figure out if manic-like episodes can happen with dp/dr, or it is just me that has these problems. Somebody please get back to me soon. Thanks


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## insaticiable (Feb 23, 2010)

young and confused said:


> I am trying to figure out if manic-like episodes can happen with dp/dr, or it is just me that has these problems. Somebody please get back to me soon. Thanks


There have been times where I've felt ''euphoric'' for a short while...maybe 30 min or so within the past 2 years that I've had dp. I don't think DP can cause/trigger bipolar. Does it run in your family? I really don't think you are bipolar...but it could never hurt to get checked out by a psychiatrist to ease your mind. I think that's the next best step you can make.


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## kate_edwin (Aug 9, 2009)

could be some kind of hypomania...but you'd need a psychiatrist to really pin point it


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## young and confused (May 13, 2012)

I plan on seeing my psychiatrist when I get home and telling her whats been going on with me. I feel like it is the rapid cycling type of bipolar, but I dont know. I have to pay close attention to these episodes I am having.

One thing that confuses me is that there are people on this site who say they have had manic-like episodes. Is this a symptom of dp/dr disorder? I'd say the only difference for me is that its up and down, but I will pay close attention to it. Maybe I will take Lamictal.


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## Guest (Jun 1, 2012)

young and confused said:


> I plan on seeing my psychiatrist when I get home and telling her whats been going on with me. I feel like it is the rapid cycling type of bipolar, but I dont know. I have to pay close attention to these episodes I am having.
> 
> One thing that confuses me is that there are people on this site who say they have had manic-like episodes. Is this a symptom of dp/dr disorder? I'd say the only difference for me is that its up and down, but I will pay close attention to it. Maybe I will take Lamictal.


#1. As has been recommended you need to see a psychiatrist; it is not fruitful to self-diagnose.

Also, by it's very definition DPD does NOT have mania or bipolar AS a symptom. Bipolar itself can have DP/DR as a secondary symptom. In that case the illnesses are co-morbid (occurring together).

Lamictal has been helpful for me with DP/DR, but that doesn't mean I am bipolar. I will say though that I may have a mild form of a mood problem. If anything I will be more agitated and angry ... and the Lamictal toned that down. That isn't mania, but could be on a mood dysregulation spectrum.

But mania is serious stuff, and extreme. You might end up staying up for days on end, with endless projects. Your mind would be running a billion miles a minute. You would feel capable of doing anything. You might hallucinate, and have a serious psychotic episode -- contemplating killing the Pope for example. The end result is a total crash into depression.

Up and down is NOT bipolar. I have days not of euphoria, but more energy and less energy. More focus and less focus. But I also have clinical depression.


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## daydreambeliever (Jun 15, 2011)

young and confused said:


> I have been experiencing mood swings for the past month or two. These mood swings are not long periods of time, but they seem to come and go faster than usual. I have never had this before I got DP/DR. At first, the DR was the biggest problem for me, but now it doesn't seem to affect me. Also, DP sort of shows itself only because I have a weird perspective of things around me now (my DP doesn't seem to affect me as badly as other people on this site and it does not bother me that much). The reason I began to suspect I have bipolar is because I sometimes get these feelings of euphoria and I feel really good. Then there are other times I feel very foggy in the head and feeling like I can't enjoy things around me.
> 
> Anyways, I was wondering if anybody on this site has the same problem? Somebody else on this site was telling me that I am "healing" which could hold some truth, but I may just be bipolar now.
> 
> ...


I was wrongly diagnosed bipolar for 16 miserable years. Mood swings are very common in dpd. I tried all the meds for bipolar and gave up finally. I knew something was terribly wrong with me so I tried hard to fit the diagnoses! LOL. Watch out for yourself. Mental illness is not a true science. The best therapists I have had who help the most are the ones that admit this. We don't really know that much, plain and simple.


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## young and confused (May 13, 2012)

daydreambeliever said:


> I was wrongly diagnosed bipolar for 16 miserable years. Mood swings are very common in dpd. I tried all the meds for bipolar and gave up finally. I knew something was terribly wrong with me so I tried hard to fit the diagnoses! LOL. Watch out for yourself. Mental illness is not a true science. The best therapists I have had who help the most are the ones that admit this. We don't really know that much, plain and simple.


 I would like to give an update. I felt as if I had gotten over the dp/dr for the most part, it was no longer a part of my life it felt like. I was still having mood swings, where I was noticeably felt really good and then felt crappy. I took ability which was horrible, gave me horrible side effects which I got really depressed about because they have persisted for a while after taking it. I am now taking Lamictal, but I am now experiencing dp/dr after having a few beers while on the medication. Immediately after I drank the beers, I felt a lot different. I didn't necessarily care at the moment because I was with friends and didn't want to freak out, but the next morning I definitely felt it, pretty heavily. I took tyrosine before a workout to try and improve the symptoms (which it did) but it can also make me hypomanic. I am continuing on the Lamictal because I feel I have no choice, I'm just pissed off at myself for letting the dp/dr come back.


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## young and confused (May 13, 2012)

Somebody please help me and respond ASAP. I need to figure out if I should continue with the Lamictal.


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## manihar234 (Aug 29, 2012)

Bipolar disorder is a condition in which people go back and forth between periods of a very good or irritable mood and depression. The "mood swings" between mania and depression can be very quick


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## kate_edwin (Aug 9, 2009)

Bipolar and alcohol are highly discouraged together

we can't tell you if you should stop your meds. Talk to your dr, write
out a list
of the good things and the bad things then discuss te options


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