There's More Than One Bipolar Disorder

[@LordofBroccoli]

Please do an episode on Borderline Personality Disorder.

[@LAWard-th8hs]

Yes!

[@elita2cents]

Yes please!

[@tofolcano9639]

Yaes

[@bluesteel1389]

Lol I read it first as "Borderlands Personality Disorder"

[@Chef_PC]

BlueSteel That’s the sponsored video.

[@TipTheScales27]

I’m going to have to disagree with you saying that those of us with bipolar seek treatment during mania.... being on mania is like being on drugs. I can’t describe how amazing it feels. I wish I could always be manic, but it’s the depression that makes me seek treatment. It’s extremely difficult for me to get out of bed, take care of myself and eat during those times. Having to force myself to do the simplest of tasks is agonizing while those around me do it with ease. I have to sacrifice the high so I don’t fall into the lows

[@danielkron2513]

Same for hypomania, my happiness was through the roof, it was like amphetamine trip 24/7 Although i was looking for help shortly after hypomania because i almost killed myself because of rapid cycling

[@TipTheScales27]

Daniel Kron So you said exactly what I just said lol

[@danielkron2513]

@@TipTheScales27 mania≠≠≠hypomania

[@painoftheheart12]

The depressive paranoia and belief that people ate out to get you and those general thoughts of depression where no one likes you becomes actual psychotic delusions that people you are closest to actually hate you and are actively plotting against you and trying to harm you

[@djarinriduur]

TipTheScales27 Not everyone experiences mania in the same way. When I have manic episodes I feel frenzied. I usually start cleaning everything. But I have this feeling of having too much energy and too much going on in my head, and I have to burn off some of the excess or I’ll explode. It’s not a fun feeling. It feels like constant anxiety or panic. It does make my house very clean though, so there’s that. I am professionally diagnosed, by the way, and on mood stabilizers. I haven’t had an episode in a long time now.

[@smallwjl]

As someone studying counseling, I have been arguing that bipolar disorder is a spectrum for a long time.

[@jincyquones]

I was diagnosed with Bipolar II a few years ago (it sucks, in case you were wondering). I was diagnosed with and treated for treatment resistant depression for a good 7 - 8 years before that. Turns out I wasn't resistant to treatment, it was the wrong diagnosis and the wrong treatment. A lot of the meds I was given made things worse. As soon as I started on mood stabilizers, I immediately began improving.

[@screenclap8394]

Mr. V lol same

[@wecantbefriends1660]

Hypomanic episodes are my favorite. They don't come often enough.

[@scmontgomery]

Personally was diagnosed with bipolar II with schizoaffective disorder. Thanks for this video as awareness is pretty lacking

[@crazycatlady183]

✊👊

[@elskankhunt42]

So basically you're a spoiled brat.

[@scmontgomery]

These comments say more about you than me

[@elskankhunt42]

@@scmontgomery don't get your feelings hurt snowflake, i thought free speech was our right as americans

[@scmontgomery]

@@elskankhunt42 Not hurt at all, just amused that you have gone out of your way to insult me here. I dont see where freedom of speech comes into this

[@Zoey--]

I went to my doctor once and said I thought I was bi-polar. The response? "No bi-polar would be if one day I was manically happy and the next day I went off to join ISIS or something else wildly out of character." I've always looked back and that and thought to myself... how can someone this well educated have so little clue about mental health. Still haven't managed to get a single medical professional to let me meet a psycho-analyst to diagnose me properly. Depression? 6 years and going. Nice job UK health care... nice job. Just keep offering me 8 hours counselling annually and anti-depressants which I refuse to go back onto as those made me absolutely nuts in no time at all very similarly to what was mentioned for bi-polar 2 sufferers in this video. I was off the walls manic. This video just makes me think I should go talk to my GP again all these years later.

[@forbiddengender]

definitely talk to your GP!! dont give up on advocating for yourself. I'm from the US so I dont know how hard it is for you to get to a specialist, but from experience I know how hellish it can be to get someone to listen to you. it's worth it. it's been almost three years since I fought to see a new psych who switched me from antidepressants to bipolar meds and while I still struggle to manage it, things are infinitely better now. if you're still struggling with depression or anything, then I promise theres something better for you out there, and you deserve it. dont let anyone tell you otherwise. and who knows, if it's been a few years then maybe theyll be way more open than the last asshat who wrote your concerns off and you wont even have to fight for it. whatever you decide to do I wish you the best of luck tho.

[@danielkron2513]

Wild, in Russia i just went to private clinic with as i thought depression, and after i almost killed myself via rapid cycling from antidepressants my psychiatrist with no doubt diagnosed me with bipolar2 and prescribed mood stabilizers. It's kinda shocking for me really. I thought in Europe healthcare is much more focused on mental health :):

[@trude8073]

Have you gotten any help yet?😳

[@Zoey--]

@@trude8073 No but I learnt how to help myself better and found good support in some close friends which counts for a lot :D

[@trude8073]

Zoey F I'm glad you've found some help, but it's sad you haven't been taken seriously in a professional setting 😳 good friends are very helpful, I'm glad you have some ❤️

[@deeb3272]

That's why self-diagnosis is a no no.

[@brokenacoustic]

But I took an online quiz! /s

I can say for sure I know better what's going up in my head. Shut up! He's right! No, both of you shut up! I'm trying to follow the video!!!

[@veronicaserrano9777]

I completely disagree, if you feel like something is wrong you should seek help because something is obviously happening.

[@mooselove]

Self diagnosis (mostly self treating/substance abuse) is no good, but to do some online quizzes and google symptoms IS a good idea. Knowing what it could be and if you should see a doctor is actually life saving.

[@ediesongbird3163]

Veronica Serrano yes seek help but try to diagnose yourself that could just make treatment harder

[@gutwrenchingdeaths]

I have bipolar but for years my GP kept putting me on SSRIs and SNRIs and Oh Boy was that Not Good

[@painoftheheart12]

I was put on mood stabilizers immediately, but SSTIs never worked so I figured none of it worked because the combination was wrong so everything felt off and. I was always lethargic and felt broken and disjointed. I have been taking mood stabilizers and an NDRI (you can prolly guess from that alone) and have been doing generally well. It does nothing for the anxiety however.

[@cecesoclean4591]

ive had a similar experience. im so sorry that happened to you.

[@ArcasDevlin]

I thought I might attempt to give some insight here, as a bipolar myself. Though, as you pointed out, it’s so vast that every bipolar you talk to might have a different description of their disorder. I have been this way since I was a child. I was diagnosed in high school with ADHD, which I do not have. I was diagnosed with bipolar as an adult. (Abusive or neglectful parents made this difficult.) I am now 34 for reference. When I was younger, I had “happy” manic episodes, ones where I forgot discretion. I am typically a person with quite a lot of it, rather reserved, and I will not go into what I did… because it’s embarrassing. However, not characteristic of what is often considered bipolar, these episodes lasted for, perhaps, hours. The rest of the time, the vast majority of the time, I was depressed, (or rather, mixed-episode depressed, explanation below.) Once, in high school, I thought it hilarious to hit my head against hard objects until and beyond when my forehead started to bleed. I felt amazing, and I intentionally injured myself. I have rage episodes, though they have also lessened. I snap, though there is always a sort of trigger so it’s not entirely random, and I think only screaming, and it’s a haze for a few minutes, and I end up crying afterward, and likely cutting myself. Again, this hasn’t happened in quite some time, but I do still bear the scars of those incidents, as well as from deep depression. Most of the time, I am in a “mixed” depressive state. I worry constantly, hate myself, often desire to die… but at the same time, my thoughts are racing, I have a strong desire to create, I daydream, and I have random bouts of high energy (dancing around the room,) and low energy, (collapsed in a bed, not wanting to exist,) throughout the day and dizzy spells and waves of intense tiredness are common. It’s like I’m trapped within this shell, and it hurts, and I need to get out, and I need to act, but I can’t, I’m awful, what the hell am I doing with my life? I have so many ideas, oh, but I am pathetic, useless. I have a lot of insomnia, and if I do manage to focus on something, I can do it nonstop for a long period of time. However, most of the time, I’m distracted by my thoughts swirling around and I can’t focus. I have a high attention to detail, often too high so that small things irritate me. And I am easily irritated. I also have severe anxiety, (also from childhood, including panic attacks that made me feel “not real” for a while,) but I tried to leave out my symptoms relevant to that because this is a discussion of bipolar. I do not know if this helps anyone to grasp the topic, but… there is a small piece of my experience.

[@BlueJayWaters]

I share your pain friend. I was also misdiagnosed with ADHD and depression as a child. But I always knew it was something else. Finally confirming it was bipolar (unspecified) was so relieving, yet crushing at the same time. Since getting on meds I'm usually in the state of what I call "duality", the mixed mania/depressive mood. Thankfully, I'm a musician and can harness that feeling to create well. But things have been so hard for so long. But with meds, my rage, my irritation, and my deep depressive cycles have been managed. That's all we can ask for, ya know?

[@ArcasDevlin]

@@BlueJayWaters I love bards.

[@Player500-1]

...🤔 is it normal to want to slam your head against the wall? I get that urge a lot...

[@ArcasDevlin]

@@Player500-1 It's normal for me, but typically when I'm angry. Joyfully doing it is... probably a little less normal.

[@BlueJayWaters]

@@ArcasDevlin I was "lucky" to get Medicaid after 7 months of unemployment. But obviously not being able to work is a huge problem. But when I was diagnosed I didn't have insurance either. I would say definitely keep creating to keep the mind busy, and when you have down time, try meditation. Put some music on in the background. Whatever helps, but if the mind is focused and busy, it can help stabilize your mood. But definitely try to get insurance for the medication. It helps significantly in the beginning.

[@cineck]

Brit is awesome! Such charisma and voice, much love

[@elskankhunt42]

So you gotta thing for mediocre fat chicks aye?

[@werelemur1138]

I wish I could live in the "sweet spot" when I'm just starting on the upswing and I have the confidence and the energy but I also still have the ability to make myself shut up.

[@elizabethmcglothlin5406]

Yes, but hypersexual episodes are a downer, pun intended.

[@FrancesBaconandEggs]

Right?!?! Hypomanic episodes made me annoying and self-centered. I lost friends and weirded out bosses/teachers. It was soooo embarrassing.

[@laurasweightlossjourney]

Thank you to bringing awareness to the fact that Bipolar Disorder is more than just the “traditional” Bipolar I. As someone with type II, I’m really grateful.

[@mooselove]

I had symptoms since I was a child, very obvious symptoms teen to young adult, and basically said “this isn’t JuSt major depression, please help me” at almost 30. Doctor “duh, you are clearly bipolar” whattttt?

[@jamienelson3470]

I sincerely commend your self awareness. And your commitment to self advocacy. And I'm so sorry to hear that it took so long to finally have some help.

[@MamaMystic777]

I can identify with your story. I suffered from age 12 to 35 years old till i got diagnosed. Hope ur getting a better hold of it.

[@Cutepotatos]

I thought there was only one type of bipolar until I was diagnosed with bipolar 2🤷🏼‍♀️

[@elskankhunt42]

Bi polar and coming to terms with your bisexuality are 2 different things

[@Lilly_Sparks]

I have Bipolar II and Aspergers. I feel like this video was a little too vague as far as clarifying Bipolar disorder.

[@Kazini_]

Bipolar type 1 with a very colorful and confusing case here! Love the video, thank you for spreading a bit of awareness :D

[@AProudDad]

This was great, thank you. I’m some variant of bipolar and it took 10 years and a sleep study to get to the medications and behavioral therapy that helps me. We certainly need to study this a lot more and get such a better understanding of what’s really going on with mood disorders. Overmedicated America is one very good reason why we need more research.

[@bkamnstr]

Please do an episode on Borderline Personality Disorder! I'd really like to help spread awareness and information about that as well.

[@FrancesBaconandEggs]

Ah yes, cyclothymia, aka “why am I sometimes excellent at my job but sometimes so bad that I almost get fired.” Lamictal is the only reason why I can hold down a job nowadays.

[@CorpusOrganic]

one episode of mania i spent the entire time i was awake formatting my hard drive and installing different OSs. was fun. now that i think back to it. my manias tend to last a month. i get by on six hours sleep. tend to get hyper focused on a project. they never get to out of hand. my depression episodes are horrible though. i sleep twelve hours a day and spend the rest of the time not wanting to get out of bed. meds help with the worst of it. they don't really cover it though

[@pXnTilde]

After years of depression episodes I started having increasingly intense mania. I got diagnosed formally when I was 21. For me, mania was awesome *at the time* but, for me, all that dedication and productivity latched on to nothing in particular; I didn't get to "utilize" it. Eventually, my episodes started including delusions and thinking about going off medication now worries me greatly. The hardest thing to deal with, though, is that people still expect you to be normal. Imagine a guy in a wheel chair and people being like "ugh, OF COURSE you HAVE to use the ramp" - feels like that sometimes.

[@Catrionao]

Was depressed for years as a teenager and young adult, finally sought help from a doctor, got put on antidepressants and 3 weeks later got thrown into a manic/hypomanic episode... Didn't know there was Bipolar disorder in the family may have lessened/avoided it if people would just talk about mental health!

[@ideoformsun5806]

People with mood disorders could try an elimination diet, like AIP, to determine if inflammation is causing irritation to their nervous system. Certain food additives, colorings, flavorings, sweeteners, stimulants, preservatives, pesticide residues, emulsifiers, endocrine disrupters, irritate the nerves and cause inflammation. If you eliminate all food additives for a while, you then might discover which ones are triggering your symptoms, by then exposing yourself to them one at a time. It's not expensive to do, and there are no side effects to doing it.

[@forbiddengender]

I'm so glad you uploaded this video and I'm so happy reading the comments hearing people talk about their bipolar experiences. Bipolar is hell, in part because of how little people really understand it... If you have a friend with bipolar, you don't have to memorize the DSM 5 or get them into therapy. Just listening to them when they're struggling and letting them know they are heard can make everything so much easier to deal with. To people thinking this video might describe them, I had a depression diagnosis for years that kept me from getting proper treatment, but a new psych switching me from antidepressants to bipolar meds has made everything so much better. Never give up on advocating for yourself if you think things can be better! You deserve to have a doctor listen to you and work with you on getting to the best place you can. I know the fight is hard, especially when the depression makes you want to give up or the mania convinces you you don't need help, but it's always worth it to reach out.

[@BlueJayWaters]

They have made a lot of progress within the past few years with bipolar. I was diagnosed pretty early on when seeking mental health help. 12 years ago when I was a teen I was just told it was depression. But I knew it was something else. The label of Unspecified Bipolar has helped many people finally receive the proper treatment they needed for years.

[@redtopaz]

First got diagnosed with Depression in 2009. Took a lot of medications that never worked. Then got diagnosed with Bipolar II in 2015. Seems to be the right fit. So, yeah, 5-10 years to get a diagnosis holds in my case. I still don't understand a lot about Bipolar II myself. Thanks for making an episode on it.

[@chico305SIGMA]

when a so-called medical professional misdiagnosis and gives the wrong medication the patient will get the wrong symptoms a lot of people are diagnosed with depression and then they're given the wrong medication and that can cause bipolar symptoms they don't know what they're doing be careful.

[@hayleybug005]

I have bipolar II and I just wanna say that this video is very well done! the description of what bipolar is very accurate. thanks for the awareness! it was needed lol

[@MrJabbawaky]

I want to thank you all so much for creating this episode. It’s really helped one of my closest friends in a really rough time in her life.

[@1happypiranha]

I have Bipolar I. I was diagnosed very accurately and right away (because of the obvious mania symptoms) I was 15. Mania or irritability came first. Then depression symptoms. My mania was always irritability. Never highly elevated mood or racing thoughts. To be honest, I would rather be depressed than manic. Now, nearly 20 years later, I’m getting Ketamine therapy done for my depression. Yes, Bipolar Disorder never goes away, but it is manageable. There is light at the end of the tunnel! (My tunnel was just really long! Lol) I’m also on less medication than I used to be. I only take 4 instead of 6.

[@cantbeleveitsnotnaru]

My bff has Bipolar ll. She spend years going through medications that never worked for depression, and they thought she just had treatment resistant depression. Finally someone asked the right questions and she was diagnosed. Now she's in medications that are working. I'm glad people are being educated on the varying types, could send people for proper diagnosis!

[@ByeByePeachPie]

Is there a term for when you get really overwhelmed to the point of wanting to cry when you watch/see/hear a large amount of people all experiencing the same emotion? This happens to me when I watch TV mainly - if people are all panicking in a movie equally if people are all yelling during the beyonce concert. It's really hard to handle. I'm not sure if it has to do with being very sensitive or very empathetic or just very emotional. I also dont know if anyone else experiences this feeling. Hope yall see this and hopefully answer :)

[@eliannam.5700]

Yes, there is a term. It's a serious problem, it's extremely rare, less than 0,1% of the population suffers from this. It's called being human! 😛 Jokes aside, I'm exactly the same but never considered it could be a disorder or sth.

[@ByeByePeachPie]

@@eliannam.5700 I dont mean as a disorder.

[@eliannam.5700]

@@ByeByePeachPie well, I don't know if there's a term for it, something along the lines of psychosocial might be the answer.

[@firesandflowers]

I had at least 3 major depressive episodes as a young adult. Somewhere during that time, which I was bouncing around psychiatrists trying to find someone I worked well with, a psychiatrist diagnosed me with bipolar (with hypomania eipsodes) after about 20 minutes he wanted to put me on this drug called Geodon. I got home and looked up the side effects (most alarmingly, though rare, related to the heart) and decided not to take it. After a few more session I stopped going to him. I've never been diagnosed since and I'm not sure I need to be medicated for bipolar- but I may very well be on the spectrum, idk. I've gotten a lot better at managing stressors in my life and now that I am out of college, I've had much fewer and less extreme depressive episodes. Thanks for this video! ETA: I just reread this and it sort of sounds like I'm against medicating and I'm definitely not. I'm fairly certain antidepressants saved my life!

[@IndigoBellyDance]

I have known a handful of people w/bipolar Very closely & what she first describes is spot on. So the media portrayal is spot on.

[@nerdmagnett]

Thank you so much for making this video. Now I have something to show to people when they start throwing weird questions at me when I tell them I'm bipolar type 2! It's surprisingly hard to explain things to people when they just don't get it, and this could really help them out.

[@becademarques]

I feel like I've been waiting for this episode since I subscribed to the channel years ago...

[@smadak]

I got slapped with the "bipolar unspecified" diagnosis for a while, but really it was BPD. A lot of us get misdiagnosed as bipolar and way over-medicated.

[@smadak]

@John Doe well sure. But I sure as hell didn't have bipolar. They just see crazy outbursts of emotion + reckless behavior and don't label it correctly. Not enough docs are knowledgeable about bpd. I was misdiagnosed for years by multiple practitioners.

[@smadak]

@John Doe yeah, I had both the genetics and childhood trauma for it. But I've gone through years of DBT and am doing very well now.

[@Agaettis]

Thank you for this! I've doubted my diagnosis for awhile...I'm still not sure if I'm bipolar 2, mdd, or otherwise not specified. My hypomania episodes are very short (few hours to a day)

[@SpiralCee]

Definitions and labels are not as important as treating each person as an individual. I don't care if a doctor labels me as bipolar, depressive, borderline or whatever, as long as they help me the best they can with medication, therapy, and support.

[@paulisnatis]

The problem is the underlying condition affects what type of medication and treatment you get put on. Ssris are good for depression but make bipolar worse

[@ecoKady]

Labels matter greatly in the USA for the purposes of insurance coverage so this kind of thing is pretty important for many people from a practical standpoint.

[@TheRocketman136]

...? What's with this 'labels' concern? What are you even bringing up? Of course those 'labels' serve a purpose other than naming for the sake of naming. How else? And why tf should you care or others should care if you care about being identified and called as what you are?

[@t.vinters3128]

Definitions and labels are important for helping doctors understand what exactly is going on with you, let other doctors know what to take into account when treating you, and be able to give you the correct medication, therapy and support. If you see a patient who is depressed, but has a "label" of bipolar disorder, you don't give them SSRIs. If you see a patient who complains about feeling tired all the time, and have a "label" of having sleep apnea, it's a hint that they might need a C-pap, and not an antidepressant. If you see a patient complaining about a small foot injury, and have a "label" of type 2 diabetes, you know it's dangerous and don't just send them to the nurse for iodine.

[@marc2377]

@@t.vinters3128 I actually took an screenshot of this.

[@remenita4392]

My dad was diagnosed with bipolar type 1 and he was a severe case. He believed that someone injected a kind of chip in his arm and cops watching his phone. He was also hearing voices and so angry and beat me and my mom up several times. Mania episodes might be exciting and a little escape from severe depression but it is also incredibly traumatizing for those people and their loved ones.He dealt with drug and alcohol addiction and ultimately he is in prison and I diagnosed with bipolar type 2. My mom was so scared and denied the diagnosis at first. Probably she did not want to experience the same thing again.

[@CleverestWitch2188]

As a recently diagnosed bipolar (my official diagnosis is Bipolar 1), I recently just went through a manic episode that has now thrown my life into a spiral. I came out of it, my emotions shifting all over. I immediately sought out therapy and am terrified of it happening again. It felt euphoric while I was in the middle of it, but I've almost ruined my life. It's sometimes terrifying to know what I'm capable of, but it's good to know I'm not alone fighting this battle.

[@gotri]

This all fits with my experience. I was originally diagnosed with depression and a whe year later i finally got diagnosed with bipolar II. It took me being hospitalized for them to observe the manic symptoms because they werent as prevalent for me

[@elskankhunt42]

Go cry emo kid

[@grahamcracking5056]

i don't wanna self-diagnose, but that bipolar ii sounds kinda close to home...

[@thepeff]

If you think you need to talk to someone then you probably do. There’s a 99% chance it’ll make you feel better

[@pXnTilde]

If you feel like it's interrupting your life then go to the doctor and get a referral to a psychologist. Also do try and get a psychologist (PsyD) - psychiatrists, in my experience, tend to just toss you some drugs and ignore the emotional aspects of dealing with it.

[@smelly6137]

see a doctor

[@stellaw3620]

@@pXnTilde because those are different jobs, with different backgrounds. Psychiatrists have studied medicine, which is why they are able to prescribe you medication, while psychologists studied Psychology - which includes conversation tactics, etc. This means you usually have conservative therapy (speaking to your psychologist), and if necessary medical therapy (by a psychiatrist, who prescribed and regularly checks in with you to see how the medication might need a different dosage, etc.)

[@pXnTilde]

@@stellaw3620 Yes, I am aware. I didn't want to drag on with my post, but thank you for pointing it out for others who might be curious. I definitely do go through a psychiatrist for the mediation itself!

[@oscarthegrouch4028]

I was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder a few years ago and put on antidepressants, which didn't really help as they just caused me to develop manic episodes (I already had hypomania but didn't know what it was). Basically, because of the meds, I was experiencing manic and depressive symptoms at the same time. I have seen a few different psychiatrists since then and I am currently on a regimen of antidepressants/anti-anxiety meds, anti-psychotics (for the psychotic depressive episodes), and, most importantly, mood stabilizers. I haven't been formally diagnosed with Bipolar 2 yet (I am also Autistic, which complicates things), but I have a psych evaluation coming up soon, so I might be diagnosed with it. My psychiatrist thinks I have bipolar 2, but they have been waiting until I have had a proper evaluation to try and diagnose it.

[@PillagingForFun]

I enjoy raising awareness about the stigmatized mental diseases because as a person w/ bipolar type I, I often find people reacting to me differently if I tell them that I am, it makes things harder than they need to be I am still a person

[@tammyelizabeth5157]

What makes me crazy is the stigma. Plus, people think you are happy or sad. Nope. Mania can be unhappy. Depression can be apathetic not necessarily sad.

[@vanrozay8871]

As an old, long-time depressive who has been greatly helped by use of citalopram, I must admit to never having manic or even hypomanic episodes. Years ago, I sometimes DID come out of despair with a few hours of positive thinking, but it never lasted longer. Citalopram doesn't make me at all "high," or excited; it just lets me feel normal, which is priceless.

[@madmax3568]

As someone who has a diagnosis of bipolar with anxiety depression and ptsd i hella support bipolar being seen as a spectrum. Some days I feel normal but my friends think I’m super hyper and crazy other days I hate everything and anything will set me off into a physical fight with whoever is nearest but I also can’t even order my own meal at McDonald’s without wanting to melt into a puddle and stop exhisting . I also get really bad depression . I also think shorter episodes should be considered when diagnosing because most of my episodes are a day or two but some can be an hour or thirty minutes even if I can catch myself . Does make sense why I didn’t respond to anti depressants very well

[@penktokines]

This. Also thank you mentioning being very confused by the mixed states, I hope more people with bipolar hear that it's a thing and you're not crazy for feeling bamboozled. Or that periods of mania are short compared to depression

[@thatoneweirdgirlvlogchanne3647]

Oh boy! My favorite of the all the mental health issues I have... *sarcasm*

[@bookworm2007]

I honestly think I had MDD from 2006. They gave me an antidepressant for a decade without any problems. But I got rediagnosed last November 2018. I'm type 1 but I get irritated mind racing. No fun.

[@Beth-ob8mw]

I was sure I was bipolar since I was 15 but I couldn’t be sure. After 7 years of therapy, being on antidepressants, and many cycles of hypomania and depressive episodes, I was finally diagnosed. It was right in time because I was in a manic episode that was ongoing for almost 2 months. I am so happy that I found out what it was before a really really bad crash

[@UnlimitedFlyers]

Thank you. That was very well-explained, short/brief, to the point, informative and YES - it was *pleasant* to watch. I was focused from beginning to end. You guys are awesome!

[@LifeEleanorDeathNell]

Thank you! I was just recently diagnosed with bipolar II, and it has been such a relief. I was diagnosed with dysthimic depression for so long and it just didn't quite fit any-more. I love learning about psychology and live with a neuroscientist/psych teacher, so I was surprised that I had never heard of it be-fore

[@trude8073]

It's a weird diagnosis. I was onset at about 12 years old. I got treatment for a major depressive episode when I was about 20. Before that I had only been seen as a problem child, with mood swings through the roof and in episodes of mania I was hysteric. Had a blast though, I had so much energy and I laughed about everything and was all over the place (Hysteria). When I went into this major depression at about 18 yo I was put on antidepressants, which - as you mention - sent me through the roof. Mood stabilisers have been a blessing 😊 the mixed episodes are the worst I think. I'm in on right now, and even though my body is clearly in a depressed state (constantly tired, can't bother doing anything etc), my mind is depressed and down but I also have so many rushed thoughts and make lists of stuff to do, but when it comes to doing it you don't have the energy to do so. So my mind is kinda in the "YES we can do this and that and this" but my body is like "please don't make me leave this dark room, I can't deal with it" which makes it impossible to function, at least for me.

[@Norimarisu]

My dad goes from barely functioning and getting obsessed with something to an admitting point to getting up at 4am , getting a loan and ordering a truck full of dirt to be dumped in front of the house because he decided to plant cassava. It only got worst after he retired. The part about him not drinking his meds but still be able to make financial decisions is scary because now my mom is in a lot of debt.

[@tammyelizabeth5157]

Manic episodes can include innapropriate spending sprees.

[@blackswan1983]

I was diagnosed with Early Onset Bipolar at 16. The next year it changed to Type 1 Bipolar, rapid cycling type, with psychotic features, and seasonal specifier. That was after spending a month in a locked down ward, 20 years ago.

[@enbyopossum]

I have bipolar ii, and it took me 8 years to get that diagnosis, which I only received after a bad hypomanic episode brought on by an antidepressant. Before that, I was diagnosed with major depression and general/social anxiety disorder. I really appreciate this episode, as it covers what I didn't know existed until I was diagnosed with it. I do wish you covered the cycling spectrum, such as rapid, ultrarapid, and other levels on cycling. I have rapid cycling, which, again, I didn't know existed until my diagnosis.

[@mariannaark5899]

I have same diagnosis as you but my depression is usually just dysthymia. So I have more good days than someone with major depression. Some of these days I'm very motivated and energetic. I don't worry about being misdiagnosed myself, because I've had great, open doctors with whom I've already discussed these things. But it makes me wonder, how can you and your doctors tell the difference between a good period and hypomania?

[@enbyopossum]

@@mariannaark5899 For me, hypomania is a 'good day' on the outside, but inside I'm full of anxiety, I feel like my body is trying to vibrate apart, I can't control what I say, I stutter and stop when I speak because my brain is moving far too fast for my body, etc. Now I'm on a medication that has stopped my hypomania, so instead I cycle in levels of depression.

[@simoroshka]

8 years ago I was sure I am going nuts, had no idea about bipolar (it basically "did not exist" in Russia) and then a book saved my life. "Why Am I Still Depressed? Recognizing and Managing the Ups and Downs of Bipolar II and Soft Bipolar Disorder" - it opened my eyes and taught me how to live with this stuff. However, I got an official diagnosis and mood stabilizer only years later when I wasn't able to manage in my own anymore due to life situation.

[@amynehls4175]

Trying to get a 10 yr run of depression re diagnosed as bipolar 2 is proving a nightmare. Even with mood tracking showing obvious hypomania and mixed mood . 🙄

[@adelai3795]

I don't have words. I am treated as bipolar I but my official diagnosis is other unspecified. But this is the first time I've heard someone talk about just experiencing hypomania, and while she is correct in saying we like it, until the symptoms are recognized as hypomania they can be really destructive. I love that this is a spectrum.

[@elskankhunt42]

You think your too cute so you have severe personality defects since no one really likes you but is only nice to you to gain something(usually sex). Don't over think it

[@Leeqzombie]

It's worth noting BPD is often misdiagnosed as Bipolar, which is pretty rough because they're treated a bit differently (Bipolar often leads to higher doses of medication, while BPD often doesn't respond to medication well). Unlike Bipolar, the mood swings experienced with BPD are a loooooot quicker (and actually fits the common Bipolar stereotype better). One of the things I actually appreciate about my BPD mood swings is knowing the negative emotions won't stick around more than a few hours 😅

[@aaronspencer5498]

my therapist thinks i most likely have bipolar 2, i just turned 18 and i’ve only been seeing her a couple months so she doesn’t want to diagnose me too quickly, and tbh hypomanic episodes are my favorite times. they’ve happened 2-3 times a year for me since i was around 15 or 16, and it’s honestly indescribable how good it feels. tbh it might even be worth the crash afterwards, i just feel so happy and euphoric and sexy and yeah i tend to do some lowkey crazy stuff but it’s never been dangerous, the absolute most harmful thing i’ve done was my first manic episode where i decided to try at home scarification (i wouldn’t call it self harm because the intention was to get a pretty design, not hurt myself) and that was during quarantine when i was alone and couldn’t talk to anyone about it, usually during manic episodes i’ll talk to my friends a lot and they’ll point out when something’s a particularly bad idea

[@elkronnie6500]

Same, my psychiatrist recently diagnised me with bipolar II. But I'm 28. So I went a long time undiagnosed. The hypomanic episodes might feel really nice, but the long term consequences can be really bad. Your scarification for example. The chances that you'd end up with a skin infection, that could lead to further complications isn't exactly low. Yeah you can think, "If I run these ideas by my friends, then they can regulate me, ' but just like during the pandemic, you won't always have someone there to tell you that what you're thinking of doing is a really bad idea. During hypomanic episodes, I get insanely confident, and feel super hypersexual. Nothing feels wrong for me at the time. I just think, "I'm supposed to feel this confident, " or that "I'm young, and casual sex should be expected with someone my age, " but then I go and sleep with random people I've never met before. Because I feel nigh invincible, I don't feel like I need to use condoms or any other form of birth control, because "no way that'll happen to me." I'll go without eating or sleeping for days, then think, "I can go on a 10 mile hike!" Without realizing that although my mind might not be tired, my body has physical limits. I literally exercised myself into the hospital once because I just thought that I could keep going. I didn't see a problem and I didn't feel tired or hungry. Even though, conceptually, I knew that I should eat or sleep, I felt a ridiculous amount of confidence in my ability to go without it. I can't stress enough how I did all these things with my friends and others looking out for me, but that in my manic state, I took things too far and wasn't able to properly understand that no, I'm not invincible. That I can mess things up beyond acceptable means, and completely screw my life over. And this is only bipolar II. I'm only 28, and my most recent episodes were so fucked up, that I feel utterly hopeless. I've screwed my life up so bad, that I don't even know if I can fix things at this point. There's some hope, but it's not looking good overall. And now in a depressive episode, if I didn't have small children that I need to care for (yay, thank you mania), then I probably wouldn't even be here anymore. iykyk. Ig, I'm saying all this, to illustrate, that although the mania and hypomania might feel good, that you shouldn't take it lightly. In the moment, it's amazing, but like any drug, it's really easy to screw up your entire life chasing that high. Or in this case, chasing the mania. Please be safe

[@aaronspencer5498]

@@elkronnie6500 i’m on birth control and prep and i get tested regularly so even if i’m stupid and don’t use a condom it’s unlikely i’ll make any life altering mistakes, and i haven’t wanted to try scarification or anything really dangerous other than some sketchy hookups since high school. i’m sure at some point i’ll grow up and start treatment but rn it’s just not something i’m concerned about

[@masonhenning2677]

I have Schizotypal Personality Disorder, and I think it would be extremely helpful for you to do an episode on it. There is so little information out there, and the research that is available is a little out-of-reach and outdated. The good majority of people have no idea what it is, and whenever I talk about it, they are very confused and there is nothing I can really show them to explain. I know you've probably got a billion videos to film already, but please add it to the list. I'm sure so many people with STPD and their loved ones would appreciate it, me included of course.

[@devkergirl2025]

also let's note that pediatric bipolar is vastly over diagnosed. I grew up in an abusive household and was a very depressed, anxious and not so well behaved kid. It's not til I grew up and educated myself that I realized that I was misdiagnosed and therefore receiving bad treatment. I don't really deal with depression now that I've distanced myself from family. And I've learned how to manage my social anxiety.

[@shiningstar737]

As someone with bipolar and bpd, stuff can get really intense and confusing sometimes over what you are really feeling

[@1999_reborn]

My friend has bipolar and psychosis. I don’t know how to help him anymore.

[@cincent5805]

1999 just tell him he’s faking it

[@ratunkuuu]

by being a good friend and also keeping yoursekf and them safe - if neeed be.

[@chryscantsleep]

You shouldn't be helping him. Only supporting healthy decisions

[@noonespecial9233]

My friend is also bipolar. Seems like it's most helpful when I'm just...around. ya know? Like sending memes or funny videos just to let them know they're not forgotten.

[@JackieSt]

Just make sure they know that you'll always be there when they need you, that's really the most important thing, them knowing theyre never alone

[@Brandyalla]

I have an ex who was diagnosed bipolar II, but his episodes were exclusively manic, not depressive. He only had episodes every couple of years, but they lasted months. Insomnia was a major symptom (and a sign he was heading into an episode) as well as rage. He also had hallucinations, and whatever his voices were telling him, it made him very angry.

[@elskankhunt42]

Meth

[@Brandyalla]

@@elskankhunt42 You are incorrect

[@mooselove]

This is why I struggled to get a diagnosis for a long time. I have mostly mixed states and only hypomania (not mania). Also, I don’t “look like” someone with bipolar. What does that even mean?? Haha

[@natashaestes154]

My new psychiatrist doesn't believe that I'm bipolar even though there's a long family history & my official diagnostic test results from 11 years ago. Apparently it's just Cluster B stuff resulting from narcissistic abuse from my ex. Nevermind that I've had bipolar symptoms all my life 😑 So frustrating.

[@piperdragon3200]

@@natashaestes154 my old psychiatrist tried to say I was bipolar based on family history and being on mood stabilizers in spite of the fact that I never had a manic episode. I've since been diagnosed with a mood disorder were my normal is lower and therefore my lows are to, I can't remember the name.

[@mooselove]

N K I think you are talking about unipolar depression (normal but dips into depression in episodes but no mania) or dysthymia (constant low to moderate depression)

[@mooselove]

Natasha Estes I feel you so much!!!!!!! X.X my mom, her mom, my gma, all diagnosed or obvious symptoms. Diagnosis and history of treatment of mood disorder. But one doctor is just like “noooo sounds like unresolved trauma and situational depression, hmmm”.. ok, then explain my obvious hypomania? “Just a good mood :)” no. Just no.

[@piperdragon3200]

@@mooselove dysthymia! That's it! I can never remember the name.

[@thedreamer215]

Thank you! The media does not present bipolar disorder well. I personally believe it's a spectrum.

[@MzCAGOMEA]

Hypomania is like the best high you could ever get... at first. Then you get tired and can't stop going. Get all reckless and drive to another state and hang out with people you never met when you're normally an introvert. Then you end up at a random seminar about mental health by chance and realize there is something wrong with you.

[@izzyxblades]

Mood disregulation (extreme mood swings) from borderline personality disorder is often misdiagnosed as bipolar mood disorder.

[@izzyxblades]

@@huntedplaster9607 www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/October-2017/Why-Borderline-Personality-Disorder-is-Misdiagnose

[@connorsim8199]

Great video i could of used a month ago when i was in a mental health placement for my bachelor of nursing

[@marymurphy1429]

Gotta love those "not otherwise specified" categories, seems a lot of disorders have a category like that. I think that's probably for the best in most cases. It's good to have atypical cases qualify for a diagnosis, allows people who need it to get treatments or accomodations. There use to be a category like that for autism, which was pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) before the squished everything together into autism spectrum disorder. In video it said some researchers think bipolar could be a spectrum as well, does that mean they might do something similar with bipolar disorder as well if enough research supports that idea? Interesting to think about Just some thoughts I had while watching this video, it was interesting and I learned a lot

[@pXnTilde]

People talk about spectrums, but bipolar has mania, depression, anger, periodicity, cyclicity, intensity... it would need so many spectrums!

[@cavv0667]

Tank you for this video... I've often questioned the diagnosis of Bipolar II I was given as I do not experience even short bursts of mania, but... using mood stabilizers and antidepressives I have been helped significantly. I know I'm BPD and that I have a broad spectrum anxiety disorder. Therapy and medication therapy have helped So Much that I can not express how great of a change it can have when you seek help... No one is normal and everyone needs help sometimes so never be nervous or adverse to any available help you can get.

[@naptastic]

When you say "Bipolar could be progressive," do you mean that symptoms could worsen over time, as with (e.g.) multiple sclerosis? "Degenerative" might be a better term. I've been living with Type II bipolar for more than half of my life, and was misdiagnosed with MDD for the first ~8 years of that. Over time, the swings seem to be getting wider, and I've wondered if it is degenerative. Seriously though, the DSM-V for all its virtues, has one fatal flaw: It diagnoses people with symptoms, not with diseases. There are so many potential causes of depression, and science needs to start focusing on causes and treatments rather than clusters of symptoms. What I actually *have* is a shortage of GABAa receptors, and the treatment for that is mild sedatives. If someone *has* overactive monoamine oxidase, an SSRI/SNRI/MAOI will help them. If a woman with no history of depression becomes depressed right after giving birth, you should be looking at hormones, not neurotransmitters. But the DSM-V gives you a 1/3 shot, at best, of pursuing the right class of drugs on the first try. We HAVE to do better than that. soapbox/

[@CyclicSupporter]

Im SO excited to see this one, having Bipolar 2. Not saying me commenting this ages ago helped make it happen, but I can live my dream.

[@tammyelizabeth5157]

I am diagnosed BPII And hypomania can mean binge shopping when there up is no money, OCD like activity when the person is not that way normally. And doing things that can be considered as dangerous or harmful; including sexual promiscuity.

[@adelai3795]

I'm sorry, but aren't those all typically considered specifically Manic symptoms because they are "out of characted" and "disruptive" to the functioning of life? Hypomania usually sits below the risk taking and compulsion threshold.

[@tammyelizabeth5157]

@@adelai3795 which is why, I think, they are adding this third grey area. For those who go thru the longer depths of depression, with what they once called hypomania...that now after much consideration they see can be full Manic episodes. I'm sure at some point now that this grey area has been added to the DSM I'll have my diagnosis updated, but until then I have to stick with what they've labeled me with and try not to self diagnose I guess.

[@PagingPaige]

My onset was unclear because it was hard to discern what was bipolar and what was adolescence. It still took at least four years to get diagnosed.

[@MrJayPuff]

Great episode very informative

[@Kittyxandra19]

My mom has a bipolar disorder that doesn’t really fit in either type 1 or 2 so I’m glad there’s an “other” category so that she can still get help.

[@elskankhunt42]

Probably had kids or got tied down too young, never really had a chance to emotionally mature. But idk whatever

[@Kittyxandra19]

skankhunt42 skankhunt42 umm what?!

[@elskankhunt42]

@@Kittyxandra19 what? I'm pretty sure I'm on the money with my hypothesis internet stranger

[@ciaraobrien5790]

Another way that people can be diagnosed with bipolar II rather than depression is by giving anti depressants (which may only work to a small degree) and then seeing if mood stabilsers have a beneficial effect. This was my experience and within several weeks the mood stabiliser helped far more than the only the anti depressants. I hope this may help someone as I probably did have bouts of hypomania but I wouldn't or couldn't have said what they were.

[@ecoKady]

Cyclothymics represent!

[@karstent8138]

Thanks this is very interesting. But I have bipolar 1, and I don't relate to your description of mania, it is not extreme enough! I experienced a big psychosis in my manias, and that is also what I have read about it over the years. So where does a manic psychosis come into it now? According to your description, my bipolar mania is not accounted for by bipolar 1. So what was it?

[@BlueJayWaters]

Probably unspecified bipolar with psychosis. That's the best part of about that broad description. You can still fit the criteria, and also be treated for other things related to bipolar. I'm not a mental health professional, just another sufferer of the illness. So I'm just giving you an idea that you can potentially bring up to your psychiatrist.

[@FassoliaPlaki]

It totally fits into bipolar I, you can have manic episodes with or without psychotic symptoms but they're still manic episodes. Depressive episodes can also come with or without psychotic symptoms, by the way. I think it's denoted by an additional number to the diagnosis code, at least in ICD 10 it is. Hope that helps :)

[@karstent8138]

@@BlueJayWaters Thanks Jason. I don't know, I used to think it was simple! Now all the bits start to seem very loosely connected

[@karstent8138]

@@FassoliaPlaki Thank Fassolia. Ok, so now I'm still slightly confused as to the difference between mania and hypomania, in this case.

[@FassoliaPlaki]

I'm drawing from ICD-10 here (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems), which is used across Europe, but I don't think the DSM differs much on this. The diagnostic criteria for hypomania are almost identical, in addition to elevated or irritable mood you have the same set of symptoms of which you need to experience at least 3 to classify (increased activity, inflated self esteem, decreased need for sleep and many more), but for mania the mood needs to be prominent and sustained for at least a week, and the symptoms must "severely" interfere with personal functioning in daily living, while hypomania is less intensely elevated or irritable mood for at least 4 days, and the symptoms lead to "some" interference with personal functioning in daily living.

[@clemkadiddlehopper7705]

I'm hypomanic all the time. But it can swing from depression to exileration.

[@painoftheheart12]

I was just recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I'm not sure which type, neither is my doctor, most likely type 2. But the medications are working. So either it is bipolar or something that uses similar brain pathways. Granted I am on 4 different medications though, so it doesn't narrow anything down. I was forced to get help after getting arrested during a psychotic depressive episode that then triggered a PTSD episode because I was physically abused in the past by my family. First by my mother before my bipolar symptoms started to manifest and then by my brothers when they started. My mother stopped abusing me but would be complicit in the abuse by my siblings because she didn't know how to deal with my mental health. In the PTSD attack I got a knife for self defense. No one got hurt but I was arrested. More people in jail have bipolar and schizophrenia, and they need not have even committed a crime.

[@inachisio2532]

Episode about ADD please, especially inattentive ADD

[@furatceylan8]

LOVE your content!

[@rossmwi]

Lamotragine saved and stabilized my life!

[@ecoKady]

I've had a lot of luck with it, too.

[@simoroshka]

It stabilized me in depression :( I miss hypomania

[@adelai3795]

It did so much for me that I dont know how I functioned before it. My only issue is a bit of the brain fog but my new meds cleared that up as well! Congradulationz!

[@screenclap8394]

Lamotragine and Seroquel are my besties

[@danielkron2513]

Was too weak for me tho, taking valproate atm

[@LynxieDove]

Could you do a show on the various types and subtypes of depression?

[@Joy4everM0RE]

I have Bipolar II and anxiety. Thanks for the episode.

[@woolfy02]

I spent a lot of time trying to figure out my bipolar diagnosis. I tend to feel high/agitated while on a antidepressant. Now I don't manic / hypomanic episodes, just these strange things I can't figure out. Usually 3 hours after I take my meds (Prozac and lamotrigine) I can feel that high/agitation kick in. Not all the time but I still feel it. What's strange is, how can that be signs of bipolar if I don't experience manic/hypomanic episodes like someone with Bipolar type 2? It just doesn't make any sense. Trying to explain it to my doctor and they can't figure it out. Reading about the 'Spectrum of bipolar' I'm thinking a few things sound like that to me. It's just not clear cut bipolar. And that makes it that much more frustrating. I know it's some kind of bipolar cause, I can't take Prozac on its own. If anyone can relate please add a comment.

[@valeriekubiak9035]

My doctor says she thinks I am "probably" bipolar, but she is not completely sure. So she says she has me listed as "depression - unspecified". I think she is probably right, but at the same time, I guess it doesn't matter how it's defined. I just, after learning her opinion, started to look at myself more and notice certain things. I will occasionally have "highs" where I feel I can do anything. I might start signing up for volunteer work, impulse-buy a new pet. Then the depression comes and I stop volunteering and in some cases I have given my animals to the humane society because I cannot care for them anymore. I also suddenly feel like life is awful and I want to die, and I feel like it's impossible for me to have ever experienced happiness, it's so foreign. Then it starts getting better and once again I think I can take on the world. It's an awful cycle, but it's really gotten better by just me becoming aware of it. I have recently stopped myself from starting volunteer work again. I have told myself if I want to that badly, I can wait a few months. I also have kept my hamster for over a year, and I will not let myself get rid of him. I need to stay responsible for him even though it is really hard sometimes. I was on a high when I signed up for 15 hours of classes in college, and I am glad it has not bitten me in the butt yet... but in hindsight, I was overestimating myself and not making a rational decision at that time... but yet I still feel that urge in me that next semester I should take 17-19 hours and be in 3-4 clubs and volunteer and work full-time. I really am going to tell myself that's not a good decision. But my brain says that it will be "so easy", "like a walk in the park".

[@ktvx.94]

Ughh, that time I was prescribed anti-depressants while actually being bipolar... it was not a good experience, and that's a massive understatement. I don't remember my type, but both 1 and 2 match :/

[@MollytheMagnificent]

My bipolar doesn’t meet the letter of traditional bipolar I but I was still diagnosed as such

[@Maryyeung12894]

thank you for doing this video - it is such an under researched disorder

[@DisabledPsychedelica]

Ultra Rapid Cycling Bipolar II with Severe Anxious Distress

[@autodidacticartisan]

It's been 8 years, whos ready for a dsm6? I'm crazy

[@mymodernrenaissance]

I actually got diagnosed within a couple years of the onset of my manic episodes so I guess I’m doing pretty well lol

[@yuthurabanchez]

I would love more videos on bipolar disorder.

[@trinitywebster9340]

oh god mixed episodes are hell