Bipolar types

[Colin76]

Hi.

Has anyone heard of mixed bipolar. I was told i have this type during a discussion with my G.P. I think it means showing signs of a being happy but feeling low and tearfull undernearth.

 

[icetsunami]

I would imagine it is unlikely to get a definitive diagnosis from your GP for such a specialist area. It took me 3 psychiatrists to get anywhere near identifying what was going on over several years. Sometimes it feels like you may want to categorise yourself but the important thing is to address the symptoms that affect your daily life. Good luck.

 

[Dollit]

Colin what your GP was referring to was probably the "mixed state" which is quite well known even among GPs. What it basically means is that you exhibit signs of both mania and depression at the same time. Your mind will be racing but your body and mood will be depressed (that's how it gets me anyway). Remember mania isn't always about feeling happy or being depressed about being tearful - they each have quite a range. The important thing is that you treat the high because if you treat the low you risk becoming higher.

 

[icetsunami]

Dollit is right, there is a vast range in symptoms in the cycle of BiPD. It is important to remember that everyone is different. You shouldn't really be treated against a set of standard criteria for a specific illness when it is not clear what the actual diagnosis is. Personally I have Rapid Cycling Mood Disorder which has similar components to BiPD in that my mood changes between low and high but it is not BiPD. My mood tends to change by the minute which really puts me in the realm of Ultra RCMD. Point is that subtle differences in treatment can make big differences in reality. I assume you are still awaiting a psychiatrist and are currently seeing your GP?