I plan on asking my daughters psych about this but we don't see him for a few weeks and I can't find anything on the internet. My daughter is bipolar. She's only 12 and has had the symptoms since she was 2. It took us nearly 10 years to get it figured out and during that time I was doing research like crazy. I've learned a lot about it but I have a couple questions. Do any of you who are bipolar, get the cycles "backwards"? Like depression that's followed by mania? I was diagnosed with clinical depression when I was 15 and it comes and goes every year or so. But it always ends with a week or so of me sleeping very little and having these unrepressable needs to do art, write books or sculpt or various other things. I get massive amounts of these projects done in a very short time but toward the end it's like..I wish I could stop. I don't go on spending sprees, don't have affairs, (although I do get completely obsessed with sex and need it more than usual - 3-5x a day with my husband, more with myself LOL!!) I don't have delusions that I'm aware of and I don't act "crazy", I just can't stop the outpouring of ideas. But I've never heard of bp starting with depression so I always assumed it was just part of me feeling better. ?!?! Now I'm not so sure. Any input is appreciated!
A Question About Bipolar Disorder
- Thread starter TigersMomJ
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Hi, TMJ. I'm not a doctor, so I cannot give you a diagnosis or a real answer, but I did a bit of googling on bipolar to see if I could find any info. Maybe you've already read about this, but perhaps it is "mixed bipolar disorder". Read the info and talk to your doctor about it, as a medical professional is the only one who can give you a real answer. Good luck with your search for answers. Here's the link: http://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/guide/mixed-bipolar-disorder
Thanks Acy. 
My daughter has mixed episodes and I don't think that's what this is. Hers are very frightening. Jagged and... completely out of control. This thing I go through is much more smooth and always follows the same pattern. It's probably just my way of coping with depression or something but I do want to talk to her Dr. about it since he'll probably know. I always go on Wellbutrin if the suicidal thoughts last too long and that helps alot so I don't really feel like I need a diagnosis or anything, I'm just curious.
My daughter has mixed episodes and I don't think that's what this is. Hers are very frightening. Jagged and... completely out of control. This thing I go through is much more smooth and always follows the same pattern. It's probably just my way of coping with depression or something but I do want to talk to her Dr. about it since he'll probably know. I always go on Wellbutrin if the suicidal thoughts last too long and that helps alot so I don't really feel like I need a diagnosis or anything, I'm just curious.
Bipolar 2 can be like that. Most people with bipolar 2 are mostly depressed, but have periods of what they have perceived to be "normality" or feeling slightly happier than usual. This is called hypomania and it can mimick what we think "normal" is. Bipolar 2 is often missed and misdiagnosed as recurrent major depressive disorder. You should speak to your daughters psych about it as it could have been hidden for many years, and bipolar does run in genetics. I'm not saying you have got bipolar 2, but your symptoms of the long depressive cycle followed by a week or two of increased productivity and sleep deprivation in cycles is a symptom of it. Hope this helps.
Wow. Thanks for the info. I feel completely normal again lately, despite my husband having to go work in Alaska again for 3 months and all the other big stresses in life right now. This whole bipolar thing feels like a giant elephant in the room though. I feel like I know it's probably true, but I really don't want to deal with it. I keep shooting the elephant little sideways glances to see if it's still there but I don't want it to know I see it. :P
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