My bipolar 1 people come here...

[quietpraiyze]

During a bipolar episode, be it a "high" or a "low" are you able to tell others that is what is going on with you? Are you able to tell them that you are in a "high" or a "low"?

I'm wondering about this because of something my current psychiatrist said to me. I'll explain later. I just need to see first what some of my other fellow bipolar 1 people have to say.

 

[Michie]

I’m posting to follow. My mother in law, sister in law and half sister struggle with this. I’ll wait till you flesh out your post later. Prayers for your stability and peace!

 

[Matt5]

During a bipolar episode, be it a "high" or a "low" are you able to tell others that is what is going on with you? Are you able to tell them that you are in a "high" or a "low"?

I'm wondering about this because of something my current psychiatrist said to me. I'll explain later. I just need to see first what some of my other fellow bipolar 1 people have to say.

I went out with someone with bipolar disorder. She wasn't able to explain anything. I had to figure out the cycle on my own. So I knew what would be coming after the "high". Eventually I bailed out.

 

[quietpraiyze]

Well I waited to see if there would be more responses but I guess not...

I asked the question I did because as a person who has been “bipolar 1” for 39+ years (all of my adult life), when I'm in the throws of a bipolar episode be it a “high” or a “low” I can't tell you DURING the episode that is what is happening with me. It's only AFTER I've come through the episode be it a hospitalization or just riding it out that I can acknowledge that yes I was having an episode. I was wondering if that was the same for others who are bipolar 1...

To be told by this relatively young Psychiatrist that most people who are depressed can tell her that sent a red flag up for me that maybe she doesn't really know and understand what bipolar 1 is and how we function. It also bothered me hat she did this thing of putting mentally ill people in a “box”. I think doing that is not only unprofessional but can “trigger” someone and that's not good...

 

[Love Others]

.

 

[William J]

Hi quietpraiyze (I hope I spelled your user name correctly), I've been diagnosed with Bipolar 1, but I think I've also seen Bipolar 2 on my more recent doctor's list of my diagnoses, so I don't really know if I'm one of your fellow Bipolar 1 people or not. I'm the complete opposite of you, by which I mean I know that I'm in a particular mood while I'm in the mood. That may mean that your altered mood states are more intense then mine. Most likely that psychiatrist did not intend to be hurtful or offensive. Nevertheless, she clearly did hurt and offend you. Like me, you sound like a very sensitive person and I imagine it's quite easy for people to hurt your feelings without even trying to. This isn't your fault, but it is something that makes your life more difficult. At any rate, your experience is valid whether 100% of bipolar 1 patients are that way or you are the only one. The only thing you need to do is ask God to help you forgive that psychiatrist for her hurtful generalization, if you haven't already done so.

 

[timf]

I have talked with some who are at a loss until an episode is over (like you describe) as well as with some who have varying degrees of detection.

I think those who are able to detect the condition are both perhaps more rapid cycling as well as more invested in management. Those who have experimented and journal-ed their daily experiences tend to be able to better manage their cycles

 

[Hopes]

Well it depends. When I am first going into a manic episode (before things get really bad) i can tell something is up. After things get bad I am usually too far gone to be able to tell any body anything. I am delusional and hallucinating and think people are out to do me harm. During depression which I pretty much stay in all the time, I can tell people I am depressed but I just really learn to live with it cause I cant take ADs because they cause me to go manic.

 

[splish- splash]

Yeah some people will say when they are feeling high or low.