Posted by JahL on July 29, 2001, at 7:15:50
In reply to Bi-polar II- diagnosis on the rise? , posted by shelliR on July 28, 2001, at 22:18:46
Hi Shelli.
I'm one of those newly dx'd BP II folk.
My condition looks like unipolar, is characterised by anxiety & is complemented by chronic derealisation (as opposed to D.D.). So a little like your own. Also, like you, when my condition worsens it is the anxiety component that seems to predominate. I avoid stress like the plague. We do not mix well.
Anxiety vs hypomania? Anxiety wears me down, is unfocussed, & robs me of my volition. AD-induced hypomania, whilst also 'wearing', gave me a terrific sense of purpose; I could work all day w/o stopping (or eating) & only needed a couple of hours sleep. I became sociable, *v* talkative & downright horny! I was in no way irrational. In fact, freed from some of my symptoms, my thinking became more rational & 'human-like'.
I have *plenty* of rage/emptiness but no self-harm, impulsiveness, attn-seeking etc.
A succession of ADs has made my condition (seemingly) irredeemably worse. My new pdoc only prescribes ADs to Bipolar folk settled on a mood-stabilizer.
Anyway, 1 of the most striking features of my BP is the accompanying psychomotor retardation, which makes stringing a sentence together difficult. Hopefully the above has some relevance to yr curiosity...
J.
====================================
> Actually , I'm really curious about bipolar II. Last spring when I was in the hospital I was very hyper, talkative and sleepless. Not irrational though., although had some pretty serious bouts of sobbing, when I felt frustrated. There was some talk about a bipolar II diagnosis (I have major depression and a dissociative disorder), but the "team" psychologists and psychiatrists felt that my behavior was related to high level anxiety. My anxiety (rather than depression) go up when I have hospitalized recently--I think it is way over-stimulating to me to be around people and crisis all the time.
>
> I have also read about bipolar II being related to borderline personality disorder, as a less provocative diagnosis and also more appealing to insurance companies. But when I look at the critiera for borderline, I don't see so much of a cross over. I don't think the rage, emptiness, self-harm (I don't remember the whole list) would have to be present in bi-polar II, just major depression and hypomania.
>
> How does one distinquish between hypomania and major anxiety, and the cycling present in PTSD symptoms. And what are the implications of medications--no ADs for bi-polar II, or only certain ADs?
>
> Bi-polar II keeps popping up on the board with greater frequency, so that's why I became curious.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Shelli
poster:JahL
thread:72292
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010725/msgs/72335.html