Posted by Ritch on February 6, 2002, at 23:53:13
In reply to Re: 50 tips for managing ADHD, posted by petters on February 6, 2002, at 15:11:07
> > Hi Ritch...
>
> Very interesting information. Could you please, if possible explain the relationship regarding ADD and Bipolar II.
>
> Sincerely...//Petters> > The fuzziness with the diagnosis is that BP-II's do not experience psychotic mania. Also people with ADHD have mood swings, irritability, impulsiveness, restlessness, distractability as part of their symptom complex. When BP-II's are hypomanic or depressed they can have great trouble focusing and concentrating (distractability). Also, there are "inattentive" ADHD people that are depressed (couch-potatoes). There is just a lot of overlap with the symptoms. I was dx'ed as BP for about 20 years, then it got switched to ADHD. Then it got switched to social phobia/panic. Now, it is all three. I have a nephew who looks and acts a lot like me and he is ADHD and is on Ritalin and doing fine. The real test is to give someone who is BP-II a low dose of a stimulant and see what happens (IMO). Give it a week or so and see how they are doing. If they are quiet and focused and sleeping normally, you could consider ADHD in addition to or instead of BP-II. If they get hypomanic and develop chronic insomnia and their distractability gets *worse* one might rule out ADHD. I would like to get to the bottom of it for sure. I still think I have both.
> >
> > Mitch
poster:Ritch
thread:92098
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020131/msgs/93149.html