Posted by linkadge on August 29, 2007, at 19:42:21
In reply to Re: Bipolar questions » Jimmyboy, posted by polarbear206 on August 29, 2007, at 16:27:45
>There are milder subtypes that just present as >anxiety/panic with depression.
Some doctor would not classify this as bipolar.
Bipolar should mean two poles. The fact that your depression goes into natural remission for periods in the year does not mean that you have bipolar.The presence of anxiety and panic also does not necessarily mean bipolar. I would tend to think that the *majority* of unipolar depression has symptoms of panic or anxiety, as well as having periods of natural remission.
I don't think you need to bother with mood stabilizers *unless* they actually work for you. I tried mood stabilizers for a very similar type of depression, and they did not lift the depression, they felt like adding a pile of weight on my shoulders. They made living with the depression even harder due to the cognative side effects etc.
Seasonal effective disorder is also not bipolar.
There is probably no harm in trying a mood stabilizer. Mood stabilizers like lamictal have some efficacy as antidepressants even if there is no bipolar present. Responce to lamictal does not necessarily indicate bipolar.
Bottom line, use what works. Unfortunately I havn't found anything to help a similar pattern.
Linkadge
poster:linkadge
thread:779563
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070824/msgs/779593.html