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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by tina on May 8, 2000, at 8:38:31
Can anyone tell me exactly what it means to be bi-polar? I have great fantastic wonderful days where I feel like I can take on the world, laughing and up-beat but then the very next day I'm in the toilet, suicidal and just a mess. Is that what bi-polar is or just depression in general?
Posted by Brenda on May 8, 2000, at 10:43:57
In reply to Is This Bi-Polar?????, posted by tina on May 8, 2000, at 8:38:31
> Can anyone tell me exactly what it means to be bi-polar? I have great fantastic wonderful days where I feel like I can take on the world, laughing and up-beat but then the very next day I'm in the toilet, suicidal and just a mess. Is that what bi-polar is or just depression in general?
Tina, It sounds like Dysthymia or Cyclothymia as opposed to Bipolar. Bipolar is characterized by EXTREME mood change. The manic phase of Bipolar is characterized by increased energy,lack of need for sleep, spending money excessively "on a whim", increased (maybe harmful) sexual behavior, grandiosity, feeling of outrageous creativity. The criteria for defining Bipolar I or II can be found at the Bipolar website.
Dysthymia feels like a general malaise (sadness), cyclothymia means your depression is cyclical and not constant. What really separates all of them are the severity of your symptoms and length of symptoms. Do you have a therapist or a doctor you can talk to about it? They can help you with meds and/or therapy. It's so awful to live those ups and downs - to feel so happy and then feel so bad. Thinking of you, Brenda
Posted by Janice on May 8, 2000, at 11:20:59
In reply to Re: Is This Bi-Polar?????, posted by Brenda on May 8, 2000, at 10:43:57
To me, it sounds like it could be soft bipolar tendencies Tina. Anti-depressants tend to make bipolar people worse, especially if it is rapid cycling. So if you are on anti-depressants Tina, and your cyclingl is increased, I'd definately inform your pdoc that you believe you could have bipolar.
Janice
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