Bipolar Disorder Support Group

It's part biological, part physological and part social

Basically normal people have moods which go up and down. People can be moody. Sometimes the mood of the person goes to extreme highs and dangerous lows. The person has no control over the mood and needs medication to stabilise the mood. If the mood is high the person goes mad and if the mood is too low the person becomes suicidal or violent.

You may be just a moody person. Usually a person is dianosed as bi-polar after a major episode of madness or depression.

I hope this helpful

MJ

Mood changes ,don't neccessaraly mean you are bipolar.
And ,please,don't be too fast on jumping on the bipolar wagon.

If ,in fact you are bipolar,go to your family Dr..get a referal to a proffessional Phyciatrist,and get a through Phyc evaluation.

If you are bipolar,you will want to start treatment right away,because the longer you put it off,the more brain damage is done.

Bipolar is a complex brain disease...see a Phyciatrist,and find out what is going on.

Many other things can cause swift mood changes..like Boarder Line Personality Disorder..a VERY different type of condition from bipolar.

Good luck

Google bipolar (BP) and see if you can find the DSM IV list of symptoms... then, as dd said, get a referral to a psychiatrist who can help diagnose you...

it is true, BP is a complex brain and mood disorder and mood swings in and of themselves are not necessarily indicative of BP

Bipolar Disorder is very complex but basically it is a bio chemical imbalance in the brain. They have recently discoverd that it also actually causes brain damage.
I would not wish bpd on my worst enemy. It is life altering, stigmatized, and life threatening. There's nothing glamourous about it.
Read the info at the Mayo site, write down a list of your symptoms and go see your doctor so you can discuss it.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/m...

go to www.wikipedia.org

This is from the front page of DS...

What is Bipolar?

Rather than a single disorder, bipolar disorder is a category of mood disorders marked by one or more periods of abnormally high energy and euphoria. People who experience these manic episodes often experience bouts of clinical depression. The rapid alternation of these states, called cycling, can often occur. The onset of bipolar disorder symptoms usually begins young adulthood.

Bipolar Causes

No single thing causes bipolar disorder, instead, a varied group of factors interplay to help trigger the condition. Scientists widely support the view that genetic factors have a strong influence on the emergence of bipolar disorder, and that various individual genes play a role in combination. Apart from genetic influences, there is theory of kindling, which proposes that people with an inherited predisposition for the disorder may see it triggered after series of stressful life experiences.
Bipolar Treatments

Although there is no cure for bipolar disorder, it can be effectively managed via medical support. The condition is usually medically treated with a group of drugs called mood stabilizers, and antipsychotic medications are often prescribed to treat manic episodes. If you're diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, it's best to have a chat with your doctor about which treatments might work for you, and then commit to sticking to it. This commitment is particularly challenging with bipolar disorder -- during periods of elation, you may "forget" that you have the disorder, no longer feel the need for help, or may wish to prolong the euphoria. DailyStrength users with bipolar disorder have cited several alternative therapies, activities and supplements that help them cope, almost always used in combination with medication. These include support group therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), taking fish oil, and writing

wow. Thank you soooo much for helping me. I will def look up those websites. also thank you for all the info.

my daughter was just diagnosed with BP... she is 20 and tinking back I have seen the signs form about 10 on... for her she is very depressed all the time...except for an all the sudden for no reason hi... she will be so happy, up beat, going a mile a min. then a quickly as changiong the channel on the tv somthing snaps and she is VERY angry and she don't know why... she gets paranoid... not like "oh somthing is after me kind", but... why do you hate me, why are being mean to me kind"... she has panic attacks, and anxiety induced Asthma... she will hyperventilate she is also a cutter... well I'm not sure if this helped but good luck...

Looking up the info is a good start but the professional psych evaluation and possible diagnosis is the most important thing. It could be the beginning of you getting on the road to improved health if that is actually what is diagnosed.

hey granna205 you just described me perfectly. I snap back and forth pretty quick. Thank you for sharing that. It certainly helped. Thank you.