Bipolar Disorder Forum - Bipolar or ADD ?

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Q: Bipolar or ADD ?

asked by: sparklefish226 on August 5th, 2008

New User

Ok so I've had ADD like symptoms, and lately being in college my school has suffered(also because of my depression). My depression is pretty severe and recurrent. I have bouts sometimes 6-8 months long. I've had these since I was 11 or 12. I'm now almost 19. I've tried to commit suicide around 6 times, atleast 2 or 3 of those times I also experienced a racing mind that I couldn't stop, I just felt like I had to kill myself. Usually these bouts go on their own...and I experience them mainly in Summer and Winter. In Spring and Fall, I'm more hyper, but distracted and more ADD, mind going a million times a minute but never stopping long enough to be able to deeply think about something.
Anybody have any thoughts?
Please let me know if you'd like more information.

Replies(7)

NightStar

replied on August 8th, 2008

Experienced User

Sorry to hear that you are down. I suffer bipolar and adhd. I was in college and the adhd messed up my studies, I ended up dropping out. I later went back for a different class when I got straight on my medication.

Just wanted to say good luck.

antigone

replied on August 10th, 2008

Extremely eHealthy

You may want to find a psychiatrist and have an evaluation done. You sound like you may have a mood disorder. A doctor can help you with a diagnosis and treatment options if necessary. Mood disorders can be treated but not cured. Medications can help to limit the number of mood swings and lessen the severity. I encourage you to see a psychiatrist and find out what is going on.

sparklefish226

replied on August 10th, 2008

New User

ok so I haven't see my psych is a bit but they had me as mood disorder NOS. previously I had seen a doctor. I told him I had depression...that's what he wrote me down as. Never questioned. I said I thought I might have ADD so he gave me meds and said if they worked I had ADD. So yeah...I'm just wondering if anyone else has had this kind of problem. I just want to know what's up with me. And I'm scared because winter is coming up and I always have really chaotic mood swings and ADD-like-symptoms and I don't want to mess up another semester of college.

NightStar

replied on August 11th, 2008

Experienced User

Need to go to the doctor and tell him about the mood swings, you don't want him just treating the depression, if you also have manic moods. That is what happened to me, the depression medication actually set off my manic side. The doctor put me on Prozac before he knew better.

I am on Geodone now, but I have had to try many different meds before they found one that worked.

Good luck with this matter,

sparklefish226

replied on August 11th, 2008

New User

k so, I've been on prozac before and should be on it now but I've had stomach surgery and am off meds. It's moving into fall now so I'm not so chaotic but I need to get back on in the winter. Prozac didn't really have much of an effect except for making me numb the first time. This time, in the two weeks, I had a really weird thing. Possible mixed mood. Woke up suicidal, couldn't stop my racing thoughts, felt the extreme urge to kill myself...like someone was forcing me to do it. Didn't end up well but, i still have never be hospitalized. For this my doctor put me on Lamictal to stabalize my moods, but still don't have an official diagnosis.

NightStar

replied on August 11th, 2008

Experienced User

Going in the hospital is not a bad thing, they can watch you closely and work with the meds there. I went in when my symptoms got bad. I got in a fight with a man that I seen punch a lady holding a baby, I just went off running after her trying to help. Well I am on Geodone today and don't have the outbursts anymore. Knock on wood.

sparklefish226

replied on August 11th, 2008

New User

Idk. there were probably times when I should have gone in. It ruined my last semester of school. I've started crying in front of teachers too many times...not something I'm proud of. They always think I'm faking because I''m the loud, outgoing, class clown, never shutting up. So when I have problems, or cry they just think that I'm trying to guilt them. My suicidal attempts never last that long, but the thoughts stick around and my depression is pretty crippling. Also it's hard to tell my doctors stuff because I think it's been almost 2 years since my last "manic" like episode. I have short burts of energy for a week, make hasty decisions, etc.

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