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Mental Health > Mental Conditions Forum > Recurring mood swings
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Q: Recurring mood swings
asked by: greendots on February 5th, 2009
New User
Hi, I am a young woman of 22 years, in a very happy relationship and a good job. I have been having big mood swings since about the age of 12. About that age, I also started cutting myself and drinking everyday. Nobody noticed, - I'm good at keeping things to myself. When I was 13, I had headaches constantly and therefore couldn't sleep. My mum took me to the doctors, and he asked all the questions relating to depression and I said 'no' to everything he said (I lied), because my mother was there. He said I had slight depression and to just take paracetamol. At this age, I was already thinking about suicide. I started stopping going out to my friends as well. A couple of years later, I had another big mood swing. I ended up drinking every morning before school, on my breaks and then I would go to my friends after school and get drunk. I was 14 when I last cut myself. I started starving myself at about this age also. I had another big mood swing around 17 years of age and this time, I drunk loads and starved myself. I was with my partner at 17, and I cannot keep anything from him. I was a size 6 (or 2 in the USA), and he was worried, because I would go days without eating, so he got me signed up with a model agency to show me that I was okay. These mood swings come and go so often. The last time I starved myself was last February, and this is good, because I used to try it so often. Around April to September/October time last year, I actually felt happy, I had just got through a terrible winter, due to having the worst job ever and it having me cry everyday and giving me big mood swings every day. I was actually happy and didn't see the next mood swing coming on until I was right in it. I have just got through about 3 months of being constantly low. I had just had gastritis also, and this didn't seem to be budging until I started taking 900mg of St. Johns Wort daily. My head seemed to clear quite a bit and I started feeling better. But I am still very edgy. Still, the slightest thing can either make me burst into tears, start shouting, ...well kind of go into a tantrum. These tantrums seem to be followed by suicidal thoughts. My partner describes my mood swings as serious. I thought I was coming out of this latest depression, but I'm having suicidal thoughts again. I have one side of by head saying do it, and then the other that says I've got everything to live for, I could also be pregnant. I don't want to kill myself. There's a limit to how much you can tell loved ones. But, last month, I was actually planning my suicide, not just thinking about it. I also don't know if this is depression, or anxiety, as I feel sick every morning (since before I could have been pregnant), I seem to pannic a bit every morning, and this is the main reason why I used to drink every morning, - to chill myself out a bit, and if I couldn't find any drink, I would sniff glue (as gross as that may sound), just to calm myself down. Sometimes, I can't get to work because I will panic in the morning, and either end up so sick that I can't go in, or I will end up properly crying, and I feel useless. I went to the doctor last month and admitted that there is something wrong with me, and I was still very careful of what I said. He gave me a number to call, and said he wanted me to talk to them 3 times a week, and he gave me this questionnaire to fill in. Now, I am an accountant, and January is the busiest month for me, so due to working a lot and wanting to sleep the rest of the time (I have also been tired constantly for the last few months), there was no way I could have done this. Is this depression, anxiety disorder, or what? Can anyone help? Also, sorry about the long post, but it really does help.
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Phocks
replied on February 23rd, 2009
Experienced User
Hey there,

This is an old post and it bothers me that no one has replied....as we are all on here for help and assistance no post should go un-answered.

The constant mood swings you describe may well be indicative of Bipolar. I guess the thing you need to ascertain is whether you are experiencing the ups aswell (you only describe down times in your post)

My best advice would be to seek professional help. This site is great for support and advice but just that. Its best not to come here trying to find an actual diagnosis.

From what you describe it sounds like the mood swings were not very often in the beginning. This sounds a lot like me as I would fall into a major depression where I was suicidal about once every 2 years. This went on for a good 10 years and it was not until the last 6 months that I found out I may be bipolar.

I suggest you seek help straight away and try and get a diagnosis. I really wish someone had given me this advice when I was your age as it would have stopped a lot of life mistakes from me.

Hope this helps.

You can message me anytime you need to chat.

I dont care how long the messages are I will readt it.

xoxox
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