symptoms of "soft" bipolar disorder?

Hello,

Thanks for posting your query. I can understand your concern for these symptoms. Basically what you are having is depression which is usually found in people having bipolar disorder. Sometimes there are mixed episodes in which features of both mania and depression are present at the same time and in some people, depression and mania may rapidly alternate, which is known as rapid cycling.

You should talk to your psychiatrist about depression and get antidepressants prescribed. Psychotherapy will also help a lot in your case. Also start reading good books, employing relaxation techniques like meditation, spending time in your favorite activities and interacting with people. Communicating and discussing your feelings is an integral part of your treatment and will help with your recovery.

I sincerely hope that helps. Take care.

I have a friend and she was so stressed with her job, We are aaware that she's bipolar, And recently she just had a breakdawon. But she has no other problem, she has a very supportive family arround her, Can your job be a reason for the breakdown?

It's actually something I remember dealing with since I was 13 or 14 at least, and I'm 22 now. Last year I started taking medication for it (40mg of Citalopram), and that helped for a while, but I feel the medication hasn't been working as well as it used to, but again it's hard for me to tell sometimes. I can have a really bad day where I feel almost like I want to die all over again, and the next day, I feel fine and it makes me wonder if perhaps I was just tired or stressed, but that isn't a normal reaction to normal stress though I don't think. Again, I don't *think* I've ever had a full-on traditional (hypo)manic episode, but it's the nature and energy of the depressions that make me wonder if it's some form of bipolar disorder. I've felt extremely agitated, like my head was about to explode before, and I've had no energy and stayed in bed all day long as well. I'm really not sure what to expect from the medication. I know it's supposed to help me function, and I think I can function now because what I currently deal with is nothing compared to when I was a teenager, but I still don't know if it's really a "normal" level of functioning.