should i ask my doctor about bipolar?

[ponynutter102]

basically I have all the symptoms of this disorder my friends have noticed my mood changes quite severely and quickly to an opposite mood ... I haven't had mood swings for 3 years and I know what they are like .. I'm 15 but last time I went to the doctors she brushed it off saying I was my hormones but I really don't think it is I have counselling and this doesn't help at all .. I have self harmed when I've felt rock bottom .. I really don know what to do because she brushed it off last time so I'm thinking she will do it again help??

[Jazzyboops]

Hello- I just wanted to give my opinion on your situation because I have thought I was bipolar since I was 15 as well. I'm currently 25, was diagnosed with bipolar by a nurse practitioner when I was 21, but only met her once. I have tried Paxil for depression for 3 months when i was 22. that made me extremely hostile and homicidal. my mother was in denial about it and kept me from getting the right help I needed. But I do have to say, you're still young and going through a lot of changes and it could be hormones. You should wait until you're 18 to start messing around with medications because not all of them are beneficial and especially negative if you don't need them. The symptoms of bipolar seem to be very general and could also be confused with many other mental illnesses or even hormone imbalances or thyroid disorders relating to physical health. Have you read up on mania and ever experienced a manic episode? I usually experience manic episodes for about a month once a year and I get crazy insomnia and I have  so much energy and I obsess with working out and cleaning every hour. I don't mind my mania compared to my crippling depression which leaves me bedridden for months to the point I can't keep a job or have social interactions. I think you should totally wait on trying any type of medications at least until you're finished with high school. Give your hormones time to calm down and keep journals of your feelings. Then one day when you're older you can look back and make a better decision of what you need to do. Doctors like to force medication on people and most times it isn't even necessary. I hope this helps

[Anneinside]

Who do you see? your family doctor? psychiatrist? psychologist?

[thatquietgirl]

What does your counselor think?