I felt the same way when I first went to my psych-np. Did I subconsciously tell her things to get the diagnosis. Why would I do that?? I believe that's part of my irrational thinking. I think now she's good enough to know when people are doing that. For all I know, it maybe a symptom of the disorder to do something like that.
I've had 5 practitioners tell me that I'm bipolar. I believe it now.
I guess the question is how many professionals do you need to try before you get the answer you want, and then how many do you have to get after that to make sure that the one that gave you the "correct" answer was right?
Remember, you're not bipolar, you have bipolar. It's not who you are.
I think symptoms can get worst when you get older but you always have the problem
I think symptoms can get worst when you get older but you always have the problem
So if you all of a sudden have a mood swing and you don't normally have them or in a bad mood its normal as a baby I was screaming all of the time in my 40s I still scream granted all baby scream but I did it all the time the doctor that delivered me nicked named me the screamer no joke born with behavoir problems from birth in sudden onset
I'm so sick and tired of hearing on tv just because a actor has a behavior they have bipolar bull **** you don't all of a suddenly develope your born with it your symptomatic from birth the medical comunity made a joke out of a real disorder just people in general have a behavoir and act badly that a common in all humans it more than that doctors have invested interested in drug company so if the say people have bipolar they get a percentage from the drug company this disorder has been made in to a joke and it's a real problem
My thought is when you don't want to see you don't want to see.
And despite the best efforts of some groups to use any symptom they can get 9 year olds don't get bipolar - it manifests much later.
This is why the DMS V likely wont have a paediatric bipolar entry - it controversial and no proof has been presented that shows kids with bipolar under the actual symptoms not an arbitrary set made up.
I was the same way, thinking I had schizoaffective disorder or bipolar disorder instead of schizophrenia until they printed me off a hand out on schizophrenia and I saw why it can be mistaken for those and now I believe without a doubt in mind that my diagnosis is correct because everything on the papers about it has happened to me or is currently happening. Maybe they could print you off detailed sheets on bipolar disorder? Trust me on this one but websites are actually not a good place to get information on an illness, they just don't go into detail good enough by far and leave out important information such as just why one illness will be mistaken for another so easily. I sort of have the same problem with people not believing me but then they turn around and think I'm weird and awkward at the same time. It is just hard for people to believe in something that is abstract and not concrete, especially that which they are not going through themselves. The only important aspect of having a diagnosis is so a doctor knows a general treatment plan to abide by and also so they can communicate to other doctors what illness you have without spending like 2 weeks describing what is wrong. It also helps to have a name for one's suffering finally, at least for me.
Good advise from Adel and Sydneylou. It is not the end of the world. It is only a label to dx. People with Bipolar can function in society and be successful, but stay on your meds so things do not get "out of wack". .
I agree with sydneylou totally. Medicine goes mainly by the symptoms irrespective of what you have. For example one day i took tegretol for a month and I happen to visit a friend who told me he is taking it so I asked him are you bipolar he said no, so the same meds is taken for a variety of symptoms. So forget now about being called bipolar and try to match the meds prescribed for you for the symptoms you have.
Besides everybody having BP has waited quite a while first until the state of denial is gone and he tried to accept the disease. This doesn't apply solely to bipolarity but for most of the diseases. Except in bipolarity it's more pronounced because as soon as you consult the internet it says severe mental illness. Nobody wants to be called insane for example with all the repercussions in the family and at work. This is why I try to convince myself - not by telling myself that many bipolars were genius - but all what I have is some severe mood swings. By the way everybody is bipolar by definition, except there are bounds above and below, contrary to us
However you are right in having another and another advise until you are completely convinced, but in the meantime don't ignore your meds if are not stable
good luck
The diagnosis is only that... a diagnosis. Remember, it does NOT define who you are, it just describes a group of symptoms. The diagnosis also allows you to receive the necessary treatment to treat your illness.
Perhaps if there was a blood test or x-ray to 'test' for BP, accepting the diagnosis would be a whole lot easier for all of us to swallow. Since objective, absolute tests for BP do not exist, doctors have to rely on what we tell them and what they observe. In fact, the process reminds me of a saying... "if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck."
My concern for you is that you will continue to seek out medical opinions until you hear what you want to hear. In the meantime, your moods will flutter, fly and crash and inevitably, you'll become very unwell. No one can force you to believe you have BP but there is no shame in seeking help for an illness that is no fault of your own. You maybe able to dodge this for a little while but unfortunately, BP isn't something you can will yourself out of.
All of us here are NOT bipolar, rather, we are people who happen to have bipolar disorder.
Take care.
I'm sure you have researched the symptoms of Bipolar? There are different categories of Bipolar and I believe you only need to have one full blown episode to be considered Bipolar. Possibly if you get a 4th opinion you may feel more confident in accepting the dx. I would be very careful about getting off my meds, you could slide back. If you are feeling good now it could be because of your meds.