Do I have bipolar

[Thirtysomethin]

My husband as brought this question to me.i have being taking cilatapram since June I started on 10mg every 2months they were upped by 10 mg. I am currently on 40mgs. But still get dark episodes which can change quite suddenly I binge drink on weekends an have been known to do stupid things that could have serious repercussion on my families lives. I don't have suicidal thoughts on a regular basis. I find it very difficult to talk to anybody about my feelings although I was quite honest with the gp am I just depressed or could I have bipolar??

[Thirtysomethin]

I think I will ask my doctor to refer me to see a physicitrist I am definitely not type one but I do have some of the symptoms thank u for your help x

[lindahand]

If you think there is more going on that just depression I would ask your GP for a referral to a psychiatrist. They will go over your history and give you a diagnosis.

Bipolar is about distinct states of being. You have to to overly 'up'. At the beginning stages it can be wonderful (not everyone gets this some just get really irritable) you feel like you can do anything, you are more social, your mind is a bit quicker, you become the life of the party. Then as it progresses you may start talking so fast no one can understand you, you start shopping in ways you can't afford, you may have risky sexual encounters, you may come up with the worlds best 'get rich quick' scheme. Eventually you lose all control. You may hallucinate, you may think you are God, or the someone else famous. To be type one bipolar you have to be to the hallucination, thinking you are famous, going to be the next billionaire stage and you have usually been hospitalized or in hindsight should have been hospitalized. For type 2 you just need to be hypomanic. So some of the symptoms of mania but not full tilt.

Then you have to be clinically depressed. You say you don't have suicidal thoughts on a regular basis - if you have them some of the time that counts, if you never have thoughts of death or suicide then you are not bipolar. And the depression can't be caused by grief. So low energy, low motivation, feeling down about yourself and thinking things like "I am lazy, I am stupid, I have nobody who loves me, or the people who do love me wouldn't love me if they really knew what I was like, this pain will never end. Life is not worth living"

Some people get mixed states which is having some symptoms of depression and hypomania or mania. It is a unique mix per person but is always confusing and horrible.

If you are binge drinking your antidepressants won't be as effective because alcohol is a depressant. It will make any depression worse. You may want to check out AA if you are not able to control your drinking. It really does work.