if you try to hurt your self is that a sign that you are bipolar???

Question

what are more symptoms of bipolar? sometimes i fly off the handle really bad,i am happy one minute,then i get pissed off the next??? the doctor prescribed lamictal for me which is a bipolar medicine,but the doctor also said he cannot diagnosed it right now i was just wondering if you could tell me ??

Answer 1

no

Answer 2

If you try to hurt yourself does mean you have some serious problems. It does not necessarily mean you are bipolar. Hurting yourself can be a symptom of many unresolved issues.

Flying off the handle, and the change in moods do not necessarily indicate bipolar disease. It could be symptoms of other things.

You need to see a professional counselor, as well as a doctor. Many medical doctors do not study, or understand, these kinds of problems, and merely prescribe medications which will only mask the symptoms and never really get to the root of the problem.

Seek professional help beyond the medicl doctor. A doctor who can not diagnose an illness, yet prescribes medication for that specific illness is merely fishing for an answer. Find a different doctor.

You can get good, sound help. I have been able to (I am not bipolar) get a proper diagnosis.

Answer 3

You're symptoms sound amazingly like my daughters symptoms before she was diagnosed as bipolar. She saw one doctor for over a year and didn't label her with a diagnosis either. But then she had to start seeing a different doctor (long story) and this doctor said right away after listening to her story that she was most probably bipolar. She did some weird self mutilating and she would rant a lot. Like we'd be in a store and she would start complaining about something trivial and she would just get increasingly madder about it as she was talking about it and get progressively madder and louder as she talked about it until people around us would start to stare at her. And other times she would just be elated about something and beaming. But it could quickly go either way. Thank GOD for medication. She's been tons better since we discovered EFFEXOR. Which was a med I was already on for depression, and the doc perscribed for her also. I hope you find similar relief for your symptoms with your medication. But I'd say (Of course, I'm not a doc or anything) that your symptoms sound bi-polar.

Answer 4

Not necessarily. You could just be unhappy and have poor impulse control, which are seperate things intirely from being bi-polar. Usually with the diagnosis bi-polar, you are in manic phases for longer periods of time than minutes. My niece stays manic for days sometimes, and can be found awake painting her house or rearranging furniture or cleaning out the garage at 3 and 4am. She may go 2 or 3 days with little or no sleep. Then she crashes emotionally and may not get out of bed except to use the restroom for 4 or 5 days. She also cuts herself, but the self-mutilation is from something else altogether, and I truly believe that if she were cured of being bi-polar tomorrow, would still cut on herself due to the OTHER problems she has. Take the meds the doc gave you and keep a journal if you can to stay up with your mood and mood swings. The journal will help the next time you go to the doctor to let him get an idea as to your ups and downs. Good luck to you!!

Answer 5

Your doctor cannot diagnose you with bipolar, nor can her prescribe medication for it..maybe he/she prescribed something that may help you..for now. A psychiatrist is the one who will know for sure if you have this disorder. If you are concerned about this, I recommend you speak to a psychiatrist and let him/her know your concerns etc..that is the only option you may have right now.

check out this site

http://www.healthyplace.com/communities/bipolar/types.asp

there is supposed to be a quiz somewhere in there, asking yes/no questions that could help you make the decision about whether or not you may need help. Bipolar disorder is a serious condition and should not be taken likely, if you think you may have it seek help it's the only way out.

Good Luck

Answer 6

Don't be frightened of words like "bipolar" etc. You already know you've tried to hurt yourself, that you fly off the handle and that you have mood swings.

The important thing is that you get to the point where you are happy with who you are; where you won't feel like hurting yourself; where you have a few techniques for managing your anger; and your moods are more even.

In addition to seeing your M.D., I suggest you also see a psychologist to talk over all the things going on in your life right now.

Medication is a good long term solution while you work with a therapist on building your self-confidence and learn to understand and manage your anger, etc., etc.

It will take time, be patient. All the Best to you.

Answer 7

Bi-polar is explained in full on the sites below...good luck to you sweetie http://www.mentalhealth.com/

Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic-depressive illness, is a condition that affects more than two million Americans. People who have this illness tend to experience extreme mood swings, along with other specific symptoms and behaviors. These mood swings or "episodes" can take three forms: manic episodes, depressive episodes, or "mixed" episodes.
The symptoms of a manic episode often include elevated mood (feeling extremely happy), being extremely irritable and anxious, talking too fast and too much, and having an unusual increase in energy and a reduced need for sleep. It's also very common for someone to act impulsively during a manic episode, and engage in behaviors that are risky or that they later regret, like spending sprees. And in over half of all manic episodes, people are troubled by delusions or hallucinations. For example, they may think they have a relationship with someone famous, claim to be an expert in an area they really know nothing about, feel paranoid (unusually fearful), or hear voices that are not there.

The symptoms of a depressive episode often include an overwhelming feeling of emptiness or sadness, a lack of energy, a loss of interest in things, trouble concentrating, changes in normal sleep or appetite, and/or thoughts of dying or suicide.

http://understandbipolar.com

http://abilify.com/abilify/channels/bipolar_content.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&channelName=Bipolar/BP_Talking_to_HCP

Answer 8

HUrting yourself is a symptom of depression.


HEre are some sypmtoms
During a manic episode, you may be abnormally happy, energetic, or irritable for a week or more. You may spend a lot of money, get involved in dangerous activities, and sleep very little. After a manic episode, you may return to normal, but your mood may swing in the opposite direction to feelings of sadness, depression, and hopelessness. When you are depressed, you may have trouble concentrating, remembering, and making decisions; have changes in your eating and sleeping habits; and lose interest in things you once enjoyed.

The mood changes of bipolar disorder can be mild or extreme. They may develop gradually over several days or weeks, or come on suddenly within minutes or hours. The manic or depressive episodes may only last a few hours or for several months.

Answer 9

I don't think that trying to hurt yourself is a sign of being bipolar. You should really be seen by an endocrinologist to rule out any medical conditions that may be causing the problem.
My sister is bipolar and she is happy one minute and angry the next. I am clinically depressed (not bipolar) and I do the same thing. So, no one can guess what your problem is. Good luck, I know that this can be very frightening. Try to get a good dr. that can help you, it may save your life! It saved mine!

Answer 10

I'm not sure if this will help but here are the prime symptoms of being bipolar or the beginings of bipolar. However wanting to hurt yourself or fly off the handle could be signs of just plain old depression keep talking with your doctor, and research the subject if you need more info.

• Excessive energy, activity, restlessness, racing thoughts and rapid talking
• Denial that anything is wrong
• Extreme "high" or euphoric feelings — a person may feel "on top of the world" and nothing, including bad news or tragic events, can change this "happiness."
• Easily irritated or distracted
• Decreased need for sleep – an individual may last for days with little or no sleep without feeling tired.
• Unrealistic beliefs in one’s ability and powers — a person may experience feelings of exaggerated confidence or unwarranted optimism. This can lead to overly ambitious work plans and the belief that nothing can stop him or her from accomplishing any task...
• Uncharacteristically poor judgment — a person may make poor decisions which may lead to unrealistic involvement in activities, meetings and deadlines, reckless driving, spending sprees and foolish business ventures.
• Sustained period of behavior that is different from usual — a person may dress and/or act differently than he or she usually does, become a collector of various items, become indifferent to personal grooming, become obsessed with writing, or experience delusions.
• Unusual sexual drive
• Abuse of drugs, particularly cocaine, alcohol or sleeping medications
• Provocative, intrusive or aggressive behavior — a person may become enraged or paranoid if his or her grand ideas are stopped or excessive social plans are refused.

Symptoms of Depression
Some people experience periods of normal mood and behavior following a manic phase; however, the depressive phase will eventually appear. Symptoms of depression include:
• Persistent sad, anxious or empty mood
• Sleeping too much or too little, middle-of-the-night or early morning waking
• Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased appetite and weight gain
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities, including sex
• Irritability or restlessness
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions
• Fatigue or loss of energy
• Persistent physical symptoms that don’t respond to treatment (such as chronic pain or digestive disorders)
• Thoughts of death or suicide, including suicide attempts
• Feeling guilty, hopeless or worthless

Answer 11

Bipolar is not the only diagnosis you could have- there are other possibilities for why you try to hurt yourself.

Please go to NAMI.org, "inform yourself" and click on bipolar disorder to get a complete description of symptoms.

You may also want to talk to people on the bipolar forums.