can you diagnose yourself if you have a feeling you have the signs and symptoms of bipolar disorder?

Question

By reading or researching on the internet?

Answer 1

No. The feelings you have of anxiety combined with depression
are not true bi-polar disorder.
Although the mood swings may be severe, just the fact that you recognize them makes you alright.
Someone with bi-polar disease is not likely to recognize what is going on.

Remember, really crazy people don't think they are crazy.

If you are seriously concerned, you need to see a doctor.

Answer 2

Bipolar disorder other wise called manic depressive disorder is a disorder that includes mood swings from sadness and depression to hopefulness and full of energy from depression to mania. The symptoms you have described hint at bipolar disorder. Drugs as well as psychotherapy(psychological councelling) will help you .

Answer 3

You can convince yourself of most anything if you try hard enough. I read about bipolar and knew it wasn't me, right up to the point where the psychiatrist told me it was me.

So bipolar consists of extreme mood swings lasting months (Bipolar Type 1) to months or weeks (Bipolar Type 2), or even days or hours in rapid, ultra-rapid and ultradian cycling forms. Bipolar disorder was fomerly known as Manic Depressive Disorder because of the two extremes of symptoms.

Mania is characterised by euphoria, excessive energy, reduced appetite and need for sleep, pressured and rapid speech, grandiosity, excessive spending, hypersexuality, risk taking and even psychotic symptoms of hallucinations and delusions.

Depression is characterised by loss of interest in activities that were previously enjoyed, excessive or significantly reduced sleep, reduced appetite, reduced anergy, lethargy, apathy, feelings of suicide, feelings of worthlessness and emptiness.

Bipolar disorder is a very serious psychiatric illness that requires treatment. Untreated it will worsen over time, and carries a 20-25% risk of suicide.

Only a qualified psychiatrist can diagnose and treat bipolar disorder. If you think you may be, then print out a list of symptoms and mark those you think affect you. Keep a mood diary over several weeks or months, and take it to your GP. He or she will refer you to a psychiatrist if they feel it is necessary.

In the meanwhile, pray to God that you don't have bipolar disorder, cos it's no fun, I can tell you.

Come and discuss over at http://www.crazyboards.org or http://z9.invisionfree.com/Bipolar_Haven

Answer 4

You sure can not....by even saying you may have this disorder is a sign of a mental disorder. Let your doctor diagnose you....Sometimes patients are correct but you need that doctors John Hancock on that piece of paper....

Answer 5

I thought I had depression. Turns out I have dysthymia (a mild form of depression) and generalized anxiety (think, feeling like that nervous-looking orange M&M character all the time).

So, you could be wrong. It does help to have an objective opinion from an outsider who is not entangled in your life.

Answer 6

Only a physician can make such a diagnosis. The internet is not a place to get information to make self-diagnosis.

Answer 7

Not all doctors have the right answer.One can check out the net then ask their doctor if they will ask about the speciallist.You may have a wait period to see one.

Answer 8

You can be aware of the situation, but for it to be medically documented, it would need to be done by a doc. Don't be embarrassed, millions of people have it, including my best friend.

Answer 9

No. Unless you are not a docto,r are you? Just go to the dr and talk to him/her. They are trained, it could be something similar but not the same thing, you just never know.

Answer 10

such conditions are best diagnosed by a physician, many such conditions can be wrongly diagnosed or have simmilarities, so its best to get advice someone whos trained to do so