Is bipolar depression different from normal depression?

Question

I'm bipolar and instead of feeling sad I feel nothing. I have no emotions apart from negative ones like guilt, fear, etc. But the worse is I have no empathy. Because I have no emotions when people tell me things I have no answer becaue I can't emotionally relate to what they are talking about so I can't have a conversation. It is so lonely. i don't even feel love for my family or even my baby nephew. Also I my intelligence has gone. I frequently don't understand or grasp the simplest sentences or concepts. It's like I hear words but they don't get through to the part of my brain that interprets them into realisation. I have no concept of understanding apart from simple things. My personality, opinions, judgements and everything has gone also. Does this sound like depression to you?

I should just add that I am bipolar I have been manic I'm just wondering if anyone knows if there is a difference btween the depressive stage of bipolar and just depression and if so if anyone identifies with what I have described.

I know what bipolar is, I have been hospitalised for it for 3 months. My question probably isn't very clear because my head isn't at the moment. I basically wanted to know if depression for someone with bipolar is different from that of someone with unipolar depression (i.e. no highs). And also if anyone has any understanding of the symptoms I described. Sorry if I wasn't clear enough. I am on Lithium, duloxetine (anti-depressant) and occasionally take Zopiclone (sleeping tablet). Thanks.

YOU KNOW, some of you people are entirely emotionally retarded. You think because u see something one way then it must be that way. Have u ever heard of perception? Can't u look at things from other peoples point of view. If you dont have a dam clue what u r talking about which most of u dont then please dont answer the question. I AM NOT STUPID I KNOW WHAT BIPOLAR IS. I AM NOT MAKING IT UP EITHER TO THE SILLY COW below who suggested so. You are too eager to try and appear intelligent than to try and understand. Thanks to the girl with manic depression who said much the same.

Answer 1

people with depression usually feel down all the time whereas bipolar people have periods where they're happy, then sad, then happy again. This is why Bi-polar was formerly call Manic Depression. It was stupid of them to change the name when it fit so perfectly already.

Answer 2

I wonder how many of the people who have answered this question actually ARE bipolar. Many of them seem to think that without medication it is a roller coaster ride with mood swings all the time. Not true!

I am bipolar and I have more "lows" than "highs". When I am manic, it is god-awful and it lasts for weeks. I get very fixated on one or two things and nothing else. During those times I go with very little sleep and drive my family crazy in the meantime. The thing is, these episodes are few and far between.

The depression part, on the other hand, is more common for me. My doctor says this is a normal thing. Some people have more manic episodes than others. Some are like me and have more depression.

I stay on an even keel when I stay on my meds. Unfortunately, I am like most bipolar people and think that I am "cured" when the meds kick in and I am feeling better. I have been off my meds for a few months and the depression is coming back. I have had no manic episodes this time around.

All I am trying to say, folks, is that unless you are bipolar, don't act like you know what living with it is like.

Answer 3

I'm sorry that you've struggled for answers with this thread - I've read it and I can understand your frustration. Your question wasn't 'Am I bipolar' but more 'Do people with unipolar depression feel like this?' Right?

I don't know if I'm speaking from a personal point-of-view or not because I'm waiting to find out. I can tell you though that I've suffered from depression and have 99% of the symptoms of bipolar - my "manic" periods haven't ever had me in trouble with the police or abusing substances/alcohol or having delusions. My "lows" have seen me so low I've been suicidal, sometimes I feel everything, every tiny little second feels like the world is ending and its all my fault. It hurts so much I want to die. Some times I feel nothing - its like I'm numb, things just seem to go over my head and nothing sticks. I go into total shutdown mood and get lost in my head for days or weeks. I've gone into and come out of these times from anything as quickly as a snap of the fingers to several days with a "normal" period in between.

I also know how you feel about losing your intelligence, I was a "gifted child" and have been a member of Mensa since childhood - the frustration and anger I feel when I say the wrong word or lose a word right out of my head. Or spell words wrong - I have to re-read things 3 or 4 times before I spot all the spelling mistakes - I was always top of the class with spelling and English was my favourite and strongest subject. It's the most painful thing in the world for me, the things I prided myself on seem to have just vanish.

Anyway, I think my point to all this rambling is that depression is very personal - for some its the most painful time ever, for others they're numb. I don't think the fact that whether its unipolar or bipolar depression can change how YOU deal with it.

I hope that helps you some and I hope that you can come through this difficult time for you.

Answer 4

Depression is depression, whatever sort it is. The only difference between is the treatment. If someone is bipolar then some anti depressents can make you go "high" so the treatment has got to be specific. What your experiencing is 'emotional bluntness' which can sometimes be normal after what you have been through. If you have just come out of hospital your mental health is still recovering and so you might feel a bit shitey. Try not to worry, make an appointment to see your consultant or speak to your CPN. Depression and your bluntness is totally treatable but sometimes it takes some trial and error. Try and be strong and ask for help. If you feel like you need to talk to someone ring the samaritons they are really helpfull. X

Answer 5

Your meds may not be right for you or the doses. ALWAYS tell your doctor exactly what you are feeling or going thru just like you have us. They may want to change something in order for you to feel human again. They are there to help you & not to destroy you or make you inhuman. No, there's not a difference between a bipolar (manic depression) & a unipolar depression. The only difference between just being depressed is the mania side of bipolar (manic depressive). By the way, bipolar & manic depression are one and the same. They changed the name from manic depressive to bipolar. I have a link below discussing how my Bipolar (manic depression) effects myself below:

Answer 6

First of all bipolar and depression are two different things. I have both. Being bipolar, you can be manic or very down, high or low. Preferably you want to be somewhere in the middle with a stable med. Clinical depression is also a mental disorder that has to be balanced with another med. You need to talk to your doctor, or get one if you don't have it, and get all this straight. Then you can tell the difference.

Answer 7

Yes, bipolar disorder involves fluctuating depression and mania....Manic depressive syndrome is the same thing. Lots of energy, and up up up, to the lowest lows, and the angriest rage.

Lack of emotion is often a symptom of depression....not feeling anything. It sounds like you had emotion before, and it has disappeared? Possibly someone in your life has died, or you have a medical situation that is causing the depression?

Have you been checked for hypothyroidism?

It is good that although you aren't feeling anything, you can see what this debilitating illness takes away from you.

Answer 8

Yeah they're different. I am clinically depressed...I'm *always* down. I have a friend who is bi-polar and she doesn't take antidepressents, she takes lithium along with some other meds that I don't remember. Her highs are *really* high...manic...and a bit scary. Her lows are like you.

Your "intelligence" being gone and all that sounds like something else; maybe you just feel that way because you're depressed right now but I'm not a doctor. If you trust your doctor you should call him...soon.

Answer 9

As many people have stated, BiPolar Depression is categorized by extreme lows of depression intermixed with extreme highs of mania. Based on what you've described above, I'm wondering if you are taking any medication for your depression. Most of your symptoms sound like effects of Effexor or other depression medication. In most cases (note the word most, as there are many exceptions) the other effects you are feeling are linked more to antidepressents than to the depression itself. I would highly recommend that you see your doctor or psychiatrist or therapist as soon as you can. A total loss of personality is not common for either depression or bipolar disorder.

Answer 10

It doesn't sound like bipolar, that's for sure. Bipolar means that one suffers from periods of "mania" as well as bouts of "depression" hence the two poles. Manias can be 2 hours to 2 months long, usually followed by a hard depression or a crash, and this will keep happening unless treated. Depression is a feeling of nothingness which is not followed or preceded by a mania.