bipolar?????

Question

Bi-Polar???
Okay,Ive always had this problem....One minute I will be fine,someone will say something I dont agrree with and I snap.....thats not what iam worried about though....Iam mostly worried about that I will be fine on minute,loving life,the next I start wondering why iam here and what life is....and put myself down and ask myself why I did what I did......

Also noticed that Iam reallt motivated one minute and the next I got like no motivation ,cant ever make my mind up with stuff.......

I Dont really wanna goto a profesional because if iam diagnosed as bi polar I wont be able to join the military like I plan...by the way,I just turned 20



And no I dont really mean minute by minute like people thought in my last post...sometimes I will go from one mood to the other in a couple days,sometimes itll last a mnths..

Answer 1

Please disregard the first post by Lost One who has an obvious agenda and a warped view about mental health.

Bipolar is a somewhat difficult diagnosis to make without a thorough history and it can be overdiagnosed and often confused with Borderline Personality Disorder as they share some common features at times.

From what you said I don't hear enough there to warrant a Bipolar Diagnosis, perhaps Cyclothymia, but not necessarily. There are many other symptoms that need to be present before considering either, so here's a description of the major forms for you to consider:
Bipolar Disorder comes in 2 forms, Bipolar I and Bipolar II. Bipolar I is the type most people think of where someone experiences shifts between depression, mania and/or mixed episodes. Bipola II is most like recurrent major depressive episodes interspersed with hypomanic episodes (which do not reach the level of a mania). The following is a general description of some of the criteria for depression and mania, but you should not attempt diagnosis yourself. You can check the exact criteria in a DSM IV and a thorough history needs to be taken for accurate diagnosis and assessment.
Criteria for Depression are five of the following during a 2 week period:
1) depressed mood more days than not, can be just irritable in adolescents and children and frequently men show more irritability
2) decreased or increased appetite accompanied by weight gain or loss
3) hypersomnia or insomnia
4) recurrent thoughts of death or dying, suicidal ideation
5) observable psychomotor retardation or agitation
5) anhedonia (loss of interest in previous pleasurable activities)
6) subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down
7) Difficulty concentrating and/or making decisions
Criteria for a Mania:
1) Decreased need for sleep without feeling tired despite only several hours per night or no sleep
2) Pressured speech that is difficult to interrupt(talking very rapidly and loudly with pressure to keep talking)
3) Flight of Ideas or "racing thoughts"
4) Increased energy
5) Engaging in a flurry of goal-directed activity-either impulsive behavior that has a high potential for damaging consequences-spending money, reckless driving, sexual promiscuity, etc. or excessively overproductive with respect to work
6) a consistently elevated or "high" mood or a consistently irritable mood
7) grandiose delusions-seeing oneself as more important or powerful than they truly are but in delusional proportions, not simply inflated self-esteem

Bipolar II is similar but the manic symtoms are less severe and rarely warrant hospitalization as they do not reach psychotic levels.

Additionally there is a condition called cyclothymia where a person cycles between hypomania and dysthymia (milder depression).

The condition most often has a genetic component and often there are first degree relatives with the disorder. there is also a higher prevalence of other mood disorders and eating disorders and alcoholism among relatives.

If you recognize enough symptoms to think you may need further evaluation, I'd suggest seeking an assessment with a therapist-either a social worker or a psychologist.

If you enter the military, a psychiatric evaluation will be part of the entrance exam anyway, so you might as well consider it if you think it may fit. Also you won't be dishonorably discharged either, you would receive a medical discharge and likely full benefits if it is diagnosed later.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

I'd have to say that your mental health is more important than your being in the military. In fact many people with no signs of psychological problems going into IRAQ (or other conflict) often come back suffering from PTSD, and you sound like this could very easily happen to you.

Answer 3

You can't hide this and getting help at a young age will help you live a long and happy life. Find a mental health center and get help now. You won't fool the military.

Answer 4

Better to be diagnosed and treated correctly, it may not be what you fear. But if it is, better to be diagnosed and not in the military than to be in the military and dishonorably discharged because you went off on someone.

Answer 5

This is called being COMPLETELY NORMAL.

Screw psychiatrists! They will ruin your life.