Worried I might be developing Bipolar Disorder

[Teafrenzy]

Any help appreciated. Oh my strange brain.

Let me give you a brief history on my anxiety disorder. In late August, I experienced a very traumatic incident. It happened in the very early morning, around 5 am. I caught a burglar trying to break into my place, I hyper ventilated, screamed and nearly feinted from the ordeal. Plus at 5am I was half asleep as I usually wake around 9 or 10. I put on all the lights in my place and then went to sleep.

Then about a week later I started to feel very anxious, with symptoms...light headed, fatigue, chest thumping, overall anxiety and irritability, tingling sensations.

Then about a week after that, I had my first full blown panic attack. it came at dusk, around 7pm, when the sun started going down. My brain felt like it was on electric shocks. The intense fear was terrible. I had extreme disassociation, could not concentrate and disturbing anxious thoughts. These attacks would last for what seemed like hours, but then late at night it would die down somewhat. This pattern happened every day for about a month.

Panic attacks and GAD seemed to persist for about a month until I finally convinced myself it was all just an anxiety disorder. So I then began to treating it as such. For the past 20 days, I have changed my diet, drank water, exercised regularly and took supplements, fish oil, apple cider vinegar, 5-htp, Vitamin D. The past 3 days I have taken magnesium disglycerate. I learned breathing. Saw a therapist. The panic attacks basically stopped. Only 1 the past week. But still some general anxiety.

Today was truly weird, I woke up anxious. Felt better for a few hours. By the afternoon, anxiety and fear again with some slight light headedness. Then I started to feel depressed for a few hours.

Then when the night started coming, something truly weird happened. Instead of a panic attack, I got a rush. I felt extremely happy and excited. Filled with energy. The depression went away and I wouldn't say I was full blown euphoric, but it seemed like I couldn't control this "excitement".

I am feeling worried this is the start of a new anxiety disorder or bipolar disorder. Or is this natural recovery?

[gypsylee]

Are you on any meds? I went pretty "manic" a couple of times when SSRIs kicked in.

But I seriously wouldn't worry about this and just enjoy it :) The problem with anxiety is you become hyper-aware of how you're feeling. If you start thinking you can jump off buildings and fly then I'd worry about Bipolar but this sounds pretty normal (even good!) to me.

[Teafrenzy]

I'm not on any meds, just a whole lot supplements.

Tonight I was really scared that after this "excitement" buzz died off, I would feel very depressed. But fortunately when it died off I felt ok the rest of the night. Ironically, the worst time of the day now for me seems to be the mid afternoons, which used to be my best time of the day.

I have also noticed I have tension headaches. If I press down on certain areas in my head like the sides and the base of the head, near the neck, it is somewhat painful. The world is always a bit "hypercharged" and it is somewhat difficult to watch tv.

[jones27]

I don't think bipolar is something you can develop in that way. But I am not sure .

My moods swing like crazy when I am in an anxiety state of mind. Some times day to day some times minute to minute.

With bipolar your extreme highs would have you spending money with no regard for future, being reckless and impulsive, etc.

Your lows would be severe depression.

Typically these episode for people with bipolar are measured in days not minutes. That is my understanding of it

I have had the same fear though, that I am bipolar, but I have had multiple mental health professionals tell me I am not.

[Ponder]

Not sure where I heard it, but Bipolar is one of the most oversewn mental illnesses. Actually I head that statement on a Netflix Documentary called Prescription Thugs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awA2iURRx0M). The trouble is that only 5% of the worlds population is using 75% of the worlds prescription drugs. Basically if your living in a western country, then your living in a society that seeds the need to sustaining an industry that thrives on pain and suffering. Once you let that fact settle in, it starts to make sense why we are not getting any better.

It helps me to understand how it is that we are constantly influenced to think and act the way we do. Just as the major corporations are reliant on pain and suffering, we too are just as dependent and easily led to believe we are in need. I could easily throw together a history of manic episodes, build a case and go see a GP with the aim to chase down a DX (diagnosis) of BP ... or any strain of mental illness. Find our the prerequisite, conjour up and manifest the symptoms and bobs your uncle.

The seeds have been sown. All we need do is lap up the marketed fear, start popping the initial prescription meds and sooner or later regardless of what illness you think you may, or may not ... your guaranteed to contract one of a million. Take your pic. Therein lay the issue with the amount of anxiety and focus we attribute the way we do in our prosperous western world.

Understanding how the wheel spins gives us a choice of whether or not we wish to remain sick. Not knowing leaves us to continually be led. Either way - we think it's our choice. That's how mass control works. That's not a conspiracy, but a fact.

Far easier to remain sick (cling to our labels) than it is to grasp the truth. Is why when people don't have a DX, they soon go out in search of one for no other reason than to fit in. The latter puts into context another spin that explains well what goes on in places like this.
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Just my 2 cents ... and I don't mind standing out on a limb. I'm nowhere near as balanced, I just know how to work the system and it's what many of us do simply to get by. Pure and Simple. Alas, we also become victims in that process as well. lmfao. ahahahahahahah time to go fucking manic and burn the kid driving the bus, take out a whole day care centre and rar rar fucking RARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. "Oh My - he was such a gentle man; what could of possibly gone wrong" comes the neighbours response - News Flash - "Apparently the man was no longer taking his medication .... bla bla bla" comes the fear imprinting and influencing voice.

The whole fucking mess if self perpetuating. Pure & Simple.

Once you understand how it's all created and neatly sown up ... you can take heart in knowing most of what we think is mostly BS.

Have a nice day. ;)

[Dahila]

Unfortunately you are creating your own reality. Yes it was not nice to catch someone breaking in your house but it is not trauma, You have no idea what trauma is, When you went back to sleep ......lol
Bipolar my ex is bipolar and I had spend 20 years with him, you are bipolar or not. Someone who analyze it like you, I am sure is not bipolar. You have anxiety, typical we go up and down. Do not use word depressed when you are not. You feel lonely, people do not pay attention to you so you made this post. If you really think this way it is possible that you will actually get sick.
Less of computer, less of smart phone and there will be less anxiety, go for a walk, watch good movie, read a good book. Distract yourself stop focusing on how unhappy you are, and maybe you can start to feel happy

[Teafrenzy]

Unfortunately you are creating your own reality. Yes it was not nice to catch someone breaking in your house but it is not trauma, You have no idea what trauma is, When you went back to sleep ......lol



Not that I'm here to fight, but both a psychologist and a social worker told me I had PTSD. Reading a lot about this on the internet, it is apparent that "trauma" need not be a bullet wound or a near-fatal car crash. Events will affect people differently. People can feel no symptoms at all at the time and develop them week s or months later. But all my physical symptoms happened AFTER this event. Plus my symptoms changed consistently throughout the day. When it was dark, my anxiety became much more acute. When people came to my door, the anxiety got worse too. The consistency of when my panic attacks occurred and my anxiety was heightened proves it is PTSD.



Bipolar my ex is bipolar and I had spend 20 years with him, you are bipolar or not. Someone who analyze it like you, I am sure is not bipolar. You have anxiety, typical we go up and down.

Bipolar is NOT that uncommon a condition. You can be perfectly fine at times which I'm sure you know. The rush of excitement instead of extreme fear seemed strange. So I asked for advice. Nothing more than that.



Do not use word depressed when you are not. You feel lonely, people do not pay attention to you so you made this post. If you really think this way it is possible that you will actually get sick.
Less of computer, less of smart phone and there will be less anxiety, go for a walk, watch good movie, read a good book. Distract yourself stop focusing on how unhappy you are, and maybe you can start to feel happy

This is ridiculous. How do you know if I am depressed? I am not so lonely as to make a post about it, I've posted a lot of other things as well. I have responded to others too. Yes, I have felt lonely at times and so has everyone. But I know when I am feeling normal and when something is "off"..being deeply depressed for no reason. It's a medical condition.

No offense, but this website is supposed to be a safe haven for people with anxiety disorders. I don't see the point to contributing to the problem by spreading misinformation.

[Dahila]

Well when you look to label you condition and do believe what psychologist and social worker and internet tell you, you have it. I do not mean offence either I am old woman and had seen and work with lets say ' mentally challenged" for years....... When I was in my late twenties I was absolutely sure I suffer with schizophrenia, after I had read a good book about it. It was a bestseller in my country at this time written by psychiatrist. We prone to suggestion. we I mean us people with anxiety. We always try to fit in , and it does not work. It never work, I am kind of worry that you are too much into it. You need to relieve the pressure, the tension and there a lot of tools violable. How to help yourself you will find in stickies, about natural remedies, meditation, visualisation. The only thing forum provides is the space to write, not much more. I feel that this forum very often is labelling people and put them into cubes .
I do not know much about you but on the other hand I had read thousands of posts like yours and not necessary here

[Kirk]

I would consult with a mental health professional and describe your symptoms and concerns to them and see what they have to say.

[Ponder]

Is defiantly a pace where people come to sow their conditions. Go see the professionals, they will help you with that.

If you want to help yourself - answer your own questions.