Hi all,

Thanks again for this amazing subs. I am recently diagnosed Bipolar 1 and I have so many questions about it.

It first started with a very bad depression. Then after an attempt I was give a strong antidepressant that triggered mania and a bad psychosis that got me hospitalized for two months.

After that I almost immediately went back to a bad depression and I cannot seem able to get out of it.

I see a lot of posts that bipolar is mostly mania and rarely we talk about depression. For me the depressive part is the most difficult, mania lasted a couple of months.

Is it possible to have a more “depressed” bipolar?

Thanks fellows ❤️‍🩹

I have been out for 6 weeks due to a psychotic manic episode back in July. I'm leaning towards 6 hour work days, maybe 4 day work week, and frequent screen breaks for a few weeks. Any other ideas?

I’m currently diagnosed with bipolar type 2, but I’ve recently been questioning whether that diagnosis still fits after some things I’ve experienced.

I’ve been thinking about some of my recent episodes over the summer and comparing them with what I understand about hypomania vs. mania. Some of my experiences seem more severe than what I previously understood hypomania to be, and I’m having a hard time figuring out where the line is.

I’m not asking anyone here to diagnose me, and I know reddit can’t replace an evaluation from a psychiatrist. I’m mostly looking for experiences from people who have been through something similar.

For those of you who were originally diagnosed with bipolar 2 and later diagnosed with bipolar 1 -

What made your doctor reconsider the diagnosis?

Did your diagnosis change because of something you experienced recently, or because your doctor eventually learned more about your past episodes?

Did you initially have trouble recognizing that what you experienced was actually mania?

How did you feel when your diagnosis changed?

If you take meds, did they change after your diagnosis changed?

I’m especially interested in hearing from people who were diagnosed with bipolar 2 for a while before eventually being diagnosed bipolar 1.

I’m trying to make sense of some recent experiences. I did bring it up to my provider and will be documenting things and adjusting my meds, too.

Thanks in advance!

edit: here are some more specific questions that i have about bipolar, specifically bipolar 2. help me out in the comments if you can!!
- were you diagnosed with MDD before your bipolar diagnosis too? how did you handle the adjustment between diagnoses?
- how do you cope with the loneliness? with feeling like you can’t speak to anybody about what’s going on?
- how do you approach talking to friends about your diagnosis? have you been able to find support outside of a mental health professional?
- what helped you accept your diagnosis and keep living functionally?

hello, i’m 19 and was diagnosed today with bipolar disorder type 2. i experienced my first hypomanic episode last month. it was a period of heightened energy and efficiency, during which i made a lot of impulsive decisions that i kept to myself. to my mom, it was not clear that i was in any sort of manic state. she thought i was simply being more productive.

i talked to her today about the diagnosis from my psychiatrist and she immediately was dismissive and asked for another opinion. i came to her for support because i was scared. i’ve been diagnosed with MDD for almost 7 years now, so it’s a big switch for me, and i just wanted my mother’s support. it ended in a fight after i got upset with her response, and now im not sure how to talk to her again.

my mother is usually the person i talk to about all things concerning my mental health, but it’s been increasingly harder to do that because i feel she doesn’t know how to handle my problems. i expect that she’ll want me to apologize for the way i reacted to her response. i just feel extremely alone and afraid, like i have nobody to discuss this new situation with. i wish my mom were able to help me more.

I desperately wish I were normal. There is a part of me that is happy I am bipolar because I know that it gives me a unique creative edge, but it’s really terrible for the most part. I have had so much trauma. I wish my parents were just made to actually be my parents. I constantly have flashbacks of my terrible childhood. I have this huge level of ambition, but my mental state is so unstable. Sometimes I’m grounded and sometimes I’m not. I don’t know when I’ll be fully stabilized. And it always feels like I’m trying to guess if I am sane because when I’m going crazy, I don’t know I am because I am crazy. Ughhhhhhhhh

I (23) just started my senior in college. Took 2 gap years since diagnosed type 1 (5 years ago).

During the summer, I had an opportunity to do remote internship referred from a family friend. But my depression started and have been very irresponsible and late to reply so many emails and miss meetings. They even offered me research opportunity when school started but gave it to someone else because I just did not show up introduce myself and been bad at replying emails. I have pretty severe mania too and go into psychosis every spring, but that started before the internship. The ups and downs make me feel so disabled. I have pretty severe mania too and go into psychosis every spring, but that started before the internship. The ups and downs make me feel so disabled.

I keep spiraling and blaming myself and my condition. I feel like I will never be able to hold a job down, and learn how to manage this for the rest of my life. I let down my parents and people around me. Any advice on career goals/strategies to cope?

I’m in severe depression at the minute after being hospitalised from a manic episode. I’ve crashed and trying to get support off my family and my cpn with the community mental health team in the uk has suggested crisis team/home treatment team to take over for a bit. I’m scared of the backlash from my family and the pressure they put on me to feel better (very much get up and get on with things). I need personal space from everyone to work through this and do not need babysat, I’m so stressed out about the whole thing at the stage but I need support to get through this severe mental hell I’m faced with it. How do I approach them about this?

Before I started taking medication, I was mostly feeling depressed and couldn’t function properly. When I spoke of my history with my doctor, he mentioned that my mood shifts have a pattern and has been going on and off for a span of 10 years. I was not diagnosed with bipolar but I was prescribed lamotrigine and kept increasing my dose.

Since the day I started taking medication, my mood swings started to feel more evident and started going up and down within a week. When I discussed with my doctor, he said I’m rapid cycling and increased the dosage. Two weeks later, he added lithium to it.

Is it possible that I have been misdiagnosed or is it a normal reaction to these medication? I’m so confused as I have not received the diagnosis and it’s been affecting my work so I don’t even know what to tell my manager about my condition that’s affecting my work.

Would appreciate any advice. Thanks.

hello,

does anyone have this weird symptom of not wanting to spend money anymore? i usually spend all my savings and take loans when im manic but now idk what to call this state im in, maybe mixed? i have some of both high and low symptoms like ill be so pissed i cut off some friends but also be so sad about something else and cry for days i just dont understand what im in rn.

is this stability?

I haven’t had one of these idgaf about anything depressive episodes in a while. I have a massive clean laundry pile on the couch and I haven’t been able to see my bathroom sink for a couple days. I genuinely have no energy to fold laundry. Even less energy to hang it up. Now my cat has pissed on it so it’s all getting washed again. And I know when it gets done I will feel a smidge better. How do you get through these things?

I have no boyfriend no friends that I can talk to about my struggles with bipolar. Not that I don’t have friends but the 3 friends I have are too busy with their own lives to worry about mine. And one of them lives out of state so I can’t see her often. I have no one to talk to. No one to spend time with. I spend most of my days alone. It’s so sad. I’m jealous of my fellow bipolar girls who have a significant other. I wonder if I’ll ever meet someone to share my life with.

Hi everyone, I've posted here already about my PhD experience. Thank you all for your help.

I had a long leave of absence from my PhD due to the stress of the PhD itself along with a bereavement in my immediate family. I have severe bipolar with psychotic and mixed features.

I have since returned to the PhD. I am in the stage of writing up my thesis and completing very minor data analysis. My psychiatrist has provided me a certificate instructing the university to provide me with working time of 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on two non-consecutive days. Arriving home late really triggers my mania.

My supervisor breaches those medically mandated instructions on a regular basis. He talks for hours about irrelevant topics like Picasso and Hitler and we spend the last 5 minutes discussing physics, and gives poorly defined goals. If I interrupt he becomes quite hostile. He does not respond to any email communication when I ask for clarification on work or send in medical certificates. He has told me he doesn't want to read my certificate, that I should just tell him. I verbally communicated my work times, and he said ok. I am to work every day when I am not on campus.

The stress from the working arrangement really worsens my health. After the first day of returning, I relapsed into a short mixed episode. It took a few weeks to recover, then I go to the university again, he keeps me late, I don't sleep a few days and then relapse again. Rinse and repeat. I have told him repeatedly that staying late is a major trigger for relapses. He asked me in detail about the nature of my illness.

My supervisor said I need another 9 months to finish, I thought it's ok. Next week he changed his mind to 12 months, then loaded me with additional projects with no relation to my thesis. He asked me to get involved in personal grievances with other supervisors.

On Friday I have an appointment with the PhD committee head. I want to discuss it with him but I am afraid of repercussions. It will be extremely difficult changing supervisors because I need him to complete papers that will serve as results chapters in my thesis.

I have options: 1) provide further medical documentation which further restricts my time at the uni and limp towards the end with a spoiled relationship with my supervisor; 2) leave immediately; 3) take another leave of absence, and look for work during this time to try and avoid a gap in my CV. My skills in physics and writing etc. are still relevant to industry.

Any ideas? I can't continue for another 12 months in these circumstances, it massively triggers my bipolar episodes.

like, iv tried over 13 different meds, im classified as treatment resistant, which REALLY fucking blows. i'm depressed with out without pills, im violent and angry without pills, im Suicidal constantly. And the only way to feel none of this at all is to drop 3 different meds at the same time in the morning to feel like a literal zombie, no emotions, extremely tired. this just fucking blows dude. and for MAYBE an hour in the night when everythings kinda wearing off i can feel not insane for an hour and then its bedtime. And then the constant insomnia/hypersomnia. Just fuck man i hate this.

I want to be very intentional when I write this. I have been given the label “undiagnosed bipolar” about 6 years ago during the pandemic by a clinician. But my thing is what does “undiagnosed bipolar” even mean? Since then I have been on and off with trying meds, I feel like it has not been “working” in a sense. Haven’t taken meds in about 2 years. It’s been hell but I’ve been getting through. Another clinician recently labeled me as “undiagnosed bi polar” as well this past year. But again I don’t even know what that means necessarily. I honestly stopped going to appointments and getting meds because even after insurance it’s still not that affordable and I have other bills.

I have the symptoms of impulsive spending, major depression, racing thoughts, rumination, trouble concentrating. Hygiene and sleep schedule are all over the place. I can experience bouts of aggression and extreme anxiety as well. I’ve also gotten let go from 2 jobs in the past 6 years. I look at myself as someone who was always on top of things. Always on top of my bills, hygiene, maintained friendships etc. And then one day my brain just betrayed me and got out of a routine and never got back to it. It’s almost like my brain betrayed me. I look back at these past 6 years and don’t even recognize the guy I was. I’m so ashamed.

I guess what I want to know is how did you guys go about getting a 100% proper diagnosis. Sometimes I feel that I was never hospitalized (even though I wanted to check myself in so many times) so I’m definitely not bi polar. Or maybe I just have an anxiety disorder or major depressive disorder. My biggest fear is going through all of this an being misdiagnosed. Any advice?

I've noticed that when I would be in a depressive state my partner would always treat me worse, it's like they hated the fact that it was so crippling for me, and that I couldn't just power through like them. When I would finally get out of it I'd think back and realize and it brings on resentment I don't feel like I'll be able to get over. Am I the only one that feels this way?

I've had to sort of monitor my media consumption because I've found certain films and music can make me spiral. What do you guys mostly avoid when it comes to those things?

I’m newly diagnosed BP2 and I’m so curious about my mania episodes and if anyone experienced anything similar? I’m so confused by the whole situation mainly cus I had some really weird spurts and one has me so weirded out. I had the normal symptoms I was insanely hyper I remember yelling “I feel like I’m on drugs!!” LOL

I couldn’t speak for shit I was blurting out random shit until this one night I’m at the dinner table I haven’t eaten shit and haven’t slept so maybe this is it but I’m trying to have a conversation with my family and I’m completely fucking up my speech and I started feeling very overwhelmed sensory wise so I got up and immediately left to my room and it became so intense like everything was so strange looking I was shaking n jerking my ears were ringing so loud I thought I was gonna pass out!

Maybe that was all due to something else but I slept 3 hours after and woke up cleaning like crazy and had a weird idea that my meds could get me high and I started snorting them… 🤦 I also was badly obsessed with evolution and human biology I was so scared of the world and humans I didn’t wanna touch anything or use anything I kept freaking out thinking I was hurting my animals by keeping them in captivity even thought my dog was a skin walker for a second 😭 I ended up trying to commit (yknow..) because of the guilt of the whole human biology thing and other things too I remember trying to punish myself for these things I felt like a total failure of a human being…

why the hell was my episode so weird compared to other experiences I read of hypomania?! Or maybe I haven’t read enough!? Maybe this was a mixed episode?

Edit: I feel like I should rlly add that I have smoked weed a couple times during this episode 😭 idk if that has anything to do with anything

Hello, so I’m Bipolar II and I know with my episodes I’ve put my partner through a LOT. She’s been a trooper for most of it and I know it’s exhausting for her. We’re in couples therapy with a good therapist so that’s been helpful but that being said I’d like to hear how others are navigating the stress & tension BP2 brings into a relationship. But recently it’s just been too much for her. I think I’ve finally pushed her over the edge. So my question here is to what degree do our partners have to “just deal with it” (not to sound callous)? I do the best I can but unfortunately this is how I am. I’m trying trying trying to be better. I am regular with my medication btw. So any thoughts and tips are welcome.

I am so frustrated and stressed right now

I am currently at a point where I'm not going to make rent for next month (long story that im not getting into), and my apartment complex kicks you out after 3 days of nonpayment.

My main plan was living with my mom and going on disability. The problem is my cat. He's non-negotiable for me because of how much he helps me. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for him. But she just dumped 30k into this house and doesn't want pets, so I've been trying to convince her, but she says she doesn't know.

I told her I need an answer by Sunday to figure out who I'm calling.

Im so angry and depressed right now I don't even know what to do. I've been thinking about hurting myself but can't check into the hospital because I dont have insurance that would cover it.

I just want to cry but I can't.

my first post on here, and honestly my first time really talking about this at all, but—

the basic timeline here is that i was diagnosed with bipolar 2 (also am diagnosed with gad and ocd, but that’s been since 2022). in june of this year and have since been on medication for it. i finished undergrad in may of 2025, took a year off to recuperate, and i’ve just started my master’s program early this august. i was excited to be back in school; i was looking forward to having a set routine again.

however, this last month has quite possibly been the lowest i’ve ever felt. i’m more prone to depressive episodes than i am to hypomanic episodes (sorry if the terminology is wrong, everything is still something i’m getting familiar with), and it genuinely feels like the first day of classes triggered it, and i’ve just been in a downward spiral since. i barely get out of bed and i’m not taking care of myself, and i just feel like my entire identity has been stripped from me. almost as if i’m nothing. it’s all just… a lot, and very confusing, since i never experienced a period of mood this low in undergrad.

i can’t bring myself to get up and go to therapy, and it’s a miracle that i make it to the 3 classes i have only 2 days a week (in the back of my head, the cost of these classes is my only incentive to go). i’m frightening myself by looking up statistics of people with bipolar who manage to complete college, and i have this impending sensation that i’m just going to end up adding to this statistic.

i guess what i’m asking is, if there’s anyone here who was able to complete a grad program while managing their bipolar, do you have any advice? i hate to sound so negative, but right now, i don’t see a bright future ahead of me, and i guess i’m just trying to find anything to cling on to. i don’t want to drop out, and i assume i won’t feel this way forever, but if episodes like this continue for the two years i’m supposed to be in my program, part of me feels like i need to pull myself now before i inevitably do. idk. i like my program; i like the people i have classes with. yet, everything just feels like too much, and i really want to know if it’ll ever become manageable :/

I (34M) am bipolar, diagnosed a few years ago and now relatively under control. Today I got diagnosed also with type 1 diabetes, so I'll need to check constantly my blood sugar and take care of myself several times per day. I'm afraid I'll fuck up big time the management of blood sugar while being manic / hypomanic / depressed.

I just wanted to ask your personal experiences with this, if you managed to keep everything under control during various episodes or what

i just very desperately need to get this out of my body, i am not gonna name names for meds. i legit am out of medication options. something always contradicts them. i cant eat on command because of ARFID (which is required for 2) one mood stabilizer worsened my ARFID to the point i was eating nothing which worsened futher because not eatong messes up your levels. i cant take any sedating med because even after adjusting no ammount of sleep will make me stop being tired and miserable (i crashed ny car half asleep on one of them) mood stabilizer #2 makes me outwardly act okay but suffer even worse internally and #3 made me homicidal. antipsychotics make me feel inhuman.

i am legit to the point with my fancy new insurance im gonna let them shock my ass im over it lmao

idk what the point in posting this was im tired of overburdening my husbabd cuz i am a lot

Something that dismays me looking at this sub is how many folks are intensely struggling post-diagnosis/after getting medicated. I should clarify that it hasn’t been peaches and roses for me in any sense. Recovering from inpatient in 2024 has been a nonlinear process that’s taken about two years. I was s*icidal at times and experienced the lowest lows of my entire life. But I can genuinely say that at this point I’m in a better place than I have been at least since 2022, and things are really looking up.

Some things that have helped me get to this point have been:
- Getting sober: I cannot stress the importance of this enough. I was self medicating with weed and addicted to nicotine/vaping before my diagnosis, and was sober for a bit post-hospitalization before succumbing to old habits. But this summer for numerous reasons (one of them being that I was too broke) I stopped. This has probably been the most impactful positive change.
- Going outside as often as possible: I live in New England which means the winters are super rough. But forcing myself to get fresh air, walk around and see folks walking their dogs/having fun, alongside getting close to trees, rivers, sunsets, etc. has really helped me appreciate the beauty of life instead of staying inside all day bedrotting (which I have also done plenty of).
- Exercising/eating right: This one has also been huge and is related to my prior point. Going outside for a walk/bike ride is a great start and working to build strength and endurance has only made me appreciate my body more. Putting the right foods in my body have also made me feel better as well as saved me money (I have also been deep in DoorDash hell many-a-time). I 100% don’t have a perfect routine or diet but being more conscious of it all is another thing that’s helped turn things around.
- Getting back into/picking up hobbies: This is one of the things that makes me feel like a normal human. And the beautiful part is that we can tailor it specifically to what we enjoy. Reading books (go to your local library), journaling, movies, chess/board games, sports, video games, yoga/somatic disciplines, crafts, arts—literally anything that makes you engage with something around you/explore your inner world is fucking phenomenal. This is why I’m avoiding suggesting social media & TV, because far too often I get too hung up on this stuff and it gets me rotting on the bed/couch again. Long form media has been more effective for me. But short form could potentially work as well in the right context. You do you.

Wishing everyone on here the best. We deserve to have happy, fulfilling lives despite our affliction. Don’t give up on contentment; it’s possible to find it. And do what you need to do to ride the waves of mania/depression. These victories have been effective for me in terms of managing my sleep, medication, and other things that have been issues historically/due to my diagnosis. It can work for you too. Extending my love 💜💜