BIPOLAR OR ANXIETY??????

Manley · Post by **Manley** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 4:27 pm

Hey guys i found myself looking op symptoms of bipolar which i shouldn't of but now i'm concerned if i am or not. so i'm going to explain what i experience and someone tell me what they think it is from experience. I experience this feeling of uneasiness with constant worry, and fear of what i think cuz i get LOTS of racing thoughts usually about every couple hours on bad days and on good days i get it a few times a day. I've had anxiety since i was 16 and i'm 24 now and this is really overwhelming. sometimes i get really bad racing thoughts where it puts me in tears cuz i'm so depressed about the way i feel. I'm really irritable lately at work where i get this tingly feeling on my scalp and i can't handle talking to a customer where i need to jolt out of my store all of a sudden. Its like everything i'm doing isn't working and i'm constantly having this feeling like everything around me isn't real. Tonight i was trying to do my session and my wife asked me to watch my daughter while i was trying to do my coaching video and my daughter was into everything and i got so irritable where i asked my wife to get my daughter out of the room and i got so upset where i started swearing at her which i usually never do and this whole condition of mine has just been so stressfull to the point i think i have more than anxiety like bipolar or something. i can't concentrate i loose my words that want to come out of my mouth where i'll start saying something and stop half way cuz i forgot what i was going to say. i don't feel like i'm getting better at all. i got to session 3 and went back to session 1 cuz i got stuck. so i've just been so stressed out lately thinking i'm hopeless and this condition won't ever go away. and some days i feel like i'm on top of the world and have this condition under control. can anyone relate or am i bipolar?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 4:48 pm

Hey manely I am not extremely familar with bipolar but what I do know is you have extreme highs accompanied by extreme lows. The symptom where you were referring to not feeling connected is called Derealization which is a symptom of anxiety among many things. Have you ever been to a therapist? They may be able to give you a definate answer. It sounds like anxiety but I am not a professional. It seems to me like you stay in a constant state of anxiety. Which can be intense or less intense.

hopehound · Post by **hopehound** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 5:52 pm

that's exactly me, if feels like i'm always in a constant state of anxiety. and i do get derealization and often. i don't feel like me, i'm constantly worrying and always feel like i'm in fear, i keep waking up early in the mornings, i woke up in the middle of the night one time in a sweat with racing thoughts. i don't know but i just don't feel like me at all. i'm not ready to give up but some days i feel good and some days i don't and i'm always anxious. i looked up bipolar and maybe i'm both. but i do need help

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 5:55 pm

ARE RACING THOUGHTS EVERY DAY NORMAL? I'M TALKING ABOUT EVERY COUPLE OF HOURS THO

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 6:32 pm

I'M ALWAYS NOTICING WHAT I'M SAYING AND THINKING. I TEND TO HAVE MOOD SWINGS BUT NOT SEVER ITS MORE LIKE HEY GUESS WHAT MANLEY YOUR HAVING A GOOD DAY YOU FEEL BETTER AND THEN TOO ANTICIPATING WHEN MY NEXT ANXIETY ATTACK IS GONNA BE TO WHEN MY NEXT SCARY THOUGHT I GOING TO BE. AND WHEN I MEAN RACING THOUGHTS I HAVE ALOT OF NEGATIVITY GO THROUGH MY HEAD AND THOUGHTS RACE AND RACE AND DON'T KNOW IF THATS NORMAL WHERE I GET EXTREMELY EXTREMELY OVERWHELMED AND SOMETIMES THE AMOUNT OF STRESS THAT CAUSES BRINGS ME TO TEARS CUZ I WANT TO BE NORMAL AGAIN. AND REALLY WANT TO RELATE TO SOMEONE HERE OR WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS BIPOLAR CUZ I CANT SEE A DOCTOR UNTIL MONDAY OR TUESDAY AND THEIR COULD POSSIBLY BE SOME WORRYING INBETWEEN

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 6:49 pm

Manley have you tried breathing tecniques to calm yourself? Even if you had bi-polar that would help.
I don't think you have anything but anxiety.
But even if you did, nothing drastic will happen before Monday or Tuesday.
Breathe in for a couple of seconds and breathe-out through your mouth very slowly.
You know? A lot of folk have bi-polar and they live pretty normal lives in spite of it.
My brother is bi-polar and is nearly always very cheerful. Of course he takes medication.

It is just not the big deal you are making of it.
You are just all excited.
Just relax and let whatever it is just happen.
Say to yourself - "so what?".
You've been all excited like this for some time now, haven't you?
I've read some of your posts. Not all of them , but some.
I used to get all worked up like that.
But you can calm yourself.
No one on here can do that for you. You have to do it.
Listen to the relaxation CD.
Use calming imagery.
Just hang in there.
I know how scared you are but you are working yourself up like this.
Practice your breathing.
Hang in there. Time goes faster than you think.
Tomorrow you can go for some nice walks.
May God bless you and comfort you.
MaryJane

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 7:00 pm

Dear Manley, For years I was diagnosed with severe chronic depression, then a few years ago with bipolar 2 disorder. That means mostly depression with small highs manifested mainly as bad decisions that seem good at the time, like a few times I loaned large amounts of money and did not get paid back.

There are no tests for bipolar; it mainly is diagnosed through symptoms only so it is not an exact science. I'm still not sure I really have it. If I do, I have the non-psychotic kind. There is also a psychotic form, usually involving religious ideations; for example, I know of a man who took off all his clothes in a department store and began telling people he was Christ. Sometimes he preached in a ranting way while doing other bizarre things.

Bipolar 1 has a lot of "highs" where you might stay up all night and think you can do all sorts of things you usually can't or wouldn't want to do.

My symptoms lead me to believe I have mostly what they thought to begin with: chronic depression and anxiety. But since I don't trust my own judgment, I could be wrong! Ha! (Probably not the right place for levity). At any rate, whatever they call it, we are left with the same miserable feelings, no?

I feel like my life is on hold or in limbo while I am waiting for the time when I will become "normal." In the meantime, I am aware I will never get these wasted days back.

I'm sorry. I'm supposed to be helping you but since I am depressed to, it's hard to tell, isn't it (that I'm trying to help, I mean). I hope I'm not breaking any rules here, being new. I am not working the program yet, so at least there is that hope, and maybe knowing you aren't the only one feeling these things will help in some small way.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 7:03 pm

Manley, do what Cornflower suggests. She knows what she is talking about. My info is more for when you feel better. Sherry

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Feb 07, 2009 7:15 pm

I WAS LOOKING TO HAVE MY QUESTION ANSWERED AND THAT IS IF ALL THIS IS NORMAL TO HAVE THIS MANY RACING THOUGHTS A DAY

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Feb 08, 2009 12:01 am

I have racing thoughts, too, and they jump from one thing to the other. We are not allowed to mention specific meds, but the doctor gave me something that helps that. If I don't have it, I can't sleep at all because the thoughts don't stop.

I just got the program so I can't speak to how effective that is.

As to whether it it "normal," it is common but normal is a relative term and I'm not sure anyone is "normal." But you are not the only one who suffers from this; it is one of my main symptoms. It doesn't usually stay at the level you describe for long, if that is any help.