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Am I depressed or Bi-polar?
Hi, I am 17 and female, and this is kinda long...
I get this feeling which I am sure is being depressed, but it doesn't last long like it should if I had depression.
For example, I read that if you have depression, the depressed periods usually last for at least 2 weeks. I am never depressed for very long, and definately never two weeks or more. Mine lasts maybe a day, or sometimes in a cycle that includes being sad for a half a day, then being normal or happy for the other parts of the day, and then the same the next day and so on for a while.
Also, I think that this may be caused by bi-polar disorder or cyclothymia, rather than depression, because I sometimes go into these really happy, hyperactive states when I am not depressed or just normal. Usually in these hyperactive moods I feel really happy, and I'm talkative and energetic and I have a disregard for rules, like I will be mucking around in class and I don't really care when the teacher tells me off or tells me to calm down and be mature as I am a senior student and all that. I usually just laugh when a teacher tells me off during these moods. Also, I may be in one of these moods and be mucking around during lunch, and I dont really care if I am annoying anyone, or if I am being judged by others, as people tend to judge you as weird when you are acting really hyperactive or fooling around with your friends and they are all sitting around doing nothing.
So do you think I may be depressed or I may have bi polar disorder or cyclothymia? Or could I possibly just have really extreme mood swings?
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Dear girl,
You dont have bipolar. The reason is that like plain depression, bipolar episodes of mania and depression are both of long duration.
Eg - a person with bipolar will have 2 weeks straight of constant manic behaviour without a fleeting second of calm. You said your cycles are much shorter. Also the depression comes as a lapse of energy after several weeks of mania and you collapse as your body and mind is tired.
You also are 17. They do not diagnose or (shouldn't) rather diagnose you with any long term chronic mental illness until you are in your early 20's.
What you describe is more like "Borderline Personality Disorder". Your expression is much mre like this. A person with BPD (borderline personality) has mood swings like mania and depression that can last between seconds, hours and days but not weeks for mania, only depression. They have a disregard for rules and outhority and often place themselves in dangerous situations (eg, unprotected sex, binge drinking, drug use, stealing from shops, cutting, getting involved in fights, making poor choices, etc etc...)
However, though this fits your situation perfectly BPD, you are 17. BPD is common amongst girls to onset around your age and is commonly associated with an experience or expeiences of deprivation or assualt from parents or close friends, relatives etc. There is a high frequency of sexual assault as well as bad parenting in these indiiduals. You ofte feel ignored and deprived by your parents, guardians or family.
If this seems your case, you need to engage in treatment ASAP, as you may be able to reduce your chances of officially being diagnosed with this mental illness when you are over 18. This is a condition which is common and rarely completely treatable un less trated early on in youth.
Most adult psychiatric female in patients suffer from Borderline Personality Disorder.
If you want more information, feel free to contact me.
Best Wishes, Steph.
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Heyy 20 F here,.
I have the same thing,. sommetimes im really happy! and sometimes im really sad! lately its mostly sad,. i think it's normal,. i mean it seems typical with a few people,. so try not to put a title to what you think,.you mayhave and just try thinking on the possitive side:)
Hope this helps:)
~Jasmine*
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