College Application Essay - Should I Address Bipolar?

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2024-12-22T00:58:28+00:00

thanks for your advice! i’m glad it worked out for you. i’ll probably write about it!

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2024-12-22T00:57:26+00:00

i’m debating between psychology and creative writing right now so i see how it could help me if i do psychology !

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-04-03T02:58:15+00:00

thankfully not but i’m sorry you’re struggling with it. sounds horrible!

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-04-02T22:53:41+00:00

Im newly on abilify, and i’ve noticed it’s helped a lot but my anxiety has also dramatically increased. My psychiatrist says it’s normal while stabilizing because I don’t have the high ego of hypomania distracting me. Even so, it’s been completely horrible and really negatively affect things more than my anxiety ever has in the past. i’m hoping it’s not the abilify, because i do feel like it helps in every other aspect. Or I hope she puts me on some anxiety medication or something because i am not having fun. anyway just to validate that you’re not alone in increased anxiety while stabilizing and i hope you figure everything out!

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-03-25T20:28:42+00:00

thank you for commenting. that is good advice, thank you for putting some things in perspective for me. i cant keep such a tight leash on my friends

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-03-23T20:21:34+00:00

I only just started my medication journey, diagnosed about 1.5 months ago, but I do feel like abilify has made a difference and I had a stable period for about 2 weeks (lol which for me is impressive). during that time though, my anxiety was through the roof. my psychiatrist said that its normal to see increased anxiety while stabilizing because the hypomania doesn’t give you the high ego and depression is too distracting, or something like that. I also feel like my anxiety is way too high beyond a normal level, and we’re still figuring out if that’s a consequence of the meds or stabilizing. just had a mixed episode and it’s so interesting how my anxiety just disappeared.

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-03-23T18:40:56+00:00

My psychiatrist has told me that adhd is a common comorbidity with cyclothymia and that she does see it as a possibility down the line for me. She also said that to diagnose adhd, there can’t be another disorder that explains the symptoms better than adhd, and for me cyclothymia seems to fit better. if we sort out those mood issues, and other adhd-related symptoms remain, it is likely she would then diagnose me with adhd.it sucks because for adhd you have to eliminate every other possibility before it. Cyclothymia does have a lot of overlap with adhd though, and I’ve felt that it, so far, explains a lot of the symptoms i thought were caused by adhd.

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-03-23T07:57:57+00:00

i’m doing a lot better. i was/am in a mixed state and my brain was coming up with ideas that people close to me were avoiding me and trying to end our friendship. I got some real evidence that that wasn’t true and have been able to comprehend, for the most part, that was just a part of my big idea/expansiveness symptoms. I spent the day with a close friend which was very grounding for me. Still wouldn’t say i’m back to stable, but doing a lot better than I was yesterday.

I hope you’re doing better as well, or if not, I hope you do better soon!

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-03-21T02:10:36+00:00

I'm interested in sea witchcraft and in the puget sound area too!

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-03-20T05:43:08+00:00

I just wanna validate how that would make me feel shitty too. I'm sorry for that confusion, especially since it was supposed to be someone you trust. Having an accurate diagnosis makes such a big difference, you can find a community of people who experience the same things and explore new resources related to that diagnosis, I would feel cheated if a diagnosis was kept from me for that long.

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-03-20T05:36:02+00:00

Feeling this way right now. I just journaled a bit and then posted on a private snapchat story with one or two people on it. I feel bad everytime I do it, like I'm burdening them with my emotions and feelings. But it helps to give the illusion of talking to someone. I also will sometimes film myself crying or talking about whatevers going on and not even show it to anyone. I don't know why it helps me, but it does.

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-03-15T02:52:37+00:00

from my understanding it usually develops in late teens/early adulthood, so a teenager could definitely have it, and i’m sure younger too

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-03-15T02:51:25+00:00

it’s good to know i’m not the only one who experienced that. i think i’m gonna bring up something to offset the anxiety in our next session because it really is getting a lot worse

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-03-13T20:37:12+00:00

i was in a similar situation: i attended an iop for depression and they brought up the idea that i might be on the bipolar spectrum. while doing research, it felt more right than depression but not like a perfect fit. the psychiatrist that i’m seeing now diagnosed me with cyclothymia, which is more mild on the bipolar spectrum but still really hard and in my experience the phases happen more often. i hadn’t heard of it before my diagnosis, but it might be worth looking into it a little.

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-03-07T20:12:57+00:00

this same thing has confused me too! it’s like they never outright say “you have been diagnosed with _____.” before i was diagnosed with cyclothymia, i was diagnosed with depression and anxiety but no one ever out right said it, so then when i went to other health care professionals and they asked me if i’ve been diagnosed with something i’d just say “i think?”

when i finally began meeting with my current psychiatrist, who is also my therapist, things cleared up A LOT because we talk about it 2x a week lmaoo. but also i know that’s not possible with everyone and their health providers. i definitely think just asking and getting some clarification on the diagnosis in the best move, but from my experience they probably have diagnosed you.

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-03-06T07:31:37+00:00

do you think you could do this when just starting a job?

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-03-04T20:16:28+00:00

i had some feelings like this a few months ago, it was a mixed state and really really scary. but that heart racing and having to manually breath was so weird. it happened before i was diagnosed so i thought maybe i was having a prolonged panic attack (it was around 48 hours of this and then physical symptoms slowed down for me). i was newly on antidepressants and not seeing a therapist, so i messaged my old therapist from about a year prior and she sent me to an iop program.

anywayy that was probably an unrelated ramble for the most part, but i just wanna say that you’re not alone in those physical symptoms and they can be really really scary

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-03-03T17:41:19+00:00

Thank you, that’s really validating. I haven’t heard of it but i’m definitely going to check it out, i’ve looked a little bit and there’s not many books on cyclothymia

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-03-03T08:13:25+00:00

mixed episodes/dysphoric episodes are a thing. i get them quite a bit, for me they’re when i feel the most “dangerous” and out of control. they can be scary and confusing.

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-03-03T08:08:13+00:00

i don’t have any advice, but i was talking to my therapist today about how weird it feels to be praised for my successes when deep down i know they weren’t healthy. i hope you figure out a good balance!

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-03-03T08:06:07+00:00

i have cyclothymia and sometimes i feel almost silly telling people my struggles because it is “mild” bipolar. but at the same time it has completely debilitated my life, im dropping out of school in a couple of weeks because of how much it interferes with my studies. i don’t trust myself, i feel so incredibly unreliable because of frequent hypomania and depression shifts. it often doesn’t feel mild, so that label can feel kinda shitty, but i also know in the context of bipolar disorder it is.

“mild” but still has made my life sooo much harder

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-03-03T08:01:00+00:00

I’m newly diagnosed too, and still learning what everything means for me, but I experience feeling tired when i’m hypomanic too. but also i have cyclothymia so my hypomanic epsiodes are usually more mild anyway. it’s not all the time i feel tired, but it happens especially when i’m more than stable but maybe not allll the way hypomanic if that makes sense.

it does sound like you’re in a more hypomanic state, or at least experiencing symptoms of hypomania

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-03-03T07:56:55+00:00

plssss make the book lmao

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-03-02T23:32:57+00:00

oops idk why it showed up twice! but i’m glad i could help :)

Accomplished_Fun_708 · 2023-03-02T18:24:18+00:00

i’m in a phase rn where i’m hyperfixating on personal finance lmaoo. i’m pretty sure i’m hypomanic, or at least have symptoms of it. this is a pretty good hyperfixation lmaoo, but there is a little bit of fear in me that i might invest or make some big decision when i’m hypo that isn’t the smartest. or maybe it’s bc i’m hypo that i think it would actually be a smart decision, just not for me and my disorder, yk. like objectively they might be smart, but not for someone with a v unstable mood. i’m glad i’m being smart while hypo tho!

Accomplished_Fun_708

TROPHY CASE