The Forums › Forums › Ask The Community › Bipolar or ADD or both › Re: Bipolar or ADD or both
I just tripped over this thread and I don’t buy Russell Barkley’s statement. I have heard Dr. J. say that it is becoming more and more common for people to be diagnosed with both ADHD AND bipolar disorder.
About 9 years ago the Effexor I had been taking to manage my ADHD symptoms triggered a hypomanic episode. In reading up on the difference between unipolar and bipolar depression the latter does seem to be a better fit for the depression that I have struggled with since childhood.
While it may be true that for SOME people bipolar is a misdiagnosis, for some of us there is comorbidity.
All kinds of info out there about the depressive side of the pendulum, not so much about the difference between being hyperactive and hypomanic. For me, the difference is that my hyperactivity takes the form of racing thoughts, talking a mile a minute (and nonstop!), that kind of thing. During my initial hypomanic episode (at least the first one that I acknowledged as such!) I was driven to clean my apartment at 2 AM! I had to be physically active, very atypical for me.
Anyway, just my two cents.
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