ADHD and Bi-Polar Disorder

[Anonymous]

Has any one been treated for both ADHD and Bi-Bolar Disorder, if so what has your experience been like?

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[Patte Rosebank]

Actually, it’s more common than you may think. Since both conditions share some of the same symptoms (notably that feeling of being driven, as if by a motor), many people are diagnosed with Bi-polar Disorder, Bi-polar 2, or Cyclothymia. Bi-polar 2 & Cyclothymia are sometimes referred to as “Bi-polar Lite”, since the symptoms aren’t quite as dramatic as in full-blown Bi-polar Disorder, and/or you cycle through them multiple times in a day, instead of being at one extreme for several days/weeks and then going to the other for several days/weeks.

Also, in the past 12 years, scientists began to discover that, if a person has had depression for many years and hasn’t been getting treatment for it, the brain will often re-wire itself more in the manic direction, in order to try to compensate for the depression. The manic phases will be more hypo-manic, rather than the really wild highs of regular Bi-polar Disorder, but will still cause problems, as will the depressive phases which will still happen. Thus, an initial diagnosis of Depression can be expanded to Bi-polar 2 or Cyclothymia.

The thing about ADHD is that it often has co-morbidities, like Depression, Bi-Polar Disorder, and Anxiety. It seems to be because a lifetime of struggling to do the things that most people can do so easily, and still screwing up no matter how hard you try, will tend to cause you to become depressed and anxious. Though the co-morbidities are symptoms of the main condition (ADHD), they need to be treated too. The question is, do you treat the main condition first, or the co-morbidities first, or do you treat them all at the same time?

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[Anonymous]

I was first diagnosed bi-polar 2 but when after a year I would routinely destableize and need hospitalization to get new medication I was re-diagnosed as bi-polar 1 as a “rapid cycler” my mood swings at one time could happen week by week even mimute by mimute at times however they are not super “wild” swings but definately noticeable. Once I was treated to compensate for “rapid cycling” I stablized this was maybe two years ago. Last year I finally got an “official” ADHD diagnosis and was abile to treat it, Believe me I really appreciate relative stability. I remember reading about cyclothymia and its similarity to bi-polar 2 it was an interesting read If memory serves me the book was written by Dr. Kay Jamison who has bi-polar disorder I wish I could remember the titels of the two books I read but they were facinating.

Say Larynxa,

I meant to ask you where did you get your wealth of knowledge?

K

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[Curlymoe115]

I have been diagnosed as Bi-Polar, OCD, Dysmorphic, OCD, ADHD, Depressed, Anxiety Disorder, PTSD, Disposophobia (compulsive hoarding), Panic Disorder, Bromidrosiphobia, Demophobia, Bulimia, Insomnia, ect.. I saw a Psychiatrist for 6 months and instead of treatment I got drugs. Lots of drugs, Uppers, Downers, Mood Stabilizers, Mood Raisers. Finally after being mentally comatose for 6 months I just quit my psychiatrist and the drugs. Depending how you answer the questions and how you interpret the findings I may or may not have these illnesses. I found that I was more debilitated by the drugs then I am by the symptoms.

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[Anonymous]

Curlymoe,

I know what you mean, I went through a period where I had sever persistant panic attacks. By persistant I mean they never stopped just cycled like a terifying rollercoaster ride,in an attempt to quell the attacks I was put on so many drugs that I was a zombie barely able to think or move while still haveing the panic attacks. I finally did the same thing I stop taking all the drugs and dumped my psychiatrist for about six months. I do not know why the constant panic attacks stopped but they did.

Eventually I found a psychiatrist that knew how to treat me and have been relatively stable for about three years, my prayers are with you and yes I suppose it is a matter of how you ask do I have ADD/ADHD, bi-polar disorder or both or anything else for that matter; it all boils dowh to how do you cope with the insanity?

K

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[trashman]

I don’t really know what it is but my wife thinks at times that I may be BI-POLAR. I have always told people I am very happy or very pissed off, but their is no in between so which one do you want. Its not always good . with my tone and my very stern focus I can be just a little intimadating. even when I don’t want to be . very ofen I am just having tunel vision on one topic. people end up thinking that I am angry. even my family who I always think they sould be able to read me . but not always. Then when this happens we no longer have a happy home until I com down and see where the mis comuncation has been . then we all find it very funny once I have had time to process. they just all say thats just dad again. Is this part of it?

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[Anonymous]

Trashman,

You might find it to your advantage to get a bi-polar screening; minf you nothing is written in stone but if you have bi-polar disorder it can be a “night and day” difference if you get it satisfactorly treated. It is, as always, can determine the quality of your life

K

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