How do i tell people i think i have Bipolar disorder?

Question

I'm 15, almost 16 and i think i have bipolar disorder. I have almost commited suicide before, i have told my parents this and they don't care. They think it's just attention seeking. I show almost all the symptoms of bipolar disorder and the fact that i cant talk about it is really getting me down. How can i talk to friends or family about it ?

Answer 1

Bipolar disorder which is what it is now called (used to be called manic depression) is a mood disorder which effects a persons mood and is caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. In bipolar disorder a person has mood swings from depression to mania which have to last 7 days each to be diagnosed but generally last weeks or months at a time. I developed bipolar when I was 15 and diagnosed at 18, when I was depressed I would sleep constantly, cry, wouldn't leave bed for days, didn't eat, wash, dress, constantly felt suicidal, hopeless and worthless, withdrew myself from family and friends and stopped going to school. This lasted for 6 months. Then I switched into mania when I was constantly full of energy and felt like I was on top of the world I was so happy, didn't sleep for days and if I did I would sleep up to 3 hours only but felt completely awake and full of energy, went out every night abusing alcohol and drugs, got into meaningless relationship, had sex with strangers, had so much confidence, spent every penny I had and even stole from my mum, shop lifted, racing thoughts, aggressive and irritable, psychotic when I would hallucinate and be delusional to the point I stabbed myself and almost my boyfriend, I was constantly doing one thing to the next and I nearly failed college. This lasted for 4 months. Bipolar disorder is something that is very severe and effects your everyday life. I ended up being hospitalised because I was psychotic, hallucinating and delusional.



What you explain is not Bipolar, if you have Bipolar Disorder your parents would have noticed your dramatic mood changes and got you some help and at your age you would have been hospitalised as Bipolar is far worse in teenagers and they need 24 hour care. If you are having mood swings its normal at your age and the cause of teenage hormones which you will grow ouf of, here read this http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/m… Also anyone can read symptoms of Bipolar and think they have them, problem is onlie does not tell you how severe the symptoms are or how they are present in the disorder. However it does sound like you have some depression going on but not Bipolar. Sit your mum down and explain your suicidal thoughts as well as low mood. If she knows you are suffering this much she will get you the help you need. If she does not then you can go straight to your nearest emergency room and tell them the problem, they will ring your mum and explain to her that you are ill and need help, she will have to listen to professionals. They can help you at the hospital. Good luck.



EDIT- Also you shouldn't be telling people you have a mental illness unless you have been diagnosed with one by a psychiatrist.

Answer 2

I believe what you might be experiencing is a variety of shock reaction to discover you've this .Probably also a worry that individuals will see you as someway faulty or even "mental"Stephen Fry I. Feel has the equal situation and he said that he would rather have it than no longer have it ! Apparently the Highs that include it outwegh the lows.I might no longer be ashamed in any way. Would you be ashamed if it was once cancer that you had? Bipolar is as much an sickness as any other. You must be happy with your self that you've got performed all that you have in the last few years and you did not even know that you just had this . That will indicate that you have strenghts that have made you cope.I might assume that being bipolar would provide you with an delivered dimension to living existence to the entire. You must possibly discover a Bipolar aid crew that would support you appreciate that you're not alone . Just right success

Answer 3

You should convince your parents that you could have bipolar disorder. List down bipolar disorder signs and symptoms and tell your parents what you are having and been noticing. So that they will have you get a doctor's appointment for proper diagnosis.

Answer 4

I wouldn't be telling anyone I had something unless I was actually diagnosed.



But yeah, if you've almost committed suicide before then you probably need some kind of help. I'd start with the school counselor if I were you.

Answer 5

I don't think you should actually tell anyone unless you've been diagnosed and even then I wouldn't tell people. It's a very personal thing. There is a lot of stigma attached to mental illness, not everyone is understanding.

Answer 6

You shouldnt; go around sayig that you have Bipolar unless you have actually been diagnosed by a psychiatrist..... as for talking to your parents, write down all of your symptoms and keep a mood chart that shows when you have these moods then ask them to tale you to your doctor. At your age it is most likely just from horones... just attemptong suicide doesn;t mean you have BIpolar.. there is a lot more to it than just the depression.



Everyone has moods like those of Bipolar Disorder....... because everyone has mood swings, momentary loss of judgment, likes to go shopping, likes sex, feels down sometimes, gets angry now and then and is hyper on occasion. The difference is that all of these symptoms in Bipolar are so intense that they interfere with your ability to function. Think of a pole (biPOLEr) with 0 at the center (0 being normal) and 10 at one end (manic) and -10 at the other (deep depression). Most people have swings but stay within 3 to -3. I have fairly severe Bipolar 1 but since my psychosis is mild I go from -9 to 9.... Also depression that comes and goes is not bipolar but just recurring depression, you have to have mania for it to be Bipolar..... you have to go to both ends of the pole.



Rapidly changing emotions or becoming angry or sad easily is not all there is to Bipolar. That is just having emotions. People with Bipolar Disorder do not just change emotions quickly, they go through periods of depression followed by periods of mania or elevated mood. Mood affects everything about you.... your energy level, self esteem, sleep patterns, appetite, sexuality, emotional response, judgment, etc..... not just your emotions. And while rapid cycling is possible, it is rare. The average person with Bipolar only cycles two or three times a year and the moods last for weeks or months. It is considered rapid cycling if they cycle 4 or more times in a year.



While everyone with Bipolar has a different set of symptoms and a different severity of symptoms, this is what Bipolar is like for me:



Depression - too tired to get out of bed, shower, even to brush my teeth. Cry all the time, sleep 16 hours a day. Feelings of self loathing and guilt that drive me to think of suicide but I'm to tired to even think about how to go about killing myself. It makes you feel small and worthless and completely insignificant. It makes you think about how big the world is and how meaningless you are in it..... and it refuses to let you have any good thoughts or see any good things.... when you look in the mirror all you see is pain, you don't even see yourself, you don't taste your favorite foods anymore, see that flowers are blooming, whether or not the sun is out, you become so inward that you hardly even notice your surroundings..... You don't even feel love for people anymore.... positive thoughts are just not possible...... it is a deep dark hole with no way out and no light for hope.... and most of all it makes you feel sooooo alone. And even if there were someone who cared about you they would be better off if you killed yourself....... because all you will ever be is a burden....... this can last from a couple of weeks to a couple of years.



Mania - Way too happy! PARTY GIRL! love drink and drugs. Talk really fast and pressured because my thoughts are going faster than my mouth can keep up with. Hypersexual - like I sleep with strangers and guys I just met on the internet or I masturbate 10 times a day. I once became bisexual because there were twice as many people to sleep with. down load porn and spend tons of money on sex toys. Spending sprees..... I once spent my mortgage money on african violets, yep, $1500 on African violets (then I got depressed and let them all die). Quit my job because I wanted my vacation pay for lottery tickets and I was so convinced I would win that I started shopping and writing bad checks because I'd be rich as soon as the numbers were drawn. Decided that I could replace the furnace in my home by myself... I mean how hard can it be..... Only sleep 2 or maybe 3 hours a night for months on end and never feel tired. In the end I was unemployed, $30,000 in debt, and had almost lost my home, which needed a new furnace because I had removed the old one.. or parts of it anyway. This can last for months.



I also have mixed states when I am depressed and manic at the same time which are truly the worst... By body and mind are depressed but there is this undercurrent of energy running all the time..... I'm highly emotional but the emotions tend to be negative (guilt and anger) I have intrusive thoughts and urges to mutilate myself (like wanting to stick my hands in the garbage disposal or cooking them on the BBQ), and I also have psychotic episodes where I hallucinate. This is when I am most suseptible to suicide because I am depressed, wanting to hurt myself, and I have the mental energy to plan and carry it out.

Answer 7

Tell to doctor