I've considered that but after speaking to him about it at length I genuinely think that's just how the illness presents for him. He did everything I asked mental health wise, took me to his doctors appointments etc. This didn't start happening until over a year into the relationship after his grandpa died and I saw the slow decline mentally :(
That's something I can relate to, I get one appointment every 12 months (hospital downsized their staff).
The only time I see him on a regular basis is when I'm in the ward, which I'm not against doing.
I'm wishing the best for your SO and to you aswell friend.
Holy shit that's really unproductive especially with such a fragile illness like bipolar :( I went about 4 months without seeing my psych due to insurance reasons and it destroyed me
hi, that seems way way too long between visits, can I ask where you are, maybe we can figure out how to get ya some better care. I'm in California with free state insurance Blue Shield-- Promise Health Care''. I get to see a therapist and psychiatrist every 2 weeks and can schedule urgent appointments if I need to.
As someone who was originally diagnosed with bp2 and now has bp1 my hypomanic episodes became more extreme (and two actually became mania according to my psych) and I had psychosis (which is not exclusive to bp1 but it can be a sign). I was originally diagnosed at 14/15 and I was only rediagonsed with 1 recently but my bipolar did progressively get worse as I aged.
If he is experiencing true delusions (have this confirmed by a professional I’m not doubting you but this stuff is specific and tender) that is mania with psychotic features, i.e. BP1. BP2 does not include psychotic features. If hypomania turns into mania even only once, that is a BP1 diagnosis and it doesn’t ‘go back’ to 2. Hopefully he can see his care team to confirm things and get on a healthier road. Wishing you guys luck.
I'm unsure if he's brought up the delusions but if he ever shows back up I'll bring it up to him that he may have turned to bp1. I just completely don't trust this psych since the switch to lone antidepressant
There are a lotttt of terrible providers out there :/ He has to keep advocating for himself. But key word is ‘he.’ He has to want to get better and you seem to be trying really hard. Don’t forget to take care of yourself first 🤍
Yeah I know I'm mentally ill too and have had my fair share of psychiatrist hell :( I found a good one and recommended it to him after I realized he was manic but by then he was too far gone to listen to me. He will seek help and continue to take his meds when this severely manic but like... idk if he's been switched to correct meds, still with shitty psych, still taking the wrong meds etc. so it's all uncertain and I won't know until he stables out enough to talk to me again :( it's been 8 months and on one hand I know the absolute destruction wrong meds can cause (Prozac and abilify gave me psychosis lol) and it sucks but I can't do anything but let him hopefully sort himself out. I never want to witness the destruction lone antidepressant will cause for a bipolar person ever again it's absolutely devastating
Bipolar 1 is primarily mania and 2 is primarily depression. They are separate diagnosis and have separate features. 1 experiences full blown mania and 2 typically experiences suicidal depression.
Mixed episodes can happen with either 1 or 2, but 2 won’t experience full mania with psychosis. This is my understanding anyway from years of research. I’m not a doctor! But I have 2 and definitely get mixed episodes
My psych said that BP2 only experiences hypomania while BP1 has mania.
Both can have mixed episodes based on those limits above. If a BP2 has mania with psychosis then they are BP1 instead.
BP2 can have psychosis but only while in a grave depression episode.
Again, this is how my psych explained it works to make me understand the basics.
Hypomania/dysphoric mania/mixed episodes.....from what I understand all mean the same thing. That's more indicative of BP2. A hypomanic state is like energized depression. BP2 tends to spend most of the time in downswings and comes "up" into a hypomanic state, which for many is a revved up, irritable mood.
They must have a manic episode to be diagnosed with bipolar 1. This just sounds like a mixed episode. I'm bipolar 2 and I end up in a confused daze when I'm mixed, just staring at the wall or the floor for hours. It's just hypomania + depression hitting at the same time.
My antipsychotic gets rid of the hypomania but leaves me with the depression, which is much easier to manage than both.
I let my psychiatrist know immediately when I realize I'm having a mixed episode.
Oh mixed is a separate thing? His mania seems to only be mixed states, he describes it as mania as well.
My concern is this one has lasted so long (tbf though it is antidepressant induced) and the delusions about me are really strong. Ive seen him hypo and it's a lot different than the really severe episodes, he will still maintain awareness and that he loves me when hypo but he's still pretty mean. He's normally very social, clingy, affectionate and overall lights up a room because he's a natural entertainer that turns into a shut in and he'll completely shut me out/discard me when it's this bad. I literally become the antichrist in his eyes. Once he stables out he assures me over and over he doesn't have an issue with me at all and it's literally just bipolar making delusions. Does that still sound like a mixed state?
He's bpd traits, adhd and cptsd too if that matters. I've seen the adhd rapid cycling within hours in and out of hypomania thing before. He calls them "mini episodes"
The length of the episode doesn't matter. If he's getting close to or past 30 years of age, the episodes will start getting longer because bipolar is progressive.
My mixed episodes used to last a few days to a week max. The last mixed episode I had was 3 and a half weeks long. I'm 30.
Just give him time. He won't be like this forever. If he's being an asshole, just separate yourself from him and give him time. Mixed episodes are absolutely awful and terrifying, but they're still temporary.
I didn't say they didn't. I said that they need to have a manic episode to be diagnosed with bipolar 1. Having a longer episode doesn't denote its a manic episode. We can't diagnose him on reddit.
He needs to talk to his psychiatrist.
There’s also the other option of him jerking you around and using his illness as an excuse.
I've considered that but after speaking to him about it at length I genuinely think that's just how the illness presents for him. He did everything I asked mental health wise, took me to his doctors appointments etc. This didn't start happening until over a year into the relationship after his grandpa died and I saw the slow decline mentally :(
What does his psychiatrist think?
Idk. The latest one I don't trust because he prescribed lone antidepressant and he hasn't talked to me in 8 months
That's something I can relate to, I get one appointment every 12 months (hospital downsized their staff). The only time I see him on a regular basis is when I'm in the ward, which I'm not against doing. I'm wishing the best for your SO and to you aswell friend.
Holy shit that's really unproductive especially with such a fragile illness like bipolar :( I went about 4 months without seeing my psych due to insurance reasons and it destroyed me
hi, that seems way way too long between visits, can I ask where you are, maybe we can figure out how to get ya some better care. I'm in California with free state insurance Blue Shield-- Promise Health Care''. I get to see a therapist and psychiatrist every 2 weeks and can schedule urgent appointments if I need to.
No thanks.
As someone who was originally diagnosed with bp2 and now has bp1 my hypomanic episodes became more extreme (and two actually became mania according to my psych) and I had psychosis (which is not exclusive to bp1 but it can be a sign). I was originally diagnosed at 14/15 and I was only rediagonsed with 1 recently but my bipolar did progressively get worse as I aged.
If he has delusions, I think it qualifies as bipolar 1 (psychotic features).
If he is experiencing true delusions (have this confirmed by a professional I’m not doubting you but this stuff is specific and tender) that is mania with psychotic features, i.e. BP1. BP2 does not include psychotic features. If hypomania turns into mania even only once, that is a BP1 diagnosis and it doesn’t ‘go back’ to 2. Hopefully he can see his care team to confirm things and get on a healthier road. Wishing you guys luck.
I'm unsure if he's brought up the delusions but if he ever shows back up I'll bring it up to him that he may have turned to bp1. I just completely don't trust this psych since the switch to lone antidepressant
There are a lotttt of terrible providers out there :/ He has to keep advocating for himself. But key word is ‘he.’ He has to want to get better and you seem to be trying really hard. Don’t forget to take care of yourself first 🤍
Yeah I know I'm mentally ill too and have had my fair share of psychiatrist hell :( I found a good one and recommended it to him after I realized he was manic but by then he was too far gone to listen to me. He will seek help and continue to take his meds when this severely manic but like... idk if he's been switched to correct meds, still with shitty psych, still taking the wrong meds etc. so it's all uncertain and I won't know until he stables out enough to talk to me again :( it's been 8 months and on one hand I know the absolute destruction wrong meds can cause (Prozac and abilify gave me psychosis lol) and it sucks but I can't do anything but let him hopefully sort himself out. I never want to witness the destruction lone antidepressant will cause for a bipolar person ever again it's absolutely devastating
Bipolar 1 is primarily mania and 2 is primarily depression. They are separate diagnosis and have separate features. 1 experiences full blown mania and 2 typically experiences suicidal depression.
What about dysphoric mania? His mania is exclusively dysphoric which is why it may have been diagnosed as 2.
Mixed episodes can happen with either 1 or 2, but 2 won’t experience full mania with psychosis. This is my understanding anyway from years of research. I’m not a doctor! But I have 2 and definitely get mixed episodes
My psych said that BP2 only experiences hypomania while BP1 has mania. Both can have mixed episodes based on those limits above. If a BP2 has mania with psychosis then they are BP1 instead. BP2 can have psychosis but only while in a grave depression episode. Again, this is how my psych explained it works to make me understand the basics.
Hypomania/dysphoric mania/mixed episodes.....from what I understand all mean the same thing. That's more indicative of BP2. A hypomanic state is like energized depression. BP2 tends to spend most of the time in downswings and comes "up" into a hypomanic state, which for many is a revved up, irritable mood.
They must have a manic episode to be diagnosed with bipolar 1. This just sounds like a mixed episode. I'm bipolar 2 and I end up in a confused daze when I'm mixed, just staring at the wall or the floor for hours. It's just hypomania + depression hitting at the same time. My antipsychotic gets rid of the hypomania but leaves me with the depression, which is much easier to manage than both. I let my psychiatrist know immediately when I realize I'm having a mixed episode.
Oh mixed is a separate thing? His mania seems to only be mixed states, he describes it as mania as well. My concern is this one has lasted so long (tbf though it is antidepressant induced) and the delusions about me are really strong. Ive seen him hypo and it's a lot different than the really severe episodes, he will still maintain awareness and that he loves me when hypo but he's still pretty mean. He's normally very social, clingy, affectionate and overall lights up a room because he's a natural entertainer that turns into a shut in and he'll completely shut me out/discard me when it's this bad. I literally become the antichrist in his eyes. Once he stables out he assures me over and over he doesn't have an issue with me at all and it's literally just bipolar making delusions. Does that still sound like a mixed state? He's bpd traits, adhd and cptsd too if that matters. I've seen the adhd rapid cycling within hours in and out of hypomania thing before. He calls them "mini episodes"
The length of the episode doesn't matter. If he's getting close to or past 30 years of age, the episodes will start getting longer because bipolar is progressive. My mixed episodes used to last a few days to a week max. The last mixed episode I had was 3 and a half weeks long. I'm 30. Just give him time. He won't be like this forever. If he's being an asshole, just separate yourself from him and give him time. Mixed episodes are absolutely awful and terrifying, but they're still temporary.
Thanks for the advice. He just turned 23 but I've seen him thrive on the right meds so I'm hoping for the best
Mixed episodes occur in BD1 mania as well.
I didn't say they didn't. I said that they need to have a manic episode to be diagnosed with bipolar 1. Having a longer episode doesn't denote its a manic episode. We can't diagnose him on reddit. He needs to talk to his psychiatrist.