Do i have bipolar 2 disorder?

Are you experiencing sudden fluctuations between euphoric highs and depressive lows? Do you suspect that your moods are not just run-of-the-mill mood swings but something more sinister? Well, my friend, there’s a good chance you may have bipolar 2 disorder. Read on to find out more.

What Is Bipolar 2 Disorder?

Bipolar II disorder is a mental health condition characterized by cyclic changes in mood from hypomania (excessive happiness) to depression. Unlike bipolar I, where the individual experiences full-blown mania, people with bipolar II experience hypomania – which essentially means they’re still in touch with reality (not dancing wild-eyed through fields of daisies).

Am I Just Overreacting?

It’s natural to want to minimize what might be happening inside our own heads. You don’t want to think of yourself as having any sort of ‘disorder’ or being anything less than completely normal. But if you’ve been feeling these intense swings for some time now – whether it’s weeks or months – and they’re disrupting your life (like if your hypomanic phase made you go full-on Kanye West at work) then it’s time to consider seeking help.

How Can I Know For Sure If It’s Bipolar 2 Disorder

Only a qualified medical professional can diagnose bipolar II disorder so you should consider speaking with one straight away (or tomorrow…could wait until next week too…no biggie).

But knowing what the symptoms are is always helpful when preparing for the worst appointment ever:

Symptoms Of Bipolar II Disorder

• Fluctuations between utopian-esque episodes (hypomaniae) & melancholic/depressive feelings.
• Increased energy levels during euphoric periods.
• Decreased need for sleep / highly erratic sleeping patterns.
• Racing thoughts & an inability to concentrate.
• Excessive irritability and agitation during depressive periods
• Feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or helplessness
• Issues in expressing yourself/talking slowly

If you’re experiencing any one of these symptoms regularly & consistently for some time with no obvious cause (like a big life event) then it’s time to call your generalized physician and check on this little ol’ issue.

Why Me?

Hey now. It’s not just “you”. Bipolar disorder affects roughly 2.6% of the U.S population (and that ain’t nothing to scoff at) As for why specifically it happened to you – we can’t tell. Modern medicine hasn’t yet fully determined what really causes bipolar disorder because there are numerous factors involved like genetics, lifestyle choices or even environmental ones.

Perhaps someone in your family has experienced something similar? Or maybe those ads about sleeping pills kept popping up non-stop whenever you scroogled…either way theres ways to find out if its just simple mood swings or more serious issues occurring inside your Incredible Hulk-like brain.

Risk Factors For Bipolar II Disorder

While there is no definitive answer when it comes down identifying risk factors for developing bipolar II disorder, current research suggests:

Family history:

Someone with a family history of bipolar spectrum disorders may have an increased chance of developing them too.

Trauma:

Painful and/or chronic experiences including losses (like coping poorly after realizing Friends was gone from Netflix), physical / emotional abuse etc/…..that increase stress levels could be triggers as well.

Mental health conditions:

Certain anxiety disorders such as panic attacks or obsessive-compulsive disorder might go hand-in-hand with bipolar 2.

Should I Be Worried?

Bipolar II can significantly affect people’s lives – especially during their depressive episodes…which isn’t like all those smart comments below YouTube videos but rather isolating themselves socially, facing cognitive issues etc..
(picture laying in bed for 10 hours scrolling through new fonts without including a single letter).

It can also lead to substance abuse or dangerous habits when individuals are trying to self medicate away their moods… (We’re not saying you’re an alcoholic because you called your ex crying at 2am again… but let’s just keep that one open).

The fact is that if left untreated, bipolar disorder can have devastating long-term effects on your life – so it’s important that you take steps towards getting the support and guidance you need.

What Can Be Done To Treat Bipolar II Disorder

Medications:

There are a variety of mood stabilizers like depakote or lithium which doctors may prescribe; antipsychotic meds like Seroquel (and its various cousins) – which work wonders with significant mood swings – could be ordered as well.

Therapy:

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), talk therapy-based methods such as interpersonal / psychodynamic types are common among people suffering from bipolar disorder.

What works best will depend significantly on each individual person’s needs and what they respond to best.

Whether medication or counseling sessions decide to do more justice is also something treating physicians will determine usually after running some tests/checkups/bloodwork/lifestyle analysis…..you get our point!

You’re Not Alone

Navigating any type of mental health issue isn’t easy- least of all Bipolar II Disorder . First things first though: If you’ve been struggling with these consistent cyclical moods then great job taking this initial step just by reading this far! You’ve taken the needed step starting here 💪🏽

It might seem overwhelming right now but remember….there’s help out there! So take those baby steps….collect data…and go seek medical professionals qualified enough to put together your very own Bat-Cave.

Also, after things get straightened out – go ahead and treat yourself to a dozen of those Krispy Kremes. It’s not like your Bipolar 2 is kicking in again..or is it? (cue suspense sounds)