ok im gonna make this as short as possible. so im low income and ive been going to a free clinic for therapy. prior to that when i had insurance i was diagnosed as bp2. ive been seeing this new doctor since march and in the time that ive been going he seems not to know what to really do to help me, furthermore he told me today thta he thinks that i have adhd, depression, and my (gad) anxiety, and he doesnt think im bp2. the only reason that he thinks im not is because i dont have grandiousity, which he believes is the sole factor apparently in bp1 and 2. ive had severe depression since i was about 4 years old, along with suicidal thoughts, and both are and have always been present in my life, and im currently 25 now. at the age of 15 i started cutting, and at 16 was in therapy and diagnosed with severe or major depression, along with a panic disorder. at 19 i was in therapy again and was diagnosed borderline personality. so for once in my life at 24 i was diagnosed bp2 and never hearing about it before that day, i did what im sure all of you did.... my research. for the first time in my entire life i felt as though i finally knew what was wrong with me. everything i had read about bp2 was me to a T- minus the grandiousity, (unless you count cockiness for that). ive also had my s.o reading bp books and he feels thatthe diagnosis fits,. and now trying to get therapy and wanting to start meds, i went to my new dr. but so far i feel like he cant help me, and he is taking what im feeling and what i think my diagnosis is along with another drs, and disregarding it. i feel completly helpless and i really dont know what else i can do. im really at my end right now, and im really trying everthing in my power to change all this, but im literally not being taken serious. ive told him repeatedly how i feel and because i dont have one symptom but i do have all the rest then im not bp2. its important for me to be taken serious, cuz i feel like this is whats wrong, and i just feel like what i need to do to finally get him to understand. i know that meds are my only option at this point, cuz ive dealt with this everyday of my life and it only seems to be getting worse, i really cant do this on my own anymore, and im worried that if he doesnt help me soon then it will be too late for me and ill end up doing something that i will regret. please if anyone has any advice please im asking for it. ive looked into free programs but there arent any others in california that im aware of. my s.o is also looking for me, and he feels that the dr is wrong too. so please any advice would help more than you know. please.
I AM NOT A PDOC, NURSE, THERAPIST, ETC...
THIS IS ONLY MY OPINION... ONLY MY OPINION.
First... take a cleansing breath
breathe in... count to 3 or 4 and slowly breathe out
It isn't uncommon for pdocs to not diagnose you the same as other pdocs. It's not.
I've had many many many diagnosis changes over the years - many.
They all go to medical school (the actual psychiatrists who are MDs) and they all study the basic same books, and they all go through the basic same internship, etc... BUT mental health is all a subjective type field.
That is... they are given a DSM book and then based on what they see as your symptom and how they decipher it fits at any one time is how you are labelled with a diagnosis. Diagnoses are only labels like that on a can or bottle and most labels can be changed or have others added onto them.
Cutting, in and of itself, is not a known Bipolar trait. Nor is burning, mauling oneself, picking at scabs... self injury type behavior. This and these are known to be primarily Borderline Personality traits. NOW... many many many with Bipolar also have Borderline Personality as a secondary disorder so don't get excited about that.
If you are presenting to this new doc as mostly majorly depressed and he sees no "mania" then he is likely to diagnose you with moderate to severe reoccuring major depression - which is unipolar not Bipolar. It is all in how you present with your symptoms.
If you truly have Bipolar and you encounter a "up" swing because you will... he will see that as he treats you. You haven't been going to him that long. If so, he will likely change his diagnosis again... it happens. Diagnoses change given time.
You say you don't have grandiosity. I don't have hypersexuality to the grandiose point so many with Bipolar are stigmatized with. I also do not have grandiosity. Yet... I have had 3 full blown Mixed High Manic episodes in my 42.5 years and that - that alone qualifies me with Bipolar I. It doesn't give a hoot or holler what all my other symptoms are. I've been hospitalized with 3 known mixed high manic episodes in the last 20 years.
You don't have to have ALL the symptoms ALL the time nor do you have to have ALL the symptoms.
The point that the pdoc needs to make is : what to do to alleviate the dysfunctioning symptoms that are causing you the most distress at the moment.
Many of the meds used for Epilepsy are used for Bipolar and Major Depression. Many of the meds used for Major Depression are used for Bipolar. Many of the meds for Bipolar are used for Major Depression now (look at Abilify - it's used for Major Depression along with your anti-depressant now). The meds cross label and are cross used.
Unless you are seeking disability status... the label really doesn't mean a whole lot in the grander scheme of life. What really is important is whether the pdoc is helping you to achieve the goals you have set for yourself given you have symptoms that may be causing chaos and dysfunction. He/she is to assist you in alleviating or relieving those symptoms and helping you manage some stability.