Bipolar Support Group

I was looking at some of the articles from ApRiLGeTsAngry77 and I have a few nerves hit such as:

Funny enough, a man would likely get too happy first before getting real sad, ...

However in most cases, individual episodes could last several weeks or months. When the ailment is left alone and untreated, the sufferer could be suffering from the syndrome for the whole of ten years or more with only an episode per time.

I wonder if I should consider my adolescent depressive moods, trying to get over the loss of friendship for 10 years (18-28 yr old), breaking a window one Xmas holiday party as the house went from chaos to dead silence and aloneness-- only to recall my parents went bowling at the shattering of the glass (I had only one small splinter of glass)! Holding onto anger in disproportionate volumes and durations.

As long as you are the deep thinking type, you could suffer from bipolar ... But the syndrome is not for kids.

So what's more important the symptoms or the age of onset?

I'm sorry. Could you please clarify your questions?

I guess that I'm a little slow tonight.

So what's more important the symptoms or the age of onset?

Hi Poliarci. Thanks for taking the time to read my article and to provide some feedback. I apologize if my article offended or upset you in any way. I write many articles- did you get this article from this support group? I am afraid I don't know the answer to your question. Welcome to MdJunction and welcome to the group!

I know that I can think back to my early 20's and find episodes of depression mixed in with episodes of mania. I guess it started when I was 18 and had my first child. But I to have read that most kids are not bipolar. I think the onset happens in the teens and twenty's. (This is just what I have read)

I have heard pretty much the same- That the onset develops in your twentys.

I would think the symptoms...because that is what they are using to diagnose...

My mother said I was always a sad child with moments of extreme hyperactivity and happiness. I, myself would say that I noticed myself having bouts with sadness when I was around 12 when my Grandmother died. These times lasted then would end with crazy times where one time I remember flipping a monopoly board when I was 15. There are many other examples and times that were fueled by bipolar and self medication. I have to agree with olfaithful that dx is made through the symptoms of the illness not the age of the patient.

I was a bit of a holy terror during my adolescence but we attributed it to puberty. I think it was the bipolar emerging on top of the hormones. Fun times were had by all. </sarcasm> By the time I was 16 or 17 I began entertaining the possibility that I could be bipolar, but I knew very little about it at the time. I just noted that regardless of circumstance I'd be hyper and wound up for a while and then depressed for even longer.

I remember being depressed when I was a young teenager, but I experienced a lot of trauma in my childhood.

I had my first suicidal depression when I was 17. The mood swings continued from there.