Bipolar Support Group

I have few symptoms:

Spending sprees

Poor judgement and decision making because of my spending

More sociable

More talkative (that is not to say I talk all the time). I’m just overall less shy, and more talkative.

But I do not feel high or elated at all which is why I sometimes question my diagnosis. I just see life in a more positive way, that's all that's changed. I don't worry as much.

Very valid question. Did you share that with your pdoc?

Yes. I did ask her. I asked her why I don't feel high or elated. She went on about spending money, that's called being elated.

This is what the DSM has to say about the manic side of bipolar.

Criteria for Manic Episode (DSM-IV, p. 332)

A. A distinct period of abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood, lasting at least 1 week (or any duration if hospitalization is necessary).

B. During the period of mood disturbance, three (or more) of the following symptoms have persisted (four if the mood is only irritable) and have been present to a significant degree:

inflated self-esteem or grandiosity

decreased need for sleep (e.g., feels rested after only 3 hours of sleep)

more talkative than usual or pressure to keep talking

flight of ideas or subjective experience that thoughts are racing

distractibility (i.e., attention too easily drawn to unimportant or irrelevant external stimuli)

increase in goal-directed activity (either socially, at work or school, or sexually) or psychomotor agitation

excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that have a high potential for painful consequences (e.g., engaging in unrestrained buying sprees, sexual indiscretions, or foolish business investments)

Spending sprees would tick excessive involvement

You are more talkative

Increased in goal-directed activity (more sociable)

There's your three.

Hope this helps =)

Post edited by: liamacker, at: 03/27/2012 01:23 PM

Is that manic or hypomanic?

Rish, if you feel unsure may be seek another opinion, I don't spend noticeably and for that reason I have been told by some professionals that I am not Bipolar, yet I have all but the not being able to sleep and money boxes not ticked, go figure, I am more sexually orientated I get a much bigger high off of that, then spending money not into stuff, do buy expensive gifts for people and give money away...

The thing I am saying they can be very quick to tick the boxes and make a diagnosis, this scares me, Good luck..

Light68

Yes sorry I did mean to say hypomanic nurse.

Light68. I don't tick all the boxes either, especially because I don't feel elated or high. My psychiatrist does not go by the DSM but the ICD as I'm in the UK.