Indi jay It’s not uncommon for someone with BP2 to be wrongfully diagnosed with depression as it was in my case, what helped my psychiatrist reach the real diagnosis was my reaction to anti depressants which triggered full on mania as it pushed me from one extreme to the other
Indi jay hypomania is the lesser form of Mania, it’s symptoms are much less severe particularly in the lack of full on psychotic episodes, the most common symptoms you’ll experience with Hm are insomnia, racing thoughts, irritability, increase in appetite and possibly impulsive actions though those are more common with full on Mania
The worst part about bipolar that nobody talks about is never knowing who we are. I look back at a depressive episode/manic episode when I'm out of them and I don't recognise that person, but I'm always switching back and forth. I hate it.
I'm recently diagnosed. And for years I've been saying I feel two faced. Not because of talking behind people's back but because I feel like there's literally two different people in me.
I have absolutely never been able to tell if I'm experiencing hypomania or just having a really productive few weeks. The irritability should be a tip off, but that just comes and goes all the time.
Ah, the hardest question to answer: Is this what normal is, or am I too productive? You obviously have questions and are mindful of your moods. Having a professional guide you through those questions can give you more confidence with those doubts.
Hypomania is difficult to describe and I feel like most videos can’t quite capture the essence of the symptoms. For me I feel this oneness with everything it’s awesome but I don’t have pressured speech or do anything risky but when I crash oh boy!
I also want to make sure that people know that Bipolar II is NOT a milder form of Bipolar I. It is considered a separate diagnosis in itself underneath the umbrella of Bipolar-type disorders. In fact, research has shown that in the long-term, Bipolar II can have as much impact on your functioning as Bipolar I because the Depressive episodes in Bipolar II seem to be more long-lasting and the episodes themselves come and go more frequently.
Thank you. I was going to leave a comment saying exactly this, but you said it. It's not milder, it's just different. In my case, my depression is more severe and longer lasting than hypomania. I also experience the episodes coming and going a bit frequently. Again, thank you. You said everything I was going to.
Thank you for sharing this. My old therapist told me that my case "wasn't that bad" because bipolar 2 is "milder" than bipolar one and that I should be grateful. I stopped seeing her haha
I’ve noticed that. I’m bipolar 1 and mania is much bigger issue for me where as some people I know if connected with that have bipolar 2 deal with major depression.
I’m an artist and I seem to crank the artwork out for days when I’m hypomanic, then of course slip into the depression and stop for way too long but can’t seem to create anything until the cycle starts again 😞
I wish I could stay in that state forever... I really enjoy my hypomanic episodes :( I started to upcycle furniture (never did that in the past) but now I'm depressed and all that I started is just are half done, such a disaster.
One of the things I struggle with is constantly chasing difficult jobs I can’t handle, degrees & hard certifications, thinking I’m great & I can do it (at the time I sign up.) It always ends up in a downward spiral that leads to massive depression with suicidal ideation & anxiety that lasts for months. I always swear it will be the last time, but then I repeat the cycle. Ugh.
I’ve been formally diagnosed with BP2 and this is actually very informative! My hypomania usually makes me lose sleep for up to 3 or 4 days and I usually end up cleaning my house or getting advanced on homework. But I still go to school and I’m more talkative in class. To give an idea, because I’m also a psychology major, I’m still able to moderately function when I’m hypomanic. My time for dysfunction is when I’m depressed; I usually have problems getting out of bed and I have hypersomnia and binge eat.
Major Bootyful i go through a really similar experience! being a psych major is kind of a blessing and a curse because i feel like we have more knowledge of our conditions and symptoms, but at the same time are way more sensitive to them 😥
My hypomania is similar to yours, I always clean my room in 3 or 4 am, but i think my depression phase is causing me to advance in school works, the guilt and stress is the only motive for me to study, the sleep loss is the worst, Im 24 yrs old but my hair is already grey, unable to sleep gives me serious migraine literally everyday
so nice just to hear i’m not the only one going through this. i’m only 15 years old, so my doctor doesn’t want to diagnose me with bp2 yet because of course, my hormones are out of wack. but i’ve been doing research about it, and honeslty, it sounds just like me. i go through like a week where i’m on top of things, doing my homework, cleaning, etc. and then a week later i slip into an all time low. but i had a hypomania episode about 3 or so weeks ago, and have been stuck in my depressive state for quite some time now. it got so bad that i got really suicidal, and my doctor had me take off from school for a week and a half. but somehow, i still don’t feel like it helped.
One major challenge that I've seen in my personal experience is that those with bipolar disorder spend most of their time in a depressive state, and that the self perception is that those hypomanic episodes are what "normal" should feel like. Thus, we never consider that what we think of as normal isn't actually normal. People like us more, we achieve more, we think faster and function at a high level. When in those seemingly perpetual depressive episodes family and friends tell us we're not ourselves and we get so frustrated that we can't be in that flying, elevated state. As you mentioned, people are commonly misdiagnosed with depression and may continue to do so because the deceptive self perception doesn't recognize hypomania. When prescribed with antidepressant medication that pushes some people with bipolar disorder into hypomania or mania, they get that feeling that they are normal again. We can only communicate what we can perceive and usually peoples' self perceptions are quite distorted. This is why it's important that friends and loved ones who know is best to approach us whem appearing to be going through these mood cycles and to encourage us to seek help. Thank you Katie for addressing the importance of timing to make this approach and for encouraging the process for seeking help. I would like to raise one more point that is not commonly raised when discussing bipolar disorder. Often people think that hypomania and mania--because it invokes a sense of invulnerability and elevation--that it feels blissful and euphoric. It can feel that way at first but that state of overdrive and hypersensitivity to everything is actually becomes quite uncomfortable and even painful. People around those with bipolar disorder can't see what those suffererd are feeling. How can feeling good be painful, right!? A lot of impulsive behavior can be driven (usually subconsciously/instinctively) by that state of discomfort to ease the unrest and hyperdrive. This impulsive can manifest in many ways. I think that the underlying pain is a big catalyst for substance abuse; the desire to feel good but to numb the extreme discomfort that underlies mania and hypomania. I know the experience is different for everyone who falls within the bipolar spectrum. From personal experience and those who share their own, all express this simultaneous uncomfortable bliss. Despite it's painfulness hypomanic and manic states are still seemingly better to feel intensely than to be in the heavy and numbed state of major depression. Driving a car at high speed is exhilarating and fun but when the engine revs too high the car begins to vibrate and the driver can lose control with the slightest bump or diversion. "Next time I'm feeling hypomanic/manic I can behave myself, control it and make some progress in life.". Until ZOOM, CRASH! Thanks again Katie for all you do to promote mental health support.
I was just diagnosed with bipolar 2 and I’ve been trying to figure out if my psychiatrist was right or not. You just described my daily struggles and now I think I can confidently say that I have bipolar 2. Thank you for helping me realize this about myself.
My hypomania makes me feel this intense connection with everything... kind of hard to explain but I don’t have pressured speech or racing thoughts. Everyone is different.
Thank you for sharing this. I had hypomania recently, made a video about it but forgot to mention my experience with feeling 'at one' with the universe as I was starting to come out of my hypomania. I did also have pressured speech tho.
@@Jackie-se4wg x 1,000,000 is a lot compared to what I would have said, but it makes sense to me. How old are you? I ask because I think I have had some change as I have aged. I'm 34 now and when I was in my teens and twenties the high times I had were pretty extraordinary. I had this perception that I was able to experience better moods than the average person but at the same time I had access to much darker moods too. As though the capacity for the high came with the necessary capacity for the low.
Thank you for telling me to write down my moods because one minute I can remember the feelings and the next minute iv completely changed moods so its hard to recall and explain how i felt.
Thanks for splitting the parts of text up to distinct, colored chunks Kati. It makes it easy to keep concentration and read :) Stellar video as always, keep up the great work!
Kati, thank you thank you thank you for making this video! As someone with bipolar disorder type 2, I'm so excited to have someone help eliminate the misconceptions about bipolar disorder!
I wasn't diagnosed with this but I thought I was having signs of it. Now I'm definitely going to talk to my psychiatrist about it. Thank you for this video. 💜
You definitely should, my mother didn't go to a psychiatrist until her 40s and was diagnosed with pretty severe case of bipolar II disorder. I myself felt something wrong throughout most of my 20s and I recently got diagnosed with bipolar II disorder and seeing a psychiatrist have really helped me understand myself a lot better.
@@BeerHombre im 24 now, got diagnosed with bp2 a year and a half ago, it feels like ive wasted my entire life being depressed and not focusing on school or social interactions. growing up i didnt expect to be alive past 18 so i didnt care about anything that wasnt immediately fun, i wish i was diagnosed sooner and got treatment but my parents never paid attention to me or my siblings. i am currently switching between medications and hoping i can be happy. im sure my teachers in school knew something was wrong but they never did anything to help me, i didnt know how bad i was till i ended up in a psych ward
As someone with bipolar II, I really appreciate this video. In particular, thank you for stating explicitly that the hypomanias are not enjoyable. Mine feel closer to a drug-fueled paranoia than they do anything that resembles happiness. The way I describe my episodes is that in the hypomanias I dig my hole, and when the depression follows I lie in it.
What I wish more people understood about bipolar is that, even though we’re on medication and going to therapy, there is no cure and episodes with continue to occur, even while taking meds. I think there is a false belief out there that once we pop a pill, that’s the end of it. It’s a hard road to be on, not knowing how you’ll feel from one day to the next. It can take months to get on the right cocktail of medication because what will work for one person, will not work for another. It’s just so very hard to live with and manage. Medication with help reduce symptom severity, therapy will help identify triggers and hopefully catch an episode early on. It’s the combination of both that gives us the best chance for a healthy and balanced life I am also very appreciative of Kati’s support and advocacy of medications. I know a lot of people don’t want to take meds, but I am so very thankful they’re there.
Well said! It is so frustrating to explain that medication is for management and not a cure. There such a misperception out there! Episodes will always occur. Medication helps with the frequency and intensity, gives us more opportunity to manage the cycles.
It can be so tiring to have to be on the watch for episodes and to have to try to fight them myself. Quite often I just feel like giving up! Even with meds I swing and the swinging can be awful. Sometimes I have to go off the meds briefly because they run out and it's hard to get them here and my goodness me I lose my mind. I come out of it all not really knowing what I did during the time I was off them tbh. Without them I would not be able to function. With them, I still have to fight for normalcy. Seems to me like we have very hard lives but hey, I don't have a choice - got to keep trying :)
Zoe Osborne hi 👋🏽 im not an expert myself but I have been doing some research and reading ALOT because my best friend were giving me a hot and cold treatment and i was so confused until I realized that she may have a mental illness, what I found out is that people need to heal their guts first and get their blood detoxed by eating extremely healthy! You gotta cut out junk food, fatty foods, processed food, gluten, refined sugars, etc and have a diet based on fish, fruits, seeds, etc it’ll take time but you can get healed! Don’t listen to the “professionals” they just want money! They always say that there isn’t a cure but there is but most people don’t know the relationship between our guy and mind! A healthy guy is a healthy mind! And pray so that god can help you
I'm so glad you covered this so I can send to people close to me so they can understand better. Lots of people understand the depression but not the hypo mania. Before this, my best way to describe my hypo mania was once before leaving the house to meet a friend who knew I wasnt doing great, I walked in and out of my bedroom 6 times rapidly. I KNEW i needed something. I just couldnt focus enough to know what i needed but i also couldnt sit still while i tried to work it out. Turns out, i needed to pee. That's how unexplainable your brain can be in a hypo manic episode. I was SO frustrated with myself that I almost cried but I could not stop moving. As if my body had other plans and my brain wasnt bothered joining in with it. It's scary when it happens it's the closest I've ever come to feeling "insane". Just letting ya'll know, you're not insane. You're not wrong. Your brain just needs some help to manage and you can give it that help x
I was just diagnosed today. At age 29. I never sought help before. This video really helped me to understand this disorder better. Thank you for this video.
i just recently got diagnosed as well, growing up i always knew something was wrong with me and i would always try to find information online but could never find anything
I started noticing that I had these episodes 2 years after it started. I'm 13 now and I got diagnosed today. I already got diagnosed with ptsd at 12 and adhd at 8. I'm getting medicine, working on the ptsd and adhd. Best of luck to everybody.
I was diagnosed with BP2 last January, after being treated for depression, off and on, for about 20 years. My mom is BP1 and generally experienced more manic episodes than depressive ones over the years. So, I never made the connection that I may have more than just “down” times because I never had truly manic or psychotic times. My hypomanic episodes mostly come in the form of high activity and extreme productivity. I rarely sleep and have little spending control. My most recent depression period lasted for about 9 months and was the worst that I’ve ever experienced. I was diagnosed with BP2 during that time and I honestly don’t know where I’d be today without that new treatment and therapy. Not to ramble on or get too personal, but Kati was so right about how important the right diagnosis is. It really is a matter of life and death. Loved this video, Kati! ❤️
I was recently diagnosed with bp type 2. Thank you for this video. I sometimes worry I'm "not really bipolar" because my hypomania isn't usually related to sex/alcohol/drugs. But I definitely fit the irritable symptoms. When I get hypomanic I try to renovate my house or do other home/craft projects and throw actual childlike tantrums when things don't go the way I want. It's very stressful. But I'm on good meds now and it's definitely better
Sounds like me as well. I have the same diagnosis of bipolar type 2 as a teenager. I always never exactly felt like I resonated with the stereotypical description of hypomania (drugs, alcohol, other self destructive behaviors) but there were times where after months or a week of a MDE, I would quite literally flip every inch of my room/the house and clean until about 3 am and work myself up until I nearly pass out or almost throw up. Despite this I still don’t end up getting much hours of sleep. I can’t stress the irritability I get, too. Every interaction I have with my mom ends up in me cussing her out. The filter in my brain disappears and I become ruthless and almost violent. The breakdowns and tantrums; it’s a horrible cycle. Being on the wrong meds has not helped in any degree either
Thank you so much for addressing BP2! This is my adult daughter’s diagnosis and I really never knew the different between 1 and 2. Really helped me understand a little more...
I have bipolar 2, thank you for making this video! I was misdiagnosed for 8 years as having dysthymia, because my depressive episodes were so prevalent and also because my drs weren't the best. As soon as I was told what hypomania was (when I changed drs) I was like oh yeah I have that happening. I definitely have major depressive episodes more than hypomanic episodes. My medication is a work in progress, I definitely drag my feet with it because I've had a couple make me really sick.
Claire Turner Good job on seeking the right stuff, I hope you get a good doctor who will care for your unique brain chemistry right. Meek acceptance of meds does no one any good if they are incorrect, may you be blessed with protection and healing in the name of Yeshua, and feel the love and presence of the Holy Spirit.
I have BP type 2 and thank you for educating people. :) I wasn’t diagnosed till this year and I am almost 21 years old. I had so many highs and lows each day that it made it so hard to live my life. For anyone out there thinking about ending their life, trust me it gets better. My medication has made me feel like myself again. I don’t feel numb and like I am living in a cartoon world that I am just a visitor in. Don’t let your diagnosis and your self become one person, separate yourself from your disorder and don’t let it win. I know things get rough and there are many tears and unsettling feelings everyday for no actual reason but just know that you aren’t alone in this fight.
I have been diagnosed with BP2. The comments you made about when we reach out for help and often it’s in the depressed mode are so true! When I first went to the doctor I was put on antidepressants. That pushed me into Hypermania and lead to my first hospital admission and finally my diagnosis when my doctor and my sister started communicating more. She was able to give a more clear view than what I could to what was actually going on. I felt fantastic in my hypomanic episodes so never thought to bring them up to my doctor. It has taken 2 years and another hospital admission after becoming toxic on my medication to finally be on the right medication. Working hard with my doctor, my therapists and my family has finally got me back to myself. I feel strong enough again to deal with daily life and not feel like it is going to push me into an episode. Thanks for the video it was so clear and something I will get my extended family and friends to watch
I have these two in tandem as well, Make sure you log your main daily stuff(moods/meals/sleep). For me, its huge clue when I log 'music sounds awful or like crap', this is a red flag for me, because the day before music sounds fine and usually means depressive countermeasure time.
I hope you see this @Gabrielle - I believe I may be on the spectrum too and I wonder what criteria they based that off of for you. I believe wholeheartedly that my brain functions differently than others and it drives me batty if it's just intrusive thoughts or if it's in fact autism. I have a few things going on but I wonder if all of this is contributed From being autistic! Blah. Anyway, I hope your doing well!
I've noticed that my hypomania can last a lot longer than I thought. Either that or I'm having multiple, back to back episodes. I spent the last 2 weeks making lists, planning out each moment of each day with tasks I wanted to complete. I used multiple organizational apps with multiple list views, and even multiple types of lists. I set alarms for moments in the future and reveled in the amount of stuff I was going to get done. I did this for 2 solid weeks! And when my energy started to slip, and my worthlessness and guilt and shame started to creep back in, my nosedive was fueled even harder by all of the things on my lists that I wasn't getting done. All of the people I made plans with were let down and saddened. This disease has almost killed me and it still comes up with incredibly clever ways to use me as fuel against myself. I still have alarms that go off around 2 in the morning, telling me to start working on whatever... what I would like to say to people who live or work with someone like me is: On a good day, I'm a husk of myself. I may seem fine but I'm not. I'm waiting, always waiting for the other shoe to drop. On a bad day, I'm moments away from catastrophic self destruction and I'll take anyone with me if I can. Right up to the point when I realize I'm a monster. A werewolf version of Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde on steroids. What happened to me? I'm so sorry. I'm just not hungry or I'm just not tired. And then SQUIRREL! If there are any of you reading this who suffer from bipolar or depression or any ailment that falls under the mental health umbrella, I salute you. Also, I make music. It kinda sounds like bipolar. That is all. Oh! Thank you for the video!! It was very informative and pretty spot on, at least for me.
I didn't realize I was Bipolar type 2 until I was put on zoloft which made me DEFINITELY go into hypomania. When I showed up to my Dr. (My OB/GYN believe it or not) she recognized it immediately and sent me straight to a psychotherapist, where I then got my diagnosis after a few weeks. Glad you brought up the SSRI stuff.
Same thing happened to me when I went on Zoloft! Very new diagnosis and struggling to understand myself and my triggers. I am on mood stabilisers and still having high irritability. Not sure if its just me or if im adjusting to the meds
does this include having the urge to do things that are unnecessary? like, there are times that i get so mad when my bed sheets aren't aligned or certain things in the house are not in a 'perfect' position, but sometimes i'm able to control them. i also have unwanted thoughts/images always appear in my mind too. although i'm not sure if i really have bipolar2 disorder because i'm just studying the symptoms first because i don't want to diagnose myself.
You helped me be honest with my therapist and get more help with my mental health 💙 you saved my life. I’m living stronger everyday getting ahold of my bipolar disorder 2
This is what happened to me. I went in for depression was diagnosed with MDD and put on an SNRI. I was pushed into a hypomanic episode and realized that I actually had BP2. I heard that about 50% of BP2 patients were originally diagnosed with MDD. It’s easy to miss and if you aren’t really in tuned with your feelings it probably goes unnoticed.
Hi Kati. I have this disorder and I feel that you have done an excellent job of explaining it. Thank you very much for your hard work and dedication to your base.
I've been trying to get my boyfriend diagnosed for years. They keep giving him a diagnosis of depression because of his episodes of depression. They also give him antidepressants which NEVER work. I've always thought he was Bipolar 2. It's been an exhausting journey to see him struggle and hurt. I had to call the police on him tonight and they took him to the hospital for an evaluation. Because of Covid, I can't be there so I have no idea what's going on. I really hope they correctly diagnose him and give him proper medication. He is really angry at me for calling the police but I can't watch him suffer anymore. This will probably cost me my relationship but as long as he can be stabalized and get he help he needs, I will feel ok moving on. This has been a nightmare. For him and for me. Thank you for your video.
I watched her first video on Bipolar 1 and 2 a few years back and it helped me so much. I had just left college due to sever depression practicaly crippling me, my social life, and academics. At the same time I learned I was misdiagnosed, but scared to admit I had bipolar 2 because of negative connotations I've seen/heard in life and by family. But watching that video and learning more about it, it helped me accept it and pushed me to try and better myself. I'm so glad theres a new and updated video. And I hope it continues to help people learn more about mental illness. Thank you so much.
Hi Leeze. I'm trying to learn myself about this disorder because I met someone that was diagnosed with it and I'm curious, and I also want to know what would be the best way to help that person....Can I ask you, how do you feel when on medications? do you feel it helps you to feel better? Do you think that when you're on medication is like the disorder goes away?
i have BP2 and i'm unmedicated. my hypomanic episodes can range from feeling extra anxious and irritable every couple weeks to occasionally experiencing symptoms similar to OCD. My most unbearable symptoms are the racing thoughts, stuttering a lot, can't settle down for bed, and feeling like my skin is crawling (so much so that I have to go on a run to feel somewhat normal). These symptoms happen sparingly. It's mostly just the anxiety and irritability. The depression is more common and it's gets annoying to deal with but I'm used to it now and have learned ways to cope.
I just have to say that it's so nice to finally find a video full of information on this particular topic. Bipolar 2 can be so misunderstood. In my experience, I've had a difficult time learning how to cope with the intensity of the depression and still do the little things like have job, pay the bills, take care of the kids... the list goes on. Thank you for your video.
Thank you for the video, personally this gives excellent clarity for those who do not understand. I have BP type 2 and have suffered for around 8 years now. I had seen so many doctors and had so many counselling because I was diagnosed with depression. Often I ended up in a worse place particularly when I tried SSRI’s I was suicidal. I finally managed to see a psychiatrist last year who diagnosed me with type 2 BP. I have since started quetiapine and it’s changing my life. The biggest plague is the irritable side because I know it’s my onset of hypo mania, it’s getting better and manageable!! The periodic depression is subsiding and my life and relationship is finally being rebuilt ❤️ Please seek the necessary help. Here in the UK it’s very difficult to see a psychiatrist via the NHS because of funding. I’ve personally I’ve battled so hard to get to where I am, I nearly lost it all. Wishing everybody suffering happiness and love because they are the most greatest gifts 💙
I love your explanation. You explained the hypomanic state in a clear and concise way. I don’t experience euphoria like some with bipolar 1 or 2 but I do experience the mixed episodes, racing thoughts and very risky behaviors. I was even suicidal. It has helped me to watch videos like this and even more when I talk about it with others
It's generally wise to avoid pushing someone towards treatment during a hypomanic episode, BUT (as someone with BPII) please please be sure to give someone love and support and encouragement when they're feeling manic-- not just when they're depressed.
I was diagnosed with depression until my therapist raised a suspicion in my decision making, that led to the revelation of the hypomanic episodes. Can't emphasize enough how crucial it is to have a good therapist and to educate myself, and so thankful we are living in a time where we can find such brilliant videos like yours. Thank you for explaining it in a clear and simple way. Sending love!
Thank you for this video. I was diagnosed with bipolar 2 last week, and have been experiencing major impostor syndrome, like thinking maybe I was lying or making stuff up. But I remember being very honest with her and saying "I dont know" to some of the questions. The hardest part about the assessment and the diagnosis is the amnesia about my hypomanic episodes, I forget I've had them, or I think "they weren't that bad, I was just very excited!". And also I dont fit neatly into the box because I can experience the pressures speech, and hyper activity, but then all the sudden feel depressed and lose all my energy and want to die. Come to find out that is called a mixed episode. How fun. But anyways, I guess my point it, thank you for this video because it was very helpful to hear the diagnostic criteria again, I pretty much fit all of it, except that I'm not sure how long my hypomanic episodes last.
I forgot to add, the other reason I've been doubting my diagnosis is because I felt like my hypomanic episodes were triggered by an obsession with a special interest, for example; I spent a night or two binge watching singing lesson tutorials, I was up all night watching them, I even later showed my kids and husband the funny ones, and I was most definitely super amped up and hyper, I got my three kids wound up too (😔). But yeah, I didnt know if that counted as a hypomanic episode because it was triggered, or if it only counts when I am already manic and then get obsessed. I'm also not sure which comes first each time, my manic mood, or the interest taking hold and then i become obsessed and manic.i hope this makes sense!
this. i was just diagnosed last week as well and have been having a hard time. thinking the same thing, maybe i made things up or exaggerated things in my appointment when i felt like i was just trying to be honest. and looking back, i have had hypomanic episodes that i thought just weren’t that bad. i’m also diagnosed borderline and it seems the hypomania always tended to set of my bpd, and then send me into a major depressive episode. or i’ll be feeling really good and out of nowhere it all shifts and i’m like that for quite a while and can’t get out of it. hoping i can come to terms with it and focus on my treatment soon. the imposter syndrome can feel overwhelming and like i want to go back convince them their wrong.
I have bipolar II and BPD. A lot of symptoms overlap, however, it was the hypomania, my mental health nurse noticed and made me more aware of. Thanks for the video! It is very helpful for people to understand the disorder.
Family members have no idea what the person suffering from a mental health disorder are going through. Normal individuals will actually accuse you of making things up to get attention. Be strong and be well. The only person who really knows you 100% is You!
Yes, I always to try to explain to my family that this is a lifelong struggle for me and they just keep telling me I need to get tougher because they get sad too. I once had a cousin tell me, “Maybe if you had something in life that made you happy, and you’re still depressed, then everyone would believe you actually have a disorder.”
I was diagnosed with major depression and generalized anxiety in 2013. I was on anti depressants for years, and while they allowed me to live my life, I still had episodes of depression and anxiety. I just figured this was the most "normal" I could feel, and that I would just have to deal with that. After having some talks with my family, I went to a different doctor and was re diagnosed with BP 2. I was put on a mood stabilizer, and I can't tell you how much better I became. I started to really feel emotions again. I didn't realize how much the anti depressants were numbing me. Thank you so much for this video!
Omg Katie I appreciate this so much. Wow. My doctor diagnosed me with bipolar 2, but I've questioned it (maybe just in denial) but this helped clear things up and explain things better. Thank you so much ❤
You are by far the kindest mental health professional that I've ever seen. Thanks for this video! as someone diagnosed with BP 2, I am grateful for the information.
A couple things to note about bipolar 2: Hypomania can still seriously disrupt your quality of life if not addressed. I lost a job in part because I wasn't able to stay in the office for extended periods of time and kept leaving to go on walks. This could also be prolonged by the lack of accurate diagnosis and subsequent treatment. In other words, if your therapist only recognizes your depressive and anxious systems, they may not provide interventions that really help with manic symptoms, which may allow things to worsen. It's also risky to characterize bipolar 1 as "not as bad" or "easier" than bipolar 2 as evidence suggests that bipolar 2 is associated with longer and more severe depressive episodes than experienced by people with bipolar 1. I also wish Kati brought up how frequently bipolar 2 is misdiagnosed as generalized anxiety. Pressured speech, restlessness, an inability to sit still are all common in people with anxiety. It takes an attentive eye to notice other symptoms as well. Ultimately, bipolar 1 and bipolar 2 are *separate* diagnoses with some differentiation in diagnostic criteria, not different extremities of the same disorder
This is a great video. As a bipolar person I did just want to say don’t always wait for an episode to end before talking to your loved one- episodes can be the absolute worst and they can get dark and scary really quickly and a lot of us are afraid to open up about what’s going on inside because we don’t want to scare our loved ones. So if you think a loved one is having a hypomanic or depressed episode, sometimes it’s best to just take them straight to the doctor. Especially if they have a history of suicidal ideation or self harming.
I've been diagnosed as having bipolar 2 but my depression is the part that's pretty much ongoing. I've rarely had hypo-mania, but when I did it was a welcome change for a while.
Recently diagnosed with BPII. For the longest time we were looking at it as MDD with ADD. Then, when an antidepressant that had worked faithfully for 20+ years stopped working, my provider took me through a list of symptoms. Along with the antidepressant no longer working, I was experiencing irritability along with anger fits/tantrums. After working through the symptoms, my provider believes I have BPII. I've started a new medication that has a slow ramp up -- It's working part of the day right now but can't immediately boost the dose due to possible severe side effects. And what a relief that part of the day is -- one of the days, it was such a relief to NOT be irrationally irritable I burst into tears of joy (NOT sadness/depression). Thank you for this educational video about BPII!
I showed this video and the video on bipolar 1 to my family, and they seemed to learn a lot. Though, they now disagree with my diagnosis and think that I am bipolar 1 instead. I'm not sure I agree with them, but the fact that they seemed to have an aha moment about things that I sometimes do or the way that I act and feel was such a nice feeling. Like I finally felt as though I wasn't the crazy cousin who has to go to the psychiatrist all the time and take her pills to act normal, and I was just simply me. I'm still kind of on an upward swing, but their eyes being opened to my world really truly made me happy for the first time in a long time.
I was diagnosed with BP2 about 7 years ago when I was 19. I have always struggled with depression, getting diagnosed when I was 13 years old after my first hospitalization. Being diagnosed with BP2 really changed things for me, I was able to understand why I was feeling this or doing that. It is quite true on the severity part, on a hypomanic episode and a manic episode. Over the dozen major hypomanic episodes over the years I’ve only been hospitalized a few times. So I guess I still had a semblance of “functionality” with my everyday life. I just had one last summer, dozens of ideas on opening up my own candle shop online, I was writing and writing and researching and bought a bunch of stuff for it. I wanted to quit my job, I put my two weeks in, I worked as a banker and I could barely get through the day with not being irritated with every little thing. I was unraveling, crying with frustration that I couldn’t control my emotions, and was so disappointed in myself that I let this happen. But I know I didn’t do anything wrong, I know I didn’t let myself down, this is what having BP2 is like. About two weeks later I decided to stay at my job(eventually quitting a few months later when I realized that was still what I wanted to do), and now I have a bunch of candle stuff. Which isn’t the worst, now I don’t have to buy any candles for the next few years! LOL It’s tough, I’m also having a rough day because I don’t normally post things like this on RUclips. I just want to say it’s okay, not just to those who have BP2, but anyone struggling with mental illness. It’s such a long journey, and the most important thing is to be patient with yourself and be kind to yourself. There is nothing wrong with you, and there are so many people who support and love you. Stay strong out there ♥️
As someone who has this , thank you for getting the details out there. It’s troubling that they have those commercials that have the “pretty “ visuals..... It’s not fun at all. When i was finally correctly diagnosed just a few years ago( 4 or 5) I was living with my grandmother thinking i could care for her and myself ( physically disabled). All those symptoms yeah, pretty sure i had them all. Antidepressants ( been on A LOt of different ones growing up) certainly does make things worse. Thank you again. ❤️
Hi everyone!!! I'm 24 with no kids...but I have a 4 year old Cousin who I love dearly but that reminds me why I will never have kids. Its nice to give him back to his mom when I'm done spending time with him. Anyways I don't know if any of you can relate to this...but a big reason I don't want kids is I have Bipolar Disorder and Mental Illness runs deep in my family. I don't even want to take a risk of bringing a child in this world who might inherit that and have to suffer through what me and my family has. Plus I just don't have the patience for kids but thats my main reason....
When I first started seeing my therapist (a clinical psychologist), after a few sessions (and me pushing for a diagnosis) he mentioned he thought I might have Social Anxiety Disorder and PTSD. When I went back the following year and talked about some other things (the racing thoughts and paranoid ideas among other things) I was officially diagnosed Bipolar 2 Rapid Cycling. I'm pretty sure the first time I went to see him I was depressed and then the second time hypomanic. When I asked him if he thought I was crazy, he said it sounded very much like bipolar. Moral of the story, don't be afraid to tell your therapist about the crazy stuff. Videos like this are so helpful. Thank you for making them.
Just to add some awareness, the suicide rates for Bipolar 2 are alarmingly high, even up to 50% in some studies. I believe it has something to do with the rapid cycling of moods and recurring exhaustion. In my experience, this has definitely been shown to be true. Best of luck to all, remember there is always hope, and anybody can reach out to me. I understand better than most how hard it can be. We're all in this shitty world together, so let's make the most of it,
I was diagnosed with bipolar II a year ago (along with PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and other things) and I think the hardest for me is to explain to people how they can help me... They are always thrown off by how quickly I can go from hypomania to depressed (I am fast cycling). And even if they want to help me and ask me question, I cannot explain because I dont always understand or know what I am feeling... Other than that I am actually thriving, sometimes hypomania help me to increase my goals and during that time I can really work on how I feel in order to "prepare" for another low or another high... Also every episode is different but I started to recognize pattern and I learned to accept my ups and downs. Keeping a journal is actually really helpful... I usually just write 1/2 sentences about my overall mood of the day, it helps a lot to have a written trace of my cycling when I seek help... It is hard and tiring to always have my thought racing or to lack sleep, but at the end of the day I don't feel "different". I just feel like I feel more, I experience happiness, sadness, anger, (etc.) more and I learned to use it to my advantage rather than being frustrated...
Hi Kati, and thank you for yet another very instructive video! Could you please make a video about highly sensitive people? Is it a real diagnosis? I tried to talk about it with my psychiatrist and she talked about generalized anxiety. Could it be the same as borderline personality disorder? Thank you SO MUCH in advance! Love you and keep inspiring us!!!
I just posted a similar question, my therapist diagnosed me borderline but I have a good bipolar friend that said what I described to her sounded like bipolar. I have most of the borderline traits, thats pretty obvious extreme emotional, situational variability (mainly sad, angry, or scared) yet both mixed moods and especially "agitated depression" describes me very well too.
It is called empathy. There is a lot of good info out there as that is what I have always suffered??? from. No need to suffer as You can Shine your Light. Also look into what it means to be a Lightworker, as that is what I am sensing from you.
Yet another amazing video! With each video I continue to learn, grow, and most importantly derive hope! Stay beautiful as you continue to heal the wounded and provide hope for those who struggle in silence!
Hey it's me again, back in a depressive episode coming back to the video for validation that I'm not a weirdo.. sometimes I feel like my diagnosis of BP2 is wrong because I don't feel like my symptoms are EXTRA enough but it's clear to people around me or anyone who saw me in this state would totally agree I have BP2. I'm highly functional in hypomania and depressive episodes both but for me I feel literally every little bit of it to the depths of my soul. Thank you as always Katie
the hardest thing is to say what i feel right now. If I was down and out then it would be easy to describe but when im up and over i would never know how to or why to say anything at all... no more coffee after this.. oh thanks KM!
Myself having BPD II, and going on 60 am grateful that I got it diagnosed when I was 35 in (1995).. Before then you were either considered Manic Depressive or Normal, I had a rough the first 35 yrs of my life and not knowing was the most frustrating thing, but you knew that something was wrong but there was no diagnoses for it later, and getting on the right medication and taking the right dosage. After finding out what was wrong I did a lot a research to understand it better, and how to manage it. I don't look at it as a weakness but learned to embrace it to make it a strength and to help others understand it. It is not my fault that I have it, but it is my responsibility to own it and manage it, and yes you can accomplish so much and be happy in your life.
I have bipolar 2 and honestly, it is tough. I get severely depressed especially while I am PMSing so I have to be on an anti-depressant. Luckily, I have not gone close to mania in a while since being on it. I am going through a really depressed mood right now.
Same here! The crazy PMS mood swings were so debilitating for me. I'm now on an antipsychotic, antidepressant, and birth control. The new med therapy really helped!
Liv C what is it like being on an antipsychotic? I'm considering it in exchange for an anti depressant. The other medication I take that definitely makes me feel better is a mood stabilizer. The anti depressant makes me feel like I'm not myself.
@@gabb387 I just want to preface by saying that I'm not a psychiatrist, but the medication I am on is called Seroquel- which is an atypical antipsychotic. This medication worked really well for me pretty much almost immediately. It was added to my meds when an antidepressant alone was not enough. I'm still on the antidepressant, but am hoping to either wean off of it, or add a mood stabilizer instead- as the antidepressant can add to symptoms of mania when taken over a long period of time. Either way, it's worth having a thorough chat with your doctor about. That's my experience any way, hope it helps 🙂
I’m so sorry. You will get through it like you always do! Just stay strong and try to think as positive as possible, as well as try to get up and go outside every day, even when you don’t feel like it! That has really helped me. I wish you the best and remember, pain is temporary!
My understanding is that a person with BP2 can indeed have manic episodes that are simply shorther in duration. At least that's what I heard Andrew Huberman speak about. He says that a BP1 charecteristc is mania for 7 days whereas a person diagnosed with BP2 may have a manic episode os just 3-4 days for example. The hypo can stand for less intensity or less duration according to AH. What are your thoughts on that? Thank you :)
So I got diagnosed with bipolar 2 disorder when i was 15 by a therapist/psychiatrist, for years i was seeing a therapist & psychiatrist cause i always knew something was wrong i just could never figure it out, after being diagnosed with bipolar 2 disorder depression & anxiety it all made sense, i could never understand why i couldn't just be "normal". i've only told a few people in my life about this because in the past i would always tell somebody & they would just think i was crazy or unstable because lot of the time that's how Hollywood pro strays it, it feels so great to have somebody like you show these people the truth, because i am not crazy i just have problems but honestly who doesn't? so anyways for years i struggled/ still struggle with figuring out exactly how to comprehend this disorder i have, i still struggle with understanding WHY i got it. i've always had terrible mood swings,i'd have days where i'd be super happy for no reason then within seconds i'm super depressed & down in the dumps for no reason. i kept having my mood swings go up & down, kinda like climbing a ladder, they were uncontrollable. i could never sleep, i would sleep for maybe an hour or 4 & be wide awake for like 4 days or i would be sleeping for days on end. it was always an off & on switch when it came to me sleeping,eating,& having mood swings,i could never tell what the next day would bring. i had a really hard time with my weight,i could either be gaining tons of weight or losing weight,my self-esteem has always been an issue of mine since elementary school. still even reaching my adulthood i still severely struggle with that. i've always had a very hard time paying attention to anything, i would go to talk about one subject then a few seconds later i'd jump to something completely different & not relevant to the previews conversations , my thoughts were always racing & changing at the same time,i started losing interested in things that i am really passionate about, also have a really hard time being indecisive about things & being able to make easy choices. i'd go through "phases" where i'd be super suicidal & do dangerous things not realizing that it was BAD i thought to me it was normal..After doing tons of research & finding ways to cope, i've learned over the years to cope with it,i'm still working on getting put on some meds as my insurance isn't the best. but i will say one of worse things about this personally is how lonely i feel, i could be in a room with thousands of people & i still feel like i was the only one there. i'm now 25 & still every day struggle with this but i'm trying to find more ways to cope & not do horrible dangerous things anymore.i just want to say thank you for making this video & informing people of the right diagnosis so many people are misinformed most cases i've had many people say i was unstable & crazy so i appreciate that somebody like you can show people who are uneducated the real truth about this. so thank you!
I have to take a mood stabilizer with my antidepressant/anti anxiety or else well it’s bad. My dad is type 1 and I’m thankful I’m type 2 cause when he’s manic and goes into psychosis it’s horrible and it uproots his whole life every time it happens and takes a while to get back on track after he gets out of the psych ward. Which also uprooted our lives too growing up.
I’ve just been given a mood stabilizer for my psychosis and to add on to my antidepressants. I’m so scared, do you mind sharing what it’s like taking both?
@@user-bv5sq9dy7w it’s really not that bad it can just make you feel quite sleepy and stimulates your appetite a bit more for me at least. don’t stress !
My daughter has BP2. Such a struggle for her. The moods come and go so quickly. Depression lasts a long time. Doing all the right things but hard. Thank you for sharing this video.
I have bipolar 2 and it took a long time to diagnose cause of drug use and also my hypomania is subtle I just am I little peppy, sort of euphoric, taking a lot but irritable and have to keep moving. And eat far far less. While my depression is extreme and I also think almost an inbetween state if that’s a thing idk I could be misdiagnosed but idk
I'm the same way. My hypomania is very mild compared to a lot of people and I have a lot more depression. I also have a lot of "mixed" episodes, if that's what you meant by "in-between", that are very hard to explain to someone who doesn't have bipolar lol
My hypomania expressed itself in an active and severe sense of grief and sorrow. Like feeling a loved one dying over and over again. I was initially diagnosed as chronic depression. Those medications made me WORSE. It was only after the right diagnosis of BiPo 2 that I found the right treatments and have never been better!
Can you also do a video on rapid cycling and/or mixed episodes? I know you did a FAQ 5 years ago about mixed episodes but maybe the two would be good together for a new video.
I love your delivery with this video( all your videos, but this one hits home) bipolar 1 and 2 are often talked about in such a intimidating or clinical way, which is hard for people to relate. I went to my physiatrist after being on Zoloft for 6 years, all it did was sky rocket my anxiety and shit decision making. When my dose was upped...I went right to her and was like no, I’m bipolar. It was the best thing I’ve ever done. The mood stabilizer saved my life, and brought me back to who I am and a person who functions on a normal range of emotions. I still have longer than I would like Good days and bad days. But Not the spikes and valleys I once existed in.
My dad and I had a conversation when I turned 18 to tell me he struggles with BP 2. He explained it to me as a warning and to help me look for the signs that I may have it too, but he only felt comfortable talking about it that one time so I've never gotten many questions answered. I'm 23 now and so thankful you made this video! One thing he told me that resonated with me is that his "cycles" were much longer than BP 1. He said they would change close to every decade instead of multiple times in a week or even a year. I'd love to learn more about BP 2 from your channel. ❤️ thanks
I've been diagnosed with BP2 6 years ago now. I have been on several meds, but a simple SSRI combined with abilify seems to work the best for me. Don't scare people away from antidepressants, please, mine saved my life!
Okay. Thank you for this. Diagnoses as BP2. Was put on antidepressant. Lost time. Engaged in embarrassing behavior. Im so thankful for my partner. Stuck with me and recognized that wasnt who I was.
Haven’t gotten the official diagnosis yet, but after several years of counseling, meds, drs, BP 2 was mentioned as a possibility for our 16 yr old daughter. This video helped to explain a good bit of what the disorder is about. Thank you so much. We finally feel hopeful in the future treatment ahead for our daughter.
@@SarahElizabeth62 better to know sooner than later if you think you have it. I didn't get diagnosed till I feel off the DEEP end as a kid. Then the drugs kept not working or made it worse so I'm already super depressed trying some drugs that made it worse yet. Freaky times. If you aren't in DEEP then its safer and maybe easier to get help.....if you are told you have it.
Yeah it stinks to read but worse to say lol. I have already have new dental hygienist read my medical report and then physically squirm or act different (like I'm going to take the drill to there eye). Its BP2 not BP1 and it's under control. Lol. I wish I didn't even tell them that when they ask medical history years ago. No way dentists need to know that just meds
This really helped, thank you! My psychiatrist was yelling at me trying to find my symptoms but it was so hard to explain. I am irritable during my episodes and depressed nearly every day. I finish everyone's sentence too. Easily distracted and have a ton of unfinished projects. I hate time, I never have enough time. I lost interest in a lot of my hobbies but I force myself to try to enjoy them. I'm so tired all the time, but not in a sleepy way, in an exhausted way. Super indecisive too. Thank you.
Yup I totally understand with the same thing. Buy all the tools for the project then don't finish it. At least I'm getting a nice stack of things for the future lol. Try not to beat yourself up over this. The world does it enough without needing to be our own worse enemy
I thought I had MDD, but it was Bipolar 2. I thought those happy and elevated mood days were me in recovery and the irritable days are just me being 'the way I am'. I still couldn't understand this whole thing but thank you. I really appreciate this video! It really helps.
Bipolar 2 here.. newly acquired PTSD after swat and police raided my home. It's definitely the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with. Been diagnosed for 14 years.. I was managing fine until this.
Thank you for the video and for being so understanding! I have bipolar 2. Therapy and medication has made a huge difference in the best of ways. Your videos made the diagnosis more bearable. Thanks again!
would you say that issues with memory, like loss of memory during hypomanic episodes or difficulty remembering details or events, could be related to bipolar 1 or 2? i was previously diagnosed with BPD and as i’ve grown older i’ve noticed similar symptoms, but moments of really increased energy and loss of memory during those times to the point where i forget where i’ve put things!
As someone with BP2 I definitely experience this! Bipolar and BPD can have very similar symptoms. I'd start tracking your daily mood to see if there's any correlation ❤️
As someone with Bp type 2, i appreciate this!
I am so glad!! xoxoxo Yay!
Hi how do you know the difference between BP II and depression?. I don’t know what I have sometimes.
Also I’m confused if I have ever experienced hypomania. I don’t fully understand what it is.
Indi jay It’s not uncommon for someone with BP2 to be wrongfully diagnosed with depression as it was in my case, what helped my psychiatrist reach the real diagnosis was my reaction to anti depressants which triggered full on mania as it pushed me from one extreme to the other
Indi jay hypomania is the lesser form of Mania, it’s symptoms are much less severe particularly in the lack of full on psychotic episodes, the most common symptoms you’ll experience with Hm are insomnia, racing thoughts, irritability, increase in appetite and possibly impulsive actions though those are more common with full on Mania
The worst part about bipolar that nobody talks about is never knowing who we are. I look back at a depressive episode/manic episode when I'm out of them and I don't recognise that person, but I'm always switching back and forth. I hate it.
Wow, you are so right! Thank you for bringing it up. I can never make a 'confident' decision due to this exact thing.
What’s it like for you? I seem to have these little manic episodes when I’m working. I posted my comment on here about it
@@mariahconklin4150 the episodes? I don't really get episodes these days, outside of triggers.
I'm recently diagnosed. And for years I've been saying I feel two faced. Not because of talking behind people's back but because I feel like there's literally two different people in me.
YESSSS
I have absolutely never been able to tell if I'm experiencing hypomania or just having a really productive few weeks. The irritability should be a tip off, but that just comes and goes all the time.
Ah, the hardest question to answer: Is this what normal is, or am I too productive? You obviously have questions and are mindful of your moods. Having a professional guide you through those questions can give you more confidence with those doubts.
same
Same here.
Hypomania is difficult to describe and I feel like most videos can’t quite capture the essence of the symptoms. For me I feel this oneness with everything it’s awesome but I don’t have pressured speech or do anything risky but when I crash oh boy!
AH same
I also want to make sure that people know that Bipolar II is NOT a milder form of Bipolar I. It is considered a separate diagnosis in itself underneath the umbrella of Bipolar-type disorders. In fact, research has shown that in the long-term, Bipolar II can have as much impact on your functioning as Bipolar I because the Depressive episodes in Bipolar II seem to be more long-lasting and the episodes themselves come and go more frequently.
Thank you. I was going to leave a comment saying exactly this, but you said it. It's not milder, it's just different. In my case, my depression is more severe and longer lasting than hypomania. I also experience the episodes coming and going a bit frequently. Again, thank you. You said everything I was going to.
This is so true! I have type 2 and totally agree 🙏🏻
Thank you for sharing this. My old therapist told me that my case "wasn't that bad" because bipolar 2 is "milder" than bipolar one and that I should be grateful. I stopped seeing her haha
I agree they are just as serious - just in different ways.
I’ve noticed that. I’m bipolar 1 and mania is much bigger issue for me where as some people I know if connected with that have bipolar 2 deal with major depression.
Does anybody else get insanely creative during a hypomanic episode???
Yes
Yes
Yes
I’m an artist and I seem to crank the artwork out for days when I’m hypomanic, then of course slip into the depression and stop for way too long but can’t seem to create anything until the cycle starts again 😞
I wish I could stay in that state forever... I really enjoy my hypomanic episodes :( I started to upcycle furniture (never did that in the past) but now I'm depressed and all that I started is just are half done, such a disaster.
Diagnosed with bipolar 2 today. Knowing what is wrong with me after a long time is a relief. Started medication . Feeling hopeful.
Just got my diagnosis. I hope both of us get through this! Wishing you all the best
I just got diagnosed a few days ago. I can't believe the medications I've been on have made my symptoms 10X worse for the past 5 years
@@mikaylalynn6448me too- I took lexapro recently and it sent me into hypomania. Finally diagnosed and hopefully on the right track
What’s your symptoms? My daughter got diagnosed but seems like nothing works i just believe she’s a drug addict that’s all
The book “I’m Bipolar 2, You’re Bipolar 2” really, really helped me a LOT. Highly recommend.
One of the things I struggle with is constantly chasing difficult jobs I can’t handle, degrees & hard certifications, thinking I’m great & I can do it (at the time I sign up.) It always ends up in a downward spiral that leads to massive depression with suicidal ideation & anxiety that lasts for months. I always swear it will be the last time, but then I repeat the cycle. Ugh.
SAME
Same here I always think I can do very great things 😢
That is so, me 😢
Wow, never read anything so accurate… 😬
definitely can relate..told my boss I wanted a position then didn't apply till it was too late
I’ve been formally diagnosed with BP2 and this is actually very informative! My hypomania usually makes me lose sleep for up to 3 or 4 days and I usually end up cleaning my house or getting advanced on homework. But I still go to school and I’m more talkative in class. To give an idea, because I’m also a psychology major, I’m still able to moderately function when I’m hypomanic. My time for dysfunction is when I’m depressed; I usually have problems getting out of bed and I have hypersomnia and binge eat.
Major Bootyful i go through a really similar experience! being a psych major is kind of a blessing and a curse because i feel like we have more knowledge of our conditions and symptoms, but at the same time are way more sensitive to them 😥
My hypomania is similar to yours, I always clean my room in 3 or 4 am, but i think my depression phase is causing me to advance in school works, the guilt and stress is the only motive for me to study, the sleep loss is the worst, Im 24 yrs old but my hair is already grey, unable to sleep gives me serious migraine literally everyday
In hypomania, I’ll clean, start projects, cut my hair, or dice down research rabbit holes at 3 am.
so nice just to hear i’m not the only one going through this. i’m only 15 years old, so my doctor doesn’t want to diagnose me with bp2 yet because of course, my hormones are out of wack. but i’ve been doing research about it, and honeslty, it sounds just like me. i go through like a week where i’m on top of things, doing my homework, cleaning, etc. and then a week later i slip into an all time low. but i had a hypomania episode about 3 or so weeks ago, and have been stuck in my depressive state for quite some time now. it got so bad that i got really suicidal, and my doctor had me take off from school for a week and a half. but somehow, i still don’t feel like it helped.
my husband goes through this as well. Thanks for making us feel less alone
One major challenge that I've seen in my personal experience is that those with bipolar disorder spend most of their time in a depressive state, and that the self perception is that those hypomanic episodes are what "normal" should feel like. Thus, we never consider that what we think of as normal isn't actually normal. People like us more, we achieve more, we think faster and function at a high level. When in those seemingly perpetual depressive episodes family and friends tell us we're not ourselves and we get so frustrated that we can't be in that flying, elevated state. As you mentioned, people are commonly misdiagnosed with depression and may continue to do so because the deceptive self perception doesn't recognize hypomania. When prescribed with antidepressant medication that pushes some people with bipolar disorder into hypomania or mania, they get that feeling that they are normal again.
We can only communicate what we can perceive and usually peoples' self perceptions are quite distorted. This is why it's important that friends and loved ones who know is best to approach us whem appearing to be going through these mood cycles and to encourage us to seek help. Thank you Katie for addressing the importance of timing to make this approach and for encouraging the process for seeking help.
I would like to raise one more point that is not commonly raised when discussing bipolar disorder. Often people think that hypomania and mania--because it invokes a sense of invulnerability and elevation--that it feels blissful and euphoric. It can feel that way at first but that state of overdrive and hypersensitivity to everything is actually becomes quite uncomfortable and even painful. People around those with bipolar disorder can't see what those suffererd are feeling. How can feeling good be painful, right!? A lot of impulsive behavior can be driven (usually subconsciously/instinctively) by that state of discomfort to ease the unrest and hyperdrive. This impulsive can manifest in many ways. I think that the underlying pain is a big catalyst for substance abuse; the desire to feel good but to numb the extreme discomfort that underlies mania and hypomania.
I know the experience is different for everyone who falls within the bipolar spectrum. From personal experience and those who share their own, all express this simultaneous uncomfortable bliss. Despite it's painfulness hypomanic and manic states are still seemingly better to feel intensely than to be in the heavy and numbed state of major depression.
Driving a car at high speed is exhilarating and fun but when the engine revs too high the car begins to vibrate and the driver can lose control with the slightest bump or diversion.
"Next time I'm feeling hypomanic/manic I can behave myself, control it and make some progress in life.". Until ZOOM, CRASH!
Thanks again Katie for all you do to promote mental health support.
Also, hypomania can manifest as a lot of irritability, sometimes that happens to me.
I have never seen someone write out the struggles I go through on a daily basis like this. Thank you for sharing ❤️
I was just diagnosed with bipolar 2 and I’ve been trying to figure out if my psychiatrist was right or not. You just described my daily struggles and now I think I can confidently say that I have bipolar 2. Thank you for helping me realize this about myself.
You have just described my entire life🤯
Thanks for your time and perceptions on such a tough mental disorder. I now know what happened to me some 20 years ago. Take care and good luck.
My hypomania makes me feel this intense connection with everything... kind of hard to explain but I don’t have pressured speech or racing thoughts. Everyone is different.
Like you feel the emotions x 1,000,000??
i know what you mean, like you’re at one with nature and the universe etc. i feel like i’m this enlightened being when i’m hypomanic
Thank you for sharing this. I had hypomania recently, made a video about it but forgot to mention my experience with feeling 'at one' with the universe as I was starting to come out of my hypomania. I did also have pressured speech tho.
@@Jackie-se4wg x 1,000,000 is a lot compared to what I would have said, but it makes sense to me.
How old are you? I ask because I think I have had some change as I have aged.
I'm 34 now and when I was in my teens and twenties the high times I had were pretty extraordinary. I had this perception that I was able to experience better moods than the average person but at the same time I had access to much darker moods too. As though the capacity for the high came with the necessary capacity for the low.
I understand you!
Thank you for telling me to write down my moods because one minute I can remember the feelings and the next minute iv completely changed moods so its hard to recall and explain how i felt.
Thanks for splitting the parts of text up to distinct, colored chunks Kati. It makes it easy to keep concentration and read :) Stellar video as always, keep up the great work!
i like that too
Oh good!! Thanks for the feedback! Sean and I have been trying to find ways to make it easier to read/understand :) xoxo
Thank you for making the content you do and helping those who suffer in silence❤️
Kati, thank you thank you thank you for making this video! As someone with bipolar disorder type 2, I'm so excited to have someone help eliminate the misconceptions about bipolar disorder!
Of course! I am so glad you liked it!! xoxo
I have Bipolar 2, and I think it has helped me lead a creative life...we need a creative outlet to channel all these emotions towards....
I wasn't diagnosed with this but I thought I was having signs of it. Now I'm definitely going to talk to my psychiatrist about it. Thank you for this video. 💜
You definitely should, my mother didn't go to a psychiatrist until her 40s and was diagnosed with pretty severe case of bipolar II disorder. I myself felt something wrong throughout most of my 20s and I recently got diagnosed with bipolar II disorder and seeing a psychiatrist have really helped me understand myself a lot better.
@@BeerHombre im 24 now, got diagnosed with bp2 a year and a half ago, it feels like ive wasted my entire life being depressed and not focusing on school or social interactions. growing up i didnt expect to be alive past 18 so i didnt care about anything that wasnt immediately fun, i wish i was diagnosed sooner and got treatment but my parents never paid attention to me or my siblings. i am currently switching between medications and hoping i can be happy.
im sure my teachers in school knew something was wrong but they never did anything to help me, i didnt know how bad i was till i ended up in a psych ward
As someone with bipolar II, I really appreciate this video. In particular, thank you for stating explicitly that the hypomanias are not enjoyable. Mine feel closer to a drug-fueled paranoia than they do anything that resembles happiness. The way I describe my episodes is that in the hypomanias I dig my hole, and when the depression follows I lie in it.
Hypomania is worse and I understand myself so much less when it ends. It makes the depression hurt and hit different.
What I wish more people understood about bipolar is that, even though we’re on medication and going to therapy, there is no cure and episodes with continue to occur, even while taking meds. I think there is a false belief out there that once we pop a pill, that’s the end of it. It’s a hard road to be on, not knowing how you’ll feel from one day to the next. It can take months to get on the right cocktail of medication because what will work for one person, will not work for another. It’s just so very hard to live with and manage. Medication with help reduce symptom severity, therapy will help identify triggers and hopefully catch an episode early on. It’s the combination of both that gives us the best chance for a healthy and balanced life
I am also very appreciative of Kati’s support and advocacy of medications. I know a lot of people don’t want to take meds, but I am so very thankful they’re there.
Well said! It is so frustrating to explain that medication is for management and not a cure. There such a misperception out there! Episodes will always occur. Medication helps with the frequency and intensity, gives us more opportunity to manage the cycles.
It can be so tiring to have to be on the watch for episodes and to have to try to fight them myself. Quite often I just feel like giving up! Even with meds I swing and the swinging can be awful. Sometimes I have to go off the meds briefly because they run out and it's hard to get them here and my goodness me I lose my mind. I come out of it all not really knowing what I did during the time I was off them tbh. Without them I would not be able to function. With them, I still have to fight for normalcy. Seems to me like we have very hard lives but hey, I don't have a choice - got to keep trying :)
Zoe Osborne hi 👋🏽 im not an expert myself but I have been doing some research and reading ALOT because my best friend were giving me a hot and cold treatment and i was so confused until I realized that she may have a mental illness, what I found out is that people need to heal their guts first and get their blood detoxed by eating extremely healthy! You gotta cut out junk food, fatty foods, processed food, gluten, refined sugars, etc and have a diet based on fish, fruits, seeds, etc it’ll take time but you can get healed! Don’t listen to the “professionals” they just want money! They always say that there isn’t a cure but there is but most people don’t know the relationship between our guy and mind! A healthy guy is a healthy mind! And pray so that god can help you
I have BP II, thank you so much for saying this, I couldn’t have said it better! (Hard to explain things)
Im basically alive thanks to meds...
I'm so glad you covered this so I can send to people close to me so they can understand better. Lots of people understand the depression but not the hypo mania. Before this, my best way to describe my hypo mania was once before leaving the house to meet a friend who knew I wasnt doing great, I walked in and out of my bedroom 6 times rapidly. I KNEW i needed something. I just couldnt focus enough to know what i needed but i also couldnt sit still while i tried to work it out. Turns out, i needed to pee. That's how unexplainable your brain can be in a hypo manic episode. I was SO frustrated with myself that I almost cried but I could not stop moving. As if my body had other plans and my brain wasnt bothered joining in with it. It's scary when it happens it's the closest I've ever come to feeling "insane". Just letting ya'll know, you're not insane. You're not wrong. Your brain just needs some help to manage and you can give it that help x
I was just diagnosed today. At age 29. I never sought help before. This video really helped me to understand this disorder better. Thank you for this video.
i just recently got diagnosed as well, growing up i always knew something was wrong with me and i would always try to find information online but could never find anything
I started noticing that I had these episodes 2 years after it started.
I'm 13 now and I got diagnosed today.
I already got diagnosed with ptsd at 12 and adhd at 8.
I'm getting medicine, working on the ptsd and adhd.
Best of luck to everybody.
how are you doing now?
I was diagnosed with BP2 last January, after being treated for depression, off and on, for about 20 years. My mom is BP1 and generally experienced more manic episodes than depressive ones over the years. So, I never made the connection that I may have more than just “down” times because I never had truly manic or psychotic times. My hypomanic episodes mostly come in the form of high activity and extreme productivity. I rarely sleep and have little spending control. My most recent depression period lasted for about 9 months and was the worst that I’ve ever experienced. I was diagnosed with BP2 during that time and I honestly don’t know where I’d be today without that new treatment and therapy. Not to ramble on or get too personal, but Kati was so right about how important the right diagnosis is. It really is a matter of life and death. Loved this video, Kati! ❤️
I got diagnosed with it before Christmas.
I was recently diagnosed with bp type 2. Thank you for this video. I sometimes worry I'm "not really bipolar" because my hypomania isn't usually related to sex/alcohol/drugs. But I definitely fit the irritable symptoms. When I get hypomanic I try to renovate my house or do other home/craft projects and throw actual childlike tantrums when things don't go the way I want. It's very stressful. But I'm on good meds now and it's definitely better
Sounds like borderline
Sounds like me as well. I have the same diagnosis of bipolar type 2 as a teenager. I always never exactly felt like I resonated with the stereotypical description of hypomania (drugs, alcohol, other self destructive behaviors) but there were times where after months or a week of a MDE, I would quite literally flip every inch of my room/the house and clean until about 3 am and work myself up until I nearly pass out or almost throw up. Despite this I still don’t end up getting much hours of sleep. I can’t stress the irritability I get, too. Every interaction I have with my mom ends up in me cussing her out. The filter in my brain disappears and I become ruthless and almost violent. The breakdowns and tantrums; it’s a horrible cycle. Being on the wrong meds has not helped in any degree either
Thank you so much for addressing BP2! This is my adult daughter’s diagnosis and I really never knew the different between 1 and 2. Really helped me understand a little more...
I have bipolar 2, thank you for making this video! I was misdiagnosed for 8 years as having dysthymia, because my depressive episodes were so prevalent and also because my drs weren't the best. As soon as I was told what hypomania was (when I changed drs) I was like oh yeah I have that happening. I definitely have major depressive episodes more than hypomanic episodes. My medication is a work in progress, I definitely drag my feet with it because I've had a couple make me really sick.
Claire Turner Good job on seeking the right stuff, I hope you get a good doctor who will care for your unique brain chemistry right. Meek acceptance of meds does no one any good if they are incorrect, may you be blessed with protection and healing in the name of Yeshua, and feel the love and presence of the Holy Spirit.
I’ve had a very similar experience. Med management has been really rough. But working with the drs has helped.
"my drs weren't the best" That's an extremely non-Litigious way of putting it. ;)
I have BP type 2 and thank you for educating people. :) I wasn’t diagnosed till this year and I am almost 21 years old. I had so many highs and lows each day that it made it so hard to live my life. For anyone out there thinking about ending their life, trust me it gets better. My medication has made me feel like myself again. I don’t feel numb and like I am living in a cartoon world that I am just a visitor in. Don’t let your diagnosis and your self become one person, separate yourself from your disorder and don’t let it win. I know things get rough and there are many tears and unsettling feelings everyday for no actual reason but just know that you aren’t alone in this fight.
I have been diagnosed with BP2. The comments you made about when we reach out for help and often it’s in the depressed mode are so true! When I first went to the doctor I was put on antidepressants. That pushed me into Hypermania and lead to my first hospital admission and finally my diagnosis when my doctor and my sister started communicating more. She was able to give a more clear view than what I could to what was actually going on. I felt fantastic in my hypomanic episodes so never thought to bring them up to my doctor. It has taken 2 years and another hospital admission after becoming toxic on my medication to finally be on the right medication. Working hard with my doctor, my therapists and my family has finally got me back to myself. I feel strong enough again to deal with daily life and not feel like it is going to push me into an episode. Thanks for the video it was so clear and something I will get my extended family and friends to watch
I was diagnosed with Bipolar 2 disorder and autism last week after 5 years of going to the therapist. Perfect timing.
I have these two in tandem as well, Make sure you log your main daily stuff(moods/meals/sleep). For me, its huge clue when I log 'music sounds awful or like crap', this is a red flag for me, because the day before music sounds fine and usually means depressive countermeasure time.
I have the exact same diagnoses. I hate it.
Goddamn bro
I hope you see this @Gabrielle - I believe I may be on the spectrum too and I wonder what criteria they based that off of for you. I believe wholeheartedly that my brain functions differently than others and it drives me batty if it's just intrusive thoughts or if it's in fact autism. I have a few things going on but I wonder if all of this is contributed From being autistic! Blah. Anyway, I hope your doing well!
I've noticed that my hypomania can last a lot longer than I thought. Either that or I'm having multiple, back to back episodes. I spent the last 2 weeks making lists, planning out each moment of each day with tasks I wanted to complete. I used multiple organizational apps with multiple list views, and even multiple types of lists. I set alarms for moments in the future and reveled in the amount of stuff I was going to get done. I did this for 2 solid weeks! And when my energy started to slip, and my worthlessness and guilt and shame started to creep back in, my nosedive was fueled even harder by all of the things on my lists that I wasn't getting done. All of the people I made plans with were let down and saddened. This disease has almost killed me and it still comes up with incredibly clever ways to use me as fuel against myself. I still have alarms that go off around 2 in the morning, telling me to start working on whatever... what I would like to say to people who live or work with someone like me is: On a good day, I'm a husk of myself. I may seem fine but I'm not. I'm waiting, always waiting for the other shoe to drop. On a bad day, I'm moments away from catastrophic self destruction and I'll take anyone with me if I can. Right up to the point when I realize I'm a monster. A werewolf version of Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde on steroids.
What happened to me? I'm so sorry. I'm just not hungry or I'm just not tired. And then SQUIRREL!
If there are any of you reading this who suffer from bipolar or depression or any ailment that falls under the mental health umbrella, I salute you. Also, I make music. It kinda sounds like bipolar. That is all. Oh! Thank you for the video!! It was very informative and pretty spot on, at least for me.
I didn't realize I was Bipolar type 2 until I was put on zoloft which made me DEFINITELY go into hypomania. When I showed up to my Dr. (My OB/GYN believe it or not) she recognized it immediately and sent me straight to a psychotherapist, where I then got my diagnosis after a few weeks. Glad you brought up the SSRI stuff.
Same thing happened to me when I went on Zoloft! Very new diagnosis and struggling to understand myself and my triggers. I am on mood stabilisers and still having high irritability. Not sure if its just me or if im adjusting to the meds
Has anyone else experienced ocd like symptoms when having a hypo manic episode?
Yes!
Yes I constantly clean and buy stuff
Yep
Yes!to the point before i was diagnosed with bipolar, they falsely diagnosed me with ocd, but it turned out it was just a symptom
does this include having the urge to do things that are unnecessary? like, there are times that i get so mad when my bed sheets aren't aligned or certain things in the house are not in a 'perfect' position, but sometimes i'm able to control them. i also have unwanted thoughts/images always appear in my mind too. although i'm not sure if i really have bipolar2 disorder because i'm just studying the symptoms first because i don't want to diagnose myself.
You helped me be honest with my therapist and get more help with my mental health 💙 you saved my life. I’m living stronger everyday getting ahold of my bipolar disorder 2
This is what happened to me. I went in for depression was diagnosed with MDD and put on an SNRI. I was pushed into a hypomanic episode and realized that I actually had BP2. I heard that about 50% of BP2 patients were originally diagnosed with MDD. It’s easy to miss and if you aren’t really in tuned with your feelings it probably goes unnoticed.
Hi Kati. I have this disorder and I feel that you have done an excellent job of explaining it. Thank you very much for your hard work and dedication to your base.
Awe yay!! Thanks for the feedback! xoxo
One of the hardest part is that when I am confident, I got to question if my confidence a symptom of hypomania.
Same. I've always had self doubt and it increases after an episode. What's truly me... What's the mania.
I've been trying to get my boyfriend diagnosed for years. They keep giving him a diagnosis of depression because of his episodes of depression. They also give him antidepressants which NEVER work. I've always thought he was Bipolar 2. It's been an exhausting journey to see him struggle and hurt. I had to call the police on him tonight and they took him to the hospital for an evaluation. Because of Covid, I can't be there so I have no idea what's going on. I really hope they correctly diagnose him and give him proper medication. He is really angry at me for calling the police but I can't watch him suffer anymore. This will probably cost me my relationship but as long as he can be stabalized and get he help he needs, I will feel ok moving on. This has been a nightmare. For him and for me. Thank you for your video.
I watched her first video on Bipolar 1 and 2 a few years back and it helped me so much. I had just left college due to sever depression practicaly crippling me, my social life, and academics. At the same time I learned I was misdiagnosed, but scared to admit I had bipolar 2 because of negative connotations I've seen/heard in life and by family. But watching that video and learning more about it, it helped me accept it and pushed me to try and better myself. I'm so glad theres a new and updated video. And I hope it continues to help people learn more about mental illness. Thank you so much.
I get you. My situation is the same as you and I want to give you a big hug. HUG
Hi Leeze. I'm trying to learn myself about this disorder because I met someone that was diagnosed with it and I'm curious, and I also want to know what would be the best way to help that person....Can I ask you, how do you feel when on medications? do you feel it helps you to feel better? Do you think that when you're on medication is like the disorder goes away?
i have BP2 and i'm unmedicated. my hypomanic episodes can range from feeling extra anxious and irritable every couple weeks to occasionally experiencing symptoms similar to OCD. My most unbearable symptoms are the racing thoughts, stuttering a lot, can't settle down for bed, and feeling like my skin is crawling (so much so that I have to go on a run to feel somewhat normal). These symptoms happen sparingly. It's mostly just the anxiety and irritability. The depression is more common and it's gets annoying to deal with but I'm used to it now and have learned ways to cope.
Same here
Hey idk if you can see this but I feel you and have the same diagnosis and symptoms
I am medicated and still get these swings. I hear you!
Do u regret about past decisions? Image flash in head automatically?
I just have to say that it's so nice to finally find a video full of information on this particular topic. Bipolar 2 can be so misunderstood. In my experience, I've had a difficult time learning how to cope with the intensity of the depression and still do the little things like have job, pay the bills, take care of the kids... the list goes on. Thank you for your video.
Thank you for the video, personally this gives excellent clarity for those who do not understand. I have BP type 2 and have suffered for around 8 years now. I had seen so many doctors and had so many counselling because I was diagnosed with depression. Often I ended up in a worse place particularly when I tried SSRI’s I was suicidal.
I finally managed to see a psychiatrist last year who diagnosed me with type 2 BP. I have since started quetiapine and it’s changing my life.
The biggest plague is the irritable side because I know it’s my onset of hypo mania, it’s getting better and manageable!! The periodic depression is subsiding and my life and relationship is finally being rebuilt ❤️
Please seek the necessary help. Here in the UK it’s very difficult to see a psychiatrist via the NHS because of funding. I’ve personally I’ve battled so hard to get to where I am, I nearly lost it all.
Wishing everybody suffering happiness and love because they are the most greatest gifts 💙
I love your explanation. You explained the hypomanic state in a clear and concise way. I don’t experience euphoria like some with bipolar 1 or 2 but I do experience the mixed episodes, racing thoughts and very risky behaviors. I was even suicidal. It has helped me to watch videos like this and even more when I talk about it with others
It's generally wise to avoid pushing someone towards treatment during a hypomanic episode, BUT (as someone with BPII) please please be sure to give someone love and support and encouragement when they're feeling manic-- not just when they're depressed.
I had never heard of bipolar 2 until I was diagnosed today. This video is so informative and makes me feel heard. Thanks
Kati Morton: our number 1 source for mental health information❤
Awe xoxo You're the sweetest!
Agreed!!!!!!!!!!! TOTALLY 💯
I was diagnosed with depression until my therapist raised a suspicion in my decision making, that led to the revelation of the hypomanic episodes. Can't emphasize enough how crucial it is to have a good therapist and to educate myself, and so thankful we are living in a time where we can find such brilliant videos like yours. Thank you for explaining it in a clear and simple way. Sending love!
Thank you for this video. I was diagnosed with bipolar 2 last week, and have been experiencing major impostor syndrome, like thinking maybe I was lying or making stuff up. But I remember being very honest with her and saying "I dont know" to some of the questions. The hardest part about the assessment and the diagnosis is the amnesia about my hypomanic episodes, I forget I've had them, or I think "they weren't that bad, I was just very excited!". And also I dont fit neatly into the box because I can experience the pressures speech, and hyper activity, but then all the sudden feel depressed and lose all my energy and want to die. Come to find out that is called a mixed episode. How fun. But anyways, I guess my point it, thank you for this video because it was very helpful to hear the diagnostic criteria again, I pretty much fit all of it, except that I'm not sure how long my hypomanic episodes last.
I forgot to add, the other reason I've been doubting my diagnosis is because I felt like my hypomanic episodes were triggered by an obsession with a special interest, for example; I spent a night or two binge watching singing lesson tutorials, I was up all night watching them, I even later showed my kids and husband the funny ones, and I was most definitely super amped up and hyper, I got my three kids wound up too (😔). But yeah, I didnt know if that counted as a hypomanic episode because it was triggered, or if it only counts when I am already manic and then get obsessed. I'm also not sure which comes first each time, my manic mood, or the interest taking hold and then i become obsessed and manic.i hope this makes sense!
this. i was just diagnosed last week as well and have been having a hard time. thinking the same thing, maybe i made things up or exaggerated things in my appointment when i felt like i was just trying to be honest. and looking back, i have had hypomanic episodes that i thought just weren’t that bad. i’m also diagnosed borderline and it seems the hypomania always tended to set of my bpd, and then send me into a major depressive episode. or i’ll be feeling really good and out of nowhere it all shifts and i’m like that for quite a while and can’t get out of it. hoping i can come to terms with it and focus on my treatment soon. the imposter syndrome can feel overwhelming and like i want to go back convince them their wrong.
I have bipolar II and BPD. A lot of symptoms overlap, however, it was the hypomania, my mental health nurse noticed and made me more aware of. Thanks for the video! It is very helpful for people to understand the disorder.
Kati Morton: [lists off bipolar 2 symptoms]
Me: *"just @ me next time"*
XD
Thanks!
Thank you for this. I have BP II, and this is so accurate. I wish that you could talk to my family, because they still don't get it.
Family members have no idea what the person suffering from a mental health disorder are going through. Normal individuals will actually accuse you of making things up to get attention. Be strong and be well. The only person who really knows you 100% is You!
Yes, I always to try to explain to my family that this is a lifelong struggle for me and they just keep telling me I need to get tougher because they get sad too. I once had a cousin tell me, “Maybe if you had something in life that made you happy, and you’re still depressed, then everyone would believe you actually have a disorder.”
I was diagnosed with major depression and generalized anxiety in 2013. I was on anti depressants for years, and while they allowed me to live my life, I still had episodes of depression and anxiety. I just figured this was the most "normal" I could feel, and that I would just have to deal with that. After having some talks with my family, I went to a different doctor and was re diagnosed with BP 2. I was put on a mood stabilizer, and I can't tell you how much better I became. I started to really feel emotions again. I didn't realize how much the anti depressants were numbing me. Thank you so much for this video!
Omg Katie I appreciate this so much. Wow. My doctor diagnosed me with bipolar 2, but I've questioned it (maybe just in denial) but this helped clear things up and explain things better. Thank you so much ❤
You are by far the kindest mental health professional that I've ever seen. Thanks for this video! as someone diagnosed with BP 2, I am grateful for the information.
A couple things to note about bipolar 2:
Hypomania can still seriously disrupt your quality of life if not addressed. I lost a job in part because I wasn't able to stay in the office for extended periods of time and kept leaving to go on walks. This could also be prolonged by the lack of accurate diagnosis and subsequent treatment. In other words, if your therapist only recognizes your depressive and anxious systems, they may not provide interventions that really help with manic symptoms, which may allow things to worsen.
It's also risky to characterize bipolar 1 as "not as bad" or "easier" than bipolar 2 as evidence suggests that bipolar 2 is associated with longer and more severe depressive episodes than experienced by people with bipolar 1.
I also wish Kati brought up how frequently bipolar 2 is misdiagnosed as generalized anxiety. Pressured speech, restlessness, an inability to sit still are all common in people with anxiety. It takes an attentive eye to notice other symptoms as well.
Ultimately, bipolar 1 and bipolar 2 are *separate* diagnoses with some differentiation in diagnostic criteria, not different extremities of the same disorder
Very well stated, very articulate. Thank you for sharing.
@@VolcanoVaulting Happy to help!
This is a great video. As a bipolar person I did just want to say don’t always wait for an episode to end before talking to your loved one- episodes can be the absolute worst and they can get dark and scary really quickly and a lot of us are afraid to open up about what’s going on inside because we don’t want to scare our loved ones. So if you think a loved one is having a hypomanic or depressed episode, sometimes it’s best to just take them straight to the doctor. Especially if they have a history of suicidal ideation or self harming.
I've been diagnosed as having bipolar 2 but my depression is the part that's pretty much ongoing. I've rarely had hypo-mania, but when I did it was a welcome change for a while.
Recently diagnosed with BPII. For the longest time we were looking at it as MDD with ADD. Then, when an antidepressant that had worked faithfully for 20+ years stopped working, my provider took me through a list of symptoms. Along with the antidepressant no longer working, I was experiencing irritability along with anger fits/tantrums. After working through the symptoms, my provider believes I have BPII. I've started a new medication that has a slow ramp up -- It's working part of the day right now but can't immediately boost the dose due to possible severe side effects. And what a relief that part of the day is -- one of the days, it was such a relief to NOT be irrationally irritable I burst into tears of joy (NOT sadness/depression). Thank you for this educational video about BPII!
I don't get why there are dislikes! Your videos are wonderful! Thanks for this amazing video! :)
Awe thanks!!! You are too sweet :) xoxo
@@Katimorton 😊Thanks same goes for you! xxx
I showed this video and the video on bipolar 1 to my family, and they seemed to learn a lot. Though, they now disagree with my diagnosis and think that I am bipolar 1 instead. I'm not sure I agree with them, but the fact that they seemed to have an aha moment about things that I sometimes do or the way that I act and feel was such a nice feeling. Like I finally felt as though I wasn't the crazy cousin who has to go to the psychiatrist all the time and take her pills to act normal, and I was just simply me. I'm still kind of on an upward swing, but their eyes being opened to my world really truly made me happy for the first time in a long time.
Emilie Morgan LOVE THIS!!! Can I tweet it at Kati?
I was diagnosed with BP2 about 7 years ago when I was 19. I have always struggled with depression, getting diagnosed when I was 13 years old after my first hospitalization. Being diagnosed with BP2 really changed things for me, I was able to understand why I was feeling this or doing that.
It is quite true on the severity part, on a hypomanic episode and a manic episode. Over the dozen major hypomanic episodes over the years I’ve only been hospitalized a few times. So I guess I still had a semblance of “functionality” with my everyday life.
I just had one last summer, dozens of ideas on opening up my own candle shop online, I was writing and writing and researching and bought a bunch of stuff for it. I wanted to quit my job, I put my two weeks in, I worked as a banker and I could barely get through the day with not being irritated with every little thing. I was unraveling, crying with frustration that I couldn’t control my emotions, and was so disappointed in myself that I let this happen.
But I know I didn’t do anything wrong, I know I didn’t let myself down, this is what having BP2 is like.
About two weeks later I decided to stay at my job(eventually quitting a few months later when I realized that was still what I wanted to do), and now I have a bunch of candle stuff. Which isn’t the worst, now I don’t have to buy any candles for the next few years! LOL
It’s tough, I’m also having a rough day because I don’t normally post things like this on RUclips. I just want to say it’s okay, not just to those who have BP2, but anyone struggling with mental illness. It’s such a long journey, and the most important thing is to be patient with yourself and be kind to yourself. There is nothing wrong with you, and there are so many people who support and love you. Stay strong out there ♥️
As someone who has this , thank you for getting the details out there. It’s troubling that they have those commercials that have the “pretty “ visuals..... It’s not fun at all. When i was finally correctly diagnosed just a few years ago( 4 or 5) I was living with my grandmother thinking i could care for her and myself ( physically disabled). All those symptoms yeah, pretty sure i had them all. Antidepressants ( been on A LOt of different ones growing up) certainly does make things worse. Thank you again. ❤️
Hi everyone!!! I'm 24 with no kids...but I have a 4 year old Cousin who I love dearly but that reminds me why I will never have kids. Its nice to give him back to his mom when I'm done spending time with him.
Anyways I don't know if any of you can relate to this...but a big reason I don't want kids is I have Bipolar Disorder and Mental Illness runs deep in my family. I don't even want to take a risk of bringing a child in this world who might inherit that and have to suffer through what me and my family has. Plus I just don't have the patience for kids but thats my main reason....
When I first started seeing my therapist (a clinical psychologist), after a few sessions (and me pushing for a diagnosis) he mentioned he thought I might have Social Anxiety Disorder and PTSD. When I went back the following year and talked about some other things (the racing thoughts and paranoid ideas among other things) I was officially diagnosed Bipolar 2 Rapid Cycling. I'm pretty sure the first time I went to see him I was depressed and then the second time hypomanic. When I asked him if he thought I was crazy, he said it sounded very much like bipolar. Moral of the story, don't be afraid to tell your therapist about the crazy stuff. Videos like this are so helpful. Thank you for making them.
An important difference in mania and hypomania is that mania can include psychosis
True. I am coming out of mania induce psychosis. This has happened to me 3 times.
What does your psychosis include? I have bipolar disorder, but am constantly trying to learn more as I feel it may help me.
Thanks Kati!! I was diagnosed with bipolar 2 disorder in January and I’m so grateful for more information! 💛
Just to add some awareness, the suicide rates for Bipolar 2 are alarmingly high, even up to 50% in some studies. I believe it has something to do with the rapid cycling of moods and recurring exhaustion. In my experience, this has definitely been shown to be true. Best of luck to all, remember there is always hope, and anybody can reach out to me. I understand better than most how hard it can be. We're all in this shitty world together, so let's make the most of it,
I was diagnosed with bipolar II a year ago (along with PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and other things) and I think the hardest for me is to explain to people how they can help me... They are always thrown off by how quickly I can go from hypomania to depressed (I am fast cycling). And even if they want to help me and ask me question, I cannot explain because I dont always understand or know what I am feeling...
Other than that I am actually thriving, sometimes hypomania help me to increase my goals and during that time I can really work on how I feel in order to "prepare" for another low or another high... Also every episode is different but I started to recognize pattern and I learned to accept my ups and downs. Keeping a journal is actually really helpful... I usually just write 1/2 sentences about my overall mood of the day, it helps a lot to have a written trace of my cycling when I seek help...
It is hard and tiring to always have my thought racing or to lack sleep, but at the end of the day I don't feel "different". I just feel like I feel more, I experience happiness, sadness, anger, (etc.) more and I learned to use it to my advantage rather than being frustrated...
Hi Kati, and thank you for yet another very instructive video!
Could you please make a video about highly sensitive people? Is it a real diagnosis? I tried to talk about it with my psychiatrist and she talked about generalized anxiety.
Could it be the same as borderline personality disorder?
Thank you SO MUCH in advance!
Love you and keep inspiring us!!!
I just posted a similar question, my therapist diagnosed me borderline but I have a good bipolar friend that said what I described to her sounded like bipolar. I have most of the borderline traits, thats pretty obvious extreme emotional, situational variability (mainly sad, angry, or scared) yet both mixed moods and especially "agitated depression" describes me very well too.
It is called empathy. There is a lot of good info out there as that is what I have always suffered??? from. No need to suffer as You can Shine your Light. Also look into what it means to be a Lightworker, as that is what I am sensing from you.
Yet another amazing video! With each video I continue to learn, grow, and most importantly derive hope!
Stay beautiful as you continue to heal the wounded and provide hope for those who struggle in silence!
Thank you for the video Kati! Hope you are well 💕
Of course!! I hope you are well too!! xoxo
Hey it's me again, back in a depressive episode coming back to the video for validation that I'm not a weirdo.. sometimes I feel like my diagnosis of BP2 is wrong because I don't feel like my symptoms are EXTRA enough but it's clear to people around me or anyone who saw me in this state would totally agree I have BP2. I'm highly functional in hypomania and depressive episodes both but for me I feel literally every little bit of it to the depths of my soul. Thank you as always Katie
the hardest thing is to say what i feel right now. If I was down and out then it would be easy to describe but when im up and over i would never know how to or why to say anything at all... no more coffee after this.. oh thanks KM!
Myself having BPD II, and going on 60 am grateful that I got it diagnosed when I was 35 in (1995).. Before then you were either considered Manic Depressive or Normal, I had a rough the first 35 yrs of my life and not knowing was the most frustrating thing, but you knew that something was wrong but there was no diagnoses for it later, and getting on the right medication and taking the right dosage. After finding out what was wrong I did a lot a research to understand it better, and how to manage it. I don't look at it as a weakness but learned to embrace it to make it a strength and to help others understand it. It is not my fault that I have it, but it is my responsibility to own it and manage it, and yes you can accomplish so much and be happy in your life.
I have bipolar 2 and honestly, it is tough. I get severely depressed especially while I am PMSing so I have to be on an anti-depressant. Luckily, I have not gone close to mania in a while since being on it.
I am going through a really depressed mood right now.
Same here! The crazy PMS mood swings were so debilitating for me. I'm now on an antipsychotic, antidepressant, and birth control. The new med therapy really helped!
Liv C what is it like being on an antipsychotic? I'm considering it in exchange for an anti depressant. The other medication I take that definitely makes me feel better is a mood stabilizer. The anti depressant makes me feel like I'm not myself.
@@gabb387 I just want to preface by saying that I'm not a psychiatrist, but the medication I am on is called Seroquel- which is an atypical antipsychotic. This medication worked really well for me pretty much almost immediately. It was added to my meds when an antidepressant alone was not enough. I'm still on the antidepressant, but am hoping to either wean off of it, or add a mood stabilizer instead- as the antidepressant can add to symptoms of mania when taken over a long period of time. Either way, it's worth having a thorough chat with your doctor about. That's my experience any way, hope it helps 🙂
I’m so sorry. You will get through it like you always do! Just stay strong and try to think as positive as possible, as well as try to get up and go outside every day, even when you don’t feel like it! That has really helped me. I wish you the best and remember, pain is temporary!
you may have PMDD. I have it
After 28 years, I finally went to get professional help. I was diagnosed with bipolar polar 2… thank you for helping me understand this a bit more
My understanding is that a person with BP2 can indeed have manic episodes that are simply shorther in duration. At least that's what I heard Andrew Huberman speak about. He says that a BP1 charecteristc is mania for 7 days whereas a person diagnosed with BP2 may have a manic episode os just 3-4 days for example. The hypo can stand for less intensity or less duration according to AH. What are your thoughts on that? Thank you :)
So I got diagnosed with bipolar 2 disorder when i was 15 by a therapist/psychiatrist, for years i was seeing a therapist & psychiatrist cause i always knew something was wrong i just could never figure it out, after being diagnosed with bipolar 2 disorder depression & anxiety it all made sense, i could never understand why i couldn't just be "normal". i've only told a few people in my life about this because in the past i would always tell somebody & they would just think i was crazy or unstable because lot of the time that's how Hollywood pro strays it, it feels so great to have somebody like you show these people the truth, because i am not crazy i just have problems but honestly who doesn't? so anyways for years i struggled/ still struggle with figuring out exactly how to comprehend this disorder i have, i still struggle with understanding WHY i got it. i've always had terrible mood swings,i'd have days where i'd be super happy for no reason then within seconds i'm super depressed & down in the dumps for no reason. i kept having my mood swings go up & down, kinda like climbing a ladder, they were uncontrollable. i could never sleep, i would sleep for maybe an hour or 4 & be wide awake for like 4 days or i would be sleeping for days on end. it was always an off & on switch when it came to me sleeping,eating,& having mood swings,i could never tell what the next day would bring. i had a really hard time with my weight,i could either be gaining tons of weight or losing weight,my self-esteem has always been an issue of mine since elementary school. still even reaching my adulthood i still severely struggle with that. i've always had a very hard time paying attention to anything, i would go to talk about one subject then a few seconds later i'd jump to something completely different & not relevant to the previews conversations , my thoughts were always racing & changing at the same time,i started losing interested in things that i am really passionate about, also have a really hard time being indecisive about things & being able to make easy choices. i'd go through "phases" where i'd be super suicidal & do dangerous things not realizing that it was BAD i thought to me it was normal..After doing tons of research & finding ways to cope, i've learned over the years to cope with it,i'm still working on getting put on some meds as my insurance isn't the best. but i will say one of worse things about this personally is how lonely i feel, i could be in a room with thousands of people & i still feel like i was the only one there. i'm now 25 & still every day struggle with this but i'm trying to find more ways to cope & not do horrible dangerous things anymore.i just want to say thank you for making this video & informing people of the right diagnosis so many people are misinformed most cases i've had many people say i was unstable & crazy so i appreciate that somebody like you can show people who are uneducated the real truth about this. so thank you!
I have to take a mood stabilizer with my antidepressant/anti anxiety or else well it’s bad. My dad is type 1 and I’m thankful I’m type 2 cause when he’s manic and goes into psychosis it’s horrible and it uproots his whole life every time it happens and takes a while to get back on track after he gets out of the psych ward. Which also uprooted our lives too growing up.
I'm sorry you have to go through this. Thank you for sharing
I’ve just been given a mood stabilizer for my psychosis and to add on to my antidepressants. I’m so scared, do you mind sharing what it’s like taking both?
@@user-bv5sq9dy7w it’s really not that bad it can just make you feel quite sleepy and stimulates your appetite a bit more for me at least. don’t stress !
My daughter has BP2. Such a struggle for her. The moods come and go so quickly. Depression lasts a long time. Doing all the right things but hard. Thank you for sharing this video.
Beautiful and informative.
Thanks for this. I had been diagnosed with depression, then bipolar 1, then finally, bipolar 2, and now I'm on the right meds!
I saw this and clicked finally something on bipolar 2❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🥄 much love Katie love your videos
I have bipolar 2 and it took a long time to diagnose cause of drug use and also my hypomania is subtle I just am I little peppy, sort of euphoric, taking a lot but irritable and have to keep moving. And eat far far less. While my depression is extreme and I also think almost an inbetween state if that’s a thing idk I could be misdiagnosed but idk
I'm the same way. My hypomania is very mild compared to a lot of people and I have a lot more depression. I also have a lot of "mixed" episodes, if that's what you meant by "in-between", that are very hard to explain to someone who doesn't have bipolar lol
My hypomania expressed itself in an active and severe sense of grief and sorrow. Like feeling a loved one dying over and over again. I was initially diagnosed as chronic depression. Those medications made me WORSE. It was only after the right diagnosis of BiPo 2 that I found the right treatments and have never been better!
Can you also do a video on rapid cycling and/or mixed episodes? I know you did a FAQ 5 years ago about mixed episodes but maybe the two would be good together for a new video.
I love your delivery with this video( all your videos, but this one hits home) bipolar 1 and 2 are often talked about in such a intimidating or clinical way, which is hard for people to relate. I went to my physiatrist after being on Zoloft for 6 years, all it did was sky rocket my anxiety and shit decision making. When my dose was upped...I went right to her and was like no, I’m bipolar. It was the best thing I’ve ever done. The mood stabilizer saved my life, and brought me back to who I am and a person who functions on a normal range of emotions. I still have longer than I would like Good days and bad days. But Not the spikes and valleys I once existed in.
I’ve noticed a lot of symptoms I have in common with many of these tho I’ve never had any medical physician screen me or audit me for a full diagnosis
My dad and I had a conversation when I turned 18 to tell me he struggles with BP 2. He explained it to me as a warning and to help me look for the signs that I may have it too, but he only felt comfortable talking about it that one time so I've never gotten many questions answered. I'm 23 now and so thankful you made this video! One thing he told me that resonated with me is that his "cycles" were much longer than BP 1. He said they would change close to every decade instead of multiple times in a week or even a year. I'd love to learn more about BP 2 from your channel. ❤️ thanks
I've been diagnosed with BP2 6 years ago now. I have been on several meds, but a simple SSRI combined with abilify seems to work the best for me. Don't scare people away from antidepressants, please, mine saved my life!
Okay. Thank you for this. Diagnoses as BP2. Was put on antidepressant. Lost time. Engaged in embarrassing behavior. Im so thankful for my partner. Stuck with me and recognized that wasnt who I was.
hey kati, can you do a video on having both BPD and Bipolar?
Haven’t gotten the official diagnosis yet, but after several years of counseling, meds, drs, BP 2 was mentioned as a possibility for our 16 yr old daughter.
This video helped to explain a good bit of what the disorder is about. Thank you so much.
We finally feel hopeful in the future treatment ahead for our daughter.
I’ve been diagnosed twice with BP 2. Even though I’ve known, it’s still hard to read it on paper.
I feel that my diagnosis will happen soon, and it is hard to think of.
@@SarahElizabeth62 better to know sooner than later if you think you have it. I didn't get diagnosed till I feel off the DEEP end as a kid. Then the drugs kept not working or made it worse so I'm already super depressed trying some drugs that made it worse yet. Freaky times. If you aren't in DEEP then its safer and maybe easier to get help.....if you are told you have it.
Yeah it stinks to read but worse to say lol. I have already have new dental hygienist read my medical report and then physically squirm or act different (like I'm going to take the drill to there eye). Its BP2 not BP1 and it's under control. Lol. I wish I didn't even tell them that when they ask medical history years ago. No way dentists need to know that just meds
This really helped, thank you! My psychiatrist was yelling at me trying to find my symptoms but it was so hard to explain. I am irritable during my episodes and depressed nearly every day. I finish everyone's sentence too. Easily distracted and have a ton of unfinished projects. I hate time, I never have enough time. I lost interest in a lot of my hobbies but I force myself to try to enjoy them. I'm so tired all the time, but not in a sleepy way, in an exhausted way. Super indecisive too. Thank you.
Yup I totally understand with the same thing. Buy all the tools for the project then don't finish it. At least I'm getting a nice stack of things for the future lol. Try not to beat yourself up over this. The world does it enough without needing to be our own worse enemy
‘WELCOME! 😄’ I love when Kati says that! 😂
I thought I had MDD, but it was Bipolar 2. I thought those happy and elevated mood days were me in recovery and the irritable days are just me being 'the way I am'. I still couldn't understand this whole thing but thank you. I really appreciate this video! It really helps.
I thought I had MDD because the diagnosis (not final because I was a minor) were all 'Mood Disorder'. I got diagnosed with Bipolar 2 just last year.
Anybody with bipolar II and ptsd?
Bipolar 2 here.. newly acquired PTSD after swat and police raided my home. It's definitely the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with. Been diagnosed for 14 years.. I was managing fine until this.
Thank you for the video and for being so understanding! I have bipolar 2. Therapy and medication has made a huge difference in the best of ways. Your videos made the diagnosis more bearable. Thanks again!
would you say that issues with memory, like loss of memory during hypomanic episodes or difficulty remembering details or events, could be related to bipolar 1 or 2? i was previously diagnosed with BPD and as i’ve grown older i’ve noticed similar symptoms, but moments of really increased energy and loss of memory during those times to the point where i forget where i’ve put things!
As someone with BP2 I definitely experience this! Bipolar and BPD can have very similar symptoms. I'd start tracking your daily mood to see if there's any correlation ❤️