A Final Quiz: Name that Depression

Specific symptoms of Bipolar Depression separate it from plain old Depression. Learn about the symptoms of Bipolar Depression so you get the correct treatment.

The following examples will help you (or someone who cares about a person with depression) get really clear on the type of depression you experience. This can lead to the right treatment plan.

1. Have you ever been depressed and thought, "What is going on? I felt fantastic just last month! I had so much energy and life was great. I don't understand this. Nothing happened? What's wrong with me? Who am I?" and then you feel fine again a few months later. (BIPOLAR Depression with rapid cycling between mania and depression.)
2. You went through a job loss and got depressed for the first time and then the depression went away when you got another job. (Situational Depression.)
3. You were depressed, took an antidepressant and then suddenly things got better. You felt your head clear and even your vision got razor sharp where colors were gorgeous and people looked beautiful. Life was full of hope and you couldn't wait to make plans for the future. If someone said you seemed abnormally upbeat, you said, "I finally found a medication that worked and now you want me to go back to being depressed?" (Antidepressant-induced mania.)
4. After a down mood for over a year, you went through months of feeling great where you partied a lot, made friends easily, worked effortlessly and had a lot of ideas. The good mood raised a lot of confusion in your friends and family, but not enough to see it as an illness. You thought, "This is the real me! The depression is finally gone!" (A manic episode after a long BIPOLAR Depression.)
5. Felt depressed and uncomfortable with agitation, trouble sleeping and the fear that someone was following you. Your thoughts were racing and your patience was low. You felt a lot of suspicion, heard voices and yet you had a lot of energy. You sometimes had suicidal thoughts. (Mixed episode with depression, mania and psychosis.)
6. People commented on your down mood and seemed confused as to why you were always depressed when you had so much to live for. You had trouble getting out of bed, had no enthusiasm for life, cried a lot and felt hopeless. Your work and relationships suffered. You had either been like this for months or had a low-level depression for years. You found an antidepressant that worked and have not experienced depression again. (Unipolar depression)
7. You're depressed and have tried five antidepressants. They don't help at all and you feel more and more despondent. Your health care professional says, "I have no idea why these meds aren't working. There is a drug called Lamictal that works with depression, let's see if that will help." You take the Lamictal and feel better. The doctor asks, "Have you ever had a mood where you were filled with energy and didn't sleep much but were not tired at all the next day?" This question finally leads to a discussion about Bipolar Disorder and you both realize the medications didn't work because you have BIPOLAR Depression and have had mild mania for years without knowing what it was. Eventually, the illness was stabilized with Lamictal and an antipsychotic. And you can truthfully say, "I finally feel like the real me." (BIPOLAR Depression)

What above situation describes you (or the person you care about)? Is treatment correct and adequate? The answer to these questions can help you take charge of your BIPOLAR Depression so that you can get an official diagnosis, find the right combination of medications and create a treatment plan that is Bipolar Depression specific. It may be scary, overwhelming and confusing to realize you have Bipolar Depression, but the diagnosis is a life saver. It makes sense to spend a few years finding the right treatment plan than experiencing a lifetime of depression. The results can lead to a stable life that is filled with great relationships, productive work, a true sense of purpose and joy.

A final note from Julie. This is the kind of article I love to write. It's my specialty and I have great confidence in my ability to do a good job. What's frustrating is that just having a short assignment such as this one brings on Bipolar Depression symptoms. It took me just under 20 hours to write this article over the past week. For at least 10 hours outside of the writing, I had to take care of myself in order to stay well enough to write the article without too much distress. I started to wake up too early and felt a cascade of worried thoughts. I fretted that my work would be rejected and that my writing career would be over. I also felt a lot of anxiety. I heard songs over and over in my head and had trouble focusing. When this started, I know exactly what it was and I used the treatment plans I write about on HealthyPlace.com and in my books. I got to sleep earlier. I took my anti-anxiety meds as needed. I skipped karaoke (The one night I went caused even more songs in my head!) and replaced the unrealistic and negative thoughts brought up by writing the article with realistic thoughts. I said to myself, "You will be fine Julie. Your life is fine. Do your best, finish the article and get on with your life." So that is what I did and met my deadline even while crying from the stress. You can learn to do the same.

References:

John Preston, PsyD is the author of over 20 books on the topic of mental health. His most recent books include.

• Child & Adolescent Psychopharmacology Made Simple
• Bipolar 101: A Practical Guide to Identifying Triggers, Managing Medications, Coping with Symptoms, and more
• Counseling Survivors of Traumatic Events: A Handbook for Pastors and Other Helping Professionals
• Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder
• Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists
• Clinical Psychopharmacology: Made Ridiculously Simple
• Get It Done When You're Depressed
• The Complete Idiot's Guide to Managing Your Moods
• Integrative Treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder: Effective, Symptom-Focused Techniques, Simplified For Private Practice
• Consumer's Guide to Psychiatric Drugs
• Make Every Session Count: Getting the Most Out of Your Brief Therapy
• Lift Your Mood Now: Simple Things You Can Do to Beat the Blues
• Shorter Term Treatments for Borderline Personality Disorders