For quite some time my mental state has fluctuated from extreme depression where I couldn't even move to states of excitement where it feels like my mind is running like a fine tuned engine. There were times where I felt depressed for weeks before finally letting up and also times where it felt like I was about to explode from my mind overworking itself. Only recently have i taken into consideration that I may be bipolar but that is just a self diagnosis so it could be something else but for a while I did not want to seek help. Maybe because of pride or I did not want to upset my parents but this changing states of my mind, once tolerable with enough self restraint, has starting to become annoying. These fluctuations have seemed to be becoming more constant and reoccurring to the point where I go through these periods of depression and mania in a span of a day. I am tired of being so terribly depressed that it feels I am about to implode and so excited that I start to become delusional of my own intelligence. Do any of you think I should seek help or it is just part of stress from school?
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Considering professional help
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I think you should seek help. Although stress from school may be exacerbating the symptoms, there has to be something underlying it. You may have bipolar, or perhaps its milder form cyclothymia. There are effective treatments, so there's no need to stay like this.
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Ask your doctor if he thinks lithium, depakote, tegretol or lamictal might help your situation. These are mood stabilizers.
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Let me clarify about what is going on: I have noticed that these manic episodes are occurring more frequently and I believe it could be from stress. However, I have been in reoccurring states of depression for the last 2 years. I believe that the cause is something else besides stress that causes depression for me.
The one thing that worries me more that being an annoyance would be episodes of a mixed state. I have been doing some research on the subject and the definition of mixed state perfectly describes the occasional instances in which they occur. A mixed state is when symptoms of mania and depression occur simultaneously which-for me- causes almost a total disregard for my own safety (An overwhelming urge to drive in the opposite direction of traffic, for an example)and I no longer care about living.
This is one of my main reasons of concern for my own well being and those of others. -
I think you definitely need a professional evaluation. Self-diagnosis is risky, and so is internet diagnosis. But it's clear there's a serious problem that needs addressing.
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Lithobid with time release is another option.http://www.drugs.com/cdi/lithobid-controlled-release-and-extended-release-tablets.htmlAlways with the guidance of a professional, since exceeding the dose could prove dangerous.
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When i was younger i went through something kind of like this. My parents got divorced and it really messed with me and i was messing up in school. I was diagnosed with depression and an anxiety disorder. My mom brought my to a psycologist and a psychiatrist (or psycologist i can't remember which one is which) and they hopped me up on Prozac and i would see my psychiatrist once a week. GO. Talk to someone. When I went through it I was too afraid to tell someone and it just made things worse but with the help of everything and everyone i no longer have to take the medicine and I'm back to being happy.
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Bipolar could be a cause; from the limited amount of what you said I think it would be hard to label you a 'typical' bi-polar sufferer (which usually includes severe mood swings such as serious suicidal thoughts to highs that see you going out and buying cars for all of your friends etc)
Bipolar (granted, a lot of chemical imbalances and disorders) cause stress, which increases the symptoms, which causes more stress - and the loop continues.
Picture it like this; let's say you're on a playground swing, at the start you have a pretty low height and pretty slow speed; now picture this; stress is like kicking your legs while on the swing. The more you kick your legs out, the faster you'll fall, the higher you'll rise.
I will repeat what has been said ad nauseum; this IS something worth having checked out professionally.
BTW: Lithium is some strong stuff; usually it's reserved for pretty severe cases due to it's rather risky side effects. (especially over the long term)
