I often wonder if having no empathy<not feeling sorry or guilty or bad> for things you have done wrong would be one of them?

That's a different illness, more antisocial than bipolar. If anything bipolar types feel more, not less.

If I don't manage it prpoerly I become absolutely un-bearable to be around and un-able to function at all. For years I bounced around from job to job and place to place and managed to alienate everybody in my life. I drank and used drugs indiscriminately. It took years but once I learned how to manage being Bi-polar my life changed drastically for the better. I'm a completely different person now than the one I used to be.

thanks joe my son has all the symptoms but he also has no empathy... so i was curious maybe he has 2 things wrong... not sure.

thanks joe my son has all the symptoms but he also has no empathy... so i was curious maybe he has 2 things wrong... not sure.

well i was told by this lady she is my doc well one of them i have 7 of them but she show me things and ask me some questions about my life and what i^m doing and how do i feel about things

well i was told by this lady she is my doc well one of them i have 7 of them but she show me things and ask me some questions about my life and what i^m doing and how do i feel about things

That is a symptom of Autism.

My best friend is both Bi-Polar and has Autism. His degree of Autism is the highest functioning form of it... It's known as Aspberger's syndrome. (Not sure I spelled that correctly).

His Bi-Polar has him swinging from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other... Way down, depressed or Way Up.. Manic on a high.... He has to deal with suicidal thoughts all the time. He has very low self esteem.

His Autism (Aspberger's) symptoms include antisocial tendencies.. No eye contact, doesn't like being around people, including family - doesn't like crowds, doesn't like to talk to people. He won't attend any of my family get togethers and has only met my sister and brother-in-law after all these years. Doesn't like to have people at the house. If I had company over, he would stay in his room (when we were roommates). He has a short temper and gets frustrated very quickly with small issues and tasks. He doesn't like physical contact... being touched, kissed, hugged, etc.

He also has trouble trying new foods, tastes, textures, etc. Eats one course of food at a time, and can't have his food touching each other on the plate.

Nevertheless, I do understand him and have to give him a lot of credit. He has come a long way and he is forever getting books on the subjects and on the web researching and reading about it.

His daughter is also Autistic - highest level functioning. She displays much more acute signs of the symptoms as she hasn't yet learned to recognize and manage many of her symptoms. To her, it's normal and the rest of the world has the problem. She's only 12 and constantly having emotional meltdowns (at home) over her appearance and other peer pressure issues. She says things sometimes that can be very cold and unfeeling as though she has no regard for others' feelings. If I would tell her, "Honey, you're standing in my way" while preparing dinner, she'll nod, but do nothing... she doesn't move. I have to tell her to move and tell her where to stand. She doesn't put it together like one would expect. Consequences of her behavior don't seem to phase her... the thought never crosses her mind.

Well, anyway... I hope this helps. I know that my friend has spent a lifetime and a ruined marriage learning how to recognize and manage his symptoms. But it has made him a better person... both to the world and in his own eyes. He is happier with who he is now.

Bipolar Disorder the the most commonly misdiagnosed and overdiagnosed MMI, next to ADD and AD/HD.

The only way to determine if you truly have Bipolar Disorder (It is not hyphenated) is to see a diagnostician, which would be a clinical psychologist who is board certified, ABPP.

Here is an example of the overdiagnosing of Bipolar. In 1994 the number of teens diagnosed was around 40,000. In 2004 the number of teens diagnosed was 800,000. Thereabouts....(I cannot cite the article, it was quoted to me by an ABPP PhD)

The symptoms you listed....
1. I feel sad and empty.
2. Lose interest in doing things that I usually enjoyed.
3. Sometimes I feel unusually great.
4. I have alot of rage

Those can fit just about everyone at certain times in their life and you subscribing to those symptoms... it means next to NOTHING. Checklists for Bipolar are overlapping with situational depression, polysubstance abuse, alcohol abuse and/or dependence, antisocial behavior disorder, borderline personality disorder, impulse control disorder, conduct disorder, ADD, adjustment disorder, etc etc etc. Get the point?

Sensual.... yes, thank you for seeing my point. Bipolar Disorder can take up to ten years to diagnose.... and never ever after just one session, much less with a psychiatrist. Not knocking them.... but DX is not their area of expertise most times.

You can find several good articles on the conditions you listed on the Internet, but be wary. The "checklists" are not accurate, as there is a co-morbidity in many illnesses, such as with your friend's daughter.

Many times, people are diagnosed as a way to get money. If it is an MMI then they can bill for services at a higher rate. If they don't know what is wrong, then often dual diagnose. The issue is, it's rare that these folks who diagnose actually do testing and get historical records to confirm or deny their initial impressions, however accurate they might seem at the time.

I agree with alot of people in this thread that too many dr's diagnose people as Bipolar. But depression is NO laughing matter you should take it very serious!! There is probably alot of underlineing things that need to be checked out!!

I have LIVED with depression for over a decade. It isn't easy and its alot of constant work but you can survive and thrive even!! Good Luck!