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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    How do I know if I have bipolar II disorder?

    Related Topics
    Anger Management Bipolar Disorder Mental Health
    I have been told by my psychiatrist that I have bipolar 2. I have had 2 bad episodes in the last month. I get very angry. I went to my local mental health hospital and got told that i don't look like i have bipolar 2 and that i have to go to anger management classes.

    My daughter have bipolar also.
    What dose a person look like with bipolar 2? Please i need help i scared that when i get angry at people i might hurt them.
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    Dr Simon Kinsella

    Clinical Psychologist, Psychologist

    Dr Simon Kinsella is a Melbourne based clinical psychologist, who has been practicing since 1993. Currently he is the Director of Corporate and Personal Consulting, … View Profile

    Hi,
    People with Bipolar 2 disorder go through phases of being depressed and phases of being hypomanic.  One of the big differences between bipolar 1 and bipolar 2 is that people with 2 tend not to get as severely depressed, and they don't become fully manic.  Many of my clients who have bipolar 2 have gone undiagnosed for years because the patterns of ups and downs are not very obvious.  When they are up (hypomanic) they seem to be doing brilliantly: they are very productive at work, they have lots of energy, they have less need for sleep and they are often at their most capable.  However, they can't sustain that level of functioning, and eventually the low moods return, they find it hard to be motivated, they lack interest or enthusiasm and show other signs of depression.  As well as that, some people with bipolar disorders can get very angry at times, and become hostile and threatening to others.  This kind of behaviour is associated with the highs of bipolar disorder.

    Given you have had 2 diagnoses it is important that you explore the diagnosis further.  It may be helpful to ask your psychiatrist to speak to the practitioner you saw at the local mental health service, and ask that they compare their opinions.  It may also be helpful to speak to both parties again to ask them to explain why they made their respective diagnoses, and not the other diagnosis.  If you make no progress that way, it might be beneficial to get a 3rd opinion.


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    Bruni (Brunhilde) Brewin

    Counsellor, Hypnotherapist

    Bruni Brewin is President Emeritus of The Australian Hypnotherapists’ Association (AHA), the oldest and largest National Registration Body for hypnotherapists in Australia founded in 1949, … View Profile

    You say that you get very angry.  What do you know in your background history that may have caused this anger?  How long have you had that anger?   Have there been any child abuse issues?  (Violence or sexual… bullying at school, or other traumatic happenings.) 

    Yours and your daughter's diagnosis is a label for your presenting symptoms - what was the ‘cause’?  Is it genetic, i.e. your genes, or is it an emotional reaction?  Sometimes we think the past doesn't matter and that we have overcome issues to do with that.  However, our nervouse system keeps store of any happening in both our emotional and physical experiences.

    An example I give you of a case where a client presented with a bipolar issue thought to be genetic, when asking about the family background it is easy to agree with the diagnosis.  The mother was diagnosed with bipolar.  The grandmother was diagnosed with bipolar.  However looking closer at her mothers issues and her grandmothers issues showed that her grandmother had a marriage that included domestic violence.  The the mother grew up watching her mother get beaten up, and as she got older, she was sexually raped and the treatment my client underwent with her own motherr who now had a short fuse, was up and down like a yo-yo with her emotions, passed this on to my presenting client.

    With  your very angry feelings and reactions, could your daughter have felt scared and unsafe?

    If any of the above resonates as being part of your background, it may be that you require to release early life feelings and emotions from those events.  If not, then as Dr. Kinsella mentioned, you need to look further for your answer.

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    Beverley Aronstan

    Psychologist

    I am a registered psychologist with many years of counselling experience in the field of relationships and fertility issues. In particular my focus is on … View Profile

    I agree the diagnosis of bipolar 2 is a difficult one and can remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. It is an important to get an accurate diagnosis as  the effective treatment involves getting the correct medication.
    Generally someone with bipolar 2 will get depressed and have a least one hypomanic episode but the highs and lows are not as extreme as bipolar 1.
    It is important you get a diagnosis from an expert psychiatrist in the field. 
    Once on the medication this should help to stailise your mood. Extreme lashing out in anger with periods of depression could be bipolar 2.

    I f  this is an accurate diagnosis most people respond well to the mood stabilising medication as well as a regime of consistency intheir life like making sure you get enough sleep and exercise and eat well.

    Psychotherapy or group therapy is effective with bipolar 2 as it helps make you feel less alone and confused about your condition
    The Black Dog institute has very good specialists who are interested in this condition Please revisit your original psychiatrist.
    Family support and understanding is also effective so if you can include your partner or other family members this is useful. You can also learn to recognise what your syptoms mean and prevent yourself from escalating by getting medical intervention when you or a family member notice your mood has changed.
    I hope this helps if your diagnosis is accurate then the key to living well and normally is to get the right treatment for you

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