Bi-polar. I’ve been living with it nearly three decades. It comes on around early adulthood. It’s a pita getting on top of it and learning to manage it, but you can get there. Lemme try to speedrun you some info.

You most likely need medication to manage it, though a psychiatrist will make that determination. It can take a long time to find the right med or combination of meds. I’m sorry, but it’s going to be frustrating at times because it’s very much a “how’s this one working” process. Some of them will have unpleasant side effects, others not so much. But when you touch upon something that works, your life is back in your hands.

Don’t ever just go off your meds without the supervision of your caretaker. This can be dangerous both physically and mentally. I went off my meds once and crashed so hard that I couldn’t even speak to my then-partner. You need to ween yourself from them if you decide to change your treatment.

Manic episodes feel awesome and you might be tempted to take the ride when you notice that one is coming on. This is tempting because of the increased productivity and awesome state of mind. It always ends in some degree of disaster. So if you find a med that helps slow them to prevent them, even though it feels good, shut it down. You may spend lots of money very easily or engage in risky behaviors that can really screw you over.

It takes time to recognize the signs that a manic episode is coming on. I thought I’d never be able to control them but after it happens enough time, you can learn to recognize them and assert control via whatever you find that works. I have a specific medication that shuts them down. Would that med work for you? Who knows. Be prepared to be observant and learn about yourself. For me, I start making an unconscious pop with my tongue when manic, which helps identify it. Also, I find that keeping a really consistent sleep schedule helps whereas staying up partying all night could lead to mania. Hard to do at 18, I know.

It seems to slow down and become more manageable with age. In my late twenties and early thirties, it was more difficult to manage than in the second half of my thirties and beyond. I haven’t had a manic episode in maybe eight or nine years because it’s less challenging and I’ve been managing it effectively for a while.

You might need an antidepressant to help with the down cycles. Too much can induce mania. Go slow with your caregiver and ask as many questions as you need to. Ask how drugs and alcohol might affect your condition as well as your treatment.

Listen, I’m sure all this might sound like I’m saying that you got dealt an impossible shitty life. That’s not the case. It’s going to present challenges, but everyone has challenges and this is just one of yours. I’m extremely happy in life. If you offered to take away my condition and start over, I wouldn’t do it. My condition is part of what makes me me and I wouldn’t want any other life. Note that I didn’t always feel this way and be prepared for depression to really make things hard. That part sucks, but hey, again, you’ll learn to manage it if you choose to.

Hey, it’s not at all the end of the world. And there’s never been a better time in history to be neuro-divergent. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. I openly admit that I’m bi-polar and in treatment with anyone I know. It’s like having asthma. We are seen and accepted.

If I think of anything else, I’ll post again. But this feels about like how I would want to present it and what I’d want to emphasize. I might be done. Good luck!

A lot of people suggesting Bi-polar, but to offer a different opinion, ADHD could also fit. Emotional disregulation is often overlooked as a symptom in ADHD, especially in women.

I could suggest this video as a jumping off point for further investigation.

I will also share my experience, because female hormones are really wild, and I think sharing can help others recognize what is “normal” and what can be done. I would say that you’ve given a description which I could apply to myself. I am neither bi-polar nor ADHD. Occasionally I will be having a standard to good week, and without any clear trigger, I will be extremely depressed and emotional. I will, without fail, start my period 2-3 days later. I can also, somewhat reliably trigger panic attacks by drinking to the point that I would call “buzzed” in the 2-3 days before my period. Fortunately or unfortunately, effects of the menstrual cycle can change as you age. These predictable “lows” that I experience only started when I was around 25.

TL;DR You should also talk to your ob/gyn, and an endocrinologist, in addition to a psychiatrist.

ITT people mentioning bipolar disorder but I would suggest a strong onset of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS).
My only question to you is, when did your menstruations start this month? You don’t have to reply to this.
But look up whether they started the day you were sad, or one day/two days prior.
If it was the case, it is very likely PMS.
Keep a calendar of your cycles and you will know.
Causes of PMS may be one or many, like birth control, undiagnosed depression, a stressful time, etc. etc.
Edit: typo

Do not take mental health advice from social media.

Definitely sounds like bipolar or something close. See a psychologist ASAP; faster cycles can be a warning sign. You’re not insane, you just have an unreliable narrator!

A few things I’ve learned from being married to a lady with bipolar for 16 years:

• it’s not your fault, but it is your responsibility
• not being able to trust your brain sucks, but knowing it can be a liar helps
• you can be happy and productive and have a normal life
• take your pills, especially if you don’t feel like it
• self-medicating has trade-offs - try to stick with TV or other distractions instead of things that can have consequences like drugs or sex

Good luck on your journey!

It’s not true that you can’t be given a diagnosis.

It’s good that you’ll be speaking to a psychiatrist, because those could be signs of certain disorders. For example, you could have bipolar disorder.

Not a doctor, nor am I trying to minimize your experience. But a form of this happens to my daughter all the time. But with her it’s diet related. Her blood sugar crashes and she gets dehydrated because she doesn’t eat properly. Just throwing it out there, in case it could be something easily solved before jumping to the harder diagnosis.

Not a doctor here, but sounds like classic symptoms of a few different conditions, from hormonal, to neurological, to dietary.

This is not something you should just accept, go see a doctor, ideally get basic blood test, hormone tests and an evaluation from a psychiatrist. But if you are not sure or are feeling overwhelmed, just start with one simple visit to the doctor, share with them your experience.

Don’t worry, I’m sure you will be fine and figure it all out ❤️

My first totally in prof opinion is that sounds bipolar to me until I read what you’re reacting to. Friends choosing others over you is painful! No reason not to be sad over that. Also, life is hard! I don’t think going in phases of happy and sad throughout the week is too unusual.

i’ll be full of energy, all these ideas and motivation. i’ll talk really fast and have no need for sleep.

hi, am inpatient psych nurse. that is almost definitely not just teenage hormones; you need that psychiatry doc ASAP. until then I recommend working on a safety plan until you can make it to the doc; I’ll see if I can find a template when I get home later this evening.

Update: Made a post of it so I could go into a little more detail