Is it better not to tell people that you've had a bi-polar diagnosis/ episode?

I find it difficult to feel that I'm not being totally myself by concealing this information, but know that it adversely affects my reputation due to the negative stigma associated with this illness.

Its not smart ot tell everyone. mean some friend if you want ot but i would keep it low key yes its hard to deal with but you can i feel bad most of the time and now there is a death associated witht his feeling i have and i have to deal with it so you know take it one day at a time and you sould not tell everyone take care.

Has anyone ever heard of a diagnosis of Borderline Bi-Polar I?

Does that mean the doctor thinks he is 90% probable to have bi-polar 1 or is there an actual diagnosis called borderline bi-polar 1. The doctor never discussed border line personality, and that is what I keep seeing when i do a search for this diagnosis. So just wondering if this is a true diagnosis.

Call your doctor and ask what he meant. He could mean you meet most but not all of the criteria for Bipolar 1, that you have Borderline Personality Disorder, or that you have both.

It's really ridiculous he'd use confusing language like that and let you leave without fulling understanding what he's diagnosed you with.

Is bi-polar depression a real diagnosis? Or is it just angry depression or the depressive phase of bi-polar?

Is it over or under diagnosed? Is there a difference between bi-polar and bi-polar depression?

Yes it is real. Bipolar means two poles. So depression is one and mania is the other. When they say bipolar depression it's not a separate illness from bipolar it's one of the symptoms of the illness. I would think that it's referred to as bipolar depression so that it is know that the person is suffering from bipolar and not depression on it's on, hence bipolar depression.

Do you think a diagnosis of bi polar disorder and borderline personality disorder is a disability? Do you think a diagnosis of bi polar disorder and borderline personality disorder is a disability?

Yes! Fortunately, treatment is available to help control the condition, and its effect on the persons life. A person with these problems, face a lifetime of work trying to stabilize their world, through medications, counseling, and hard work to follow strict regimens to prevent their loosing control of their facilities.

I have been diagnosed with BPD and I still get angry, dangerously angry. I got mad over my husband not wanting to give the dogs water right when I asked him to and flew into a rage and I took it out on him and I was just blind with madness, throwing things, ripping his clothes up, etc. Then, as soon as he did it, I was fine. Like nothing ever happened. I am wondering if I may need higher doses of my medication or is it something else.
I am on Tegretol 200mg and that's all!

My father is bipolar and the process of achieving stability involves a lot more than just taking meds.

For starters, both you and your husband need to be seeing a counselor or therapist who has experience in working with families who have a bipolar loved one. The counselor may need to see you together, or may need to meet with each of you individually. But I cannot emphasize strongly enough that you both need to be in counseling. Ask the psychiatrist who is prescribing your meds to give you a referral.

To achieve stability, you also have to understand that recreational drugs of any kind-- and that includes alcohol-- are forever off limits. If you smoke, you also need to get help quitting, if you can. Nicotine and alcohol both have powerful central nervous system affects that can work against your stability. You need to avoid them if you are serious about achieving stability.

You also need to do things that minimize disruption to your sleep schedule and minimize stress. This may mean that you cannot travel, or go out partying or clubbing in the evenings even if you don't smoke or drink, and otherwise avoid things that disrupt your sleep cycle, because that can trigger a mood swing. It might also mean that you need to look at what you do for a living, and whether this is in any way disruptive to your stability.

By all means discuss your meds with your psychiatrist, but do this in the context of the other things you need to do. I can tell you after observing my father for 50 years that a bipolar person cannot just depend on meds to achieve stability. There is so much more that needs to be addressed than just taking pills.