The Failure to Recognize and Misdiagnosis of Bipolar II

Thank you so much for this, I am bipolar 2, was misdiagnosed as borderline for over ten years, thank you for educating people on this.

As someone with bipolar 2 who got diagnosed 12 years after being diagnosed with general anxiety and depression, this is validating and informative. I’ve been on SNRI/SSRI meds for years and totally miserable. Thank you. I’m starting on mood stabilizers today!

me and my dad both dont eat much when hypomanic. Just too busy doing art, staying up, drinking coffee, smoking weed. We are the same person.

Bipolar II tend to have chronic depressive episodes, therefore, bipolar II are at higher risk of suicide.

Watching this at 2 in the morning during mania. I have to be up by 6 and can’t sleep because my mind is racing. I’m so tired of feeling like this.

Complex PTSD from narcissistic abuse is frequently mis-diagnosed as Bipolar II. There's an excellent documentary on comedian Darrell Hammond. He suffered abuse throughout childhood, then at 19 began drinking and drugging, was hospitalized and diagnosed with Bipolar I. He was mis-diagnosed with other disorders for decades until a very wise doctor saw the truth. The medical community have a reluctance to take a really honest look at family of origin issues. Narcissistic families produce children with low self-esteem, struggles with mood regulation, sleep issues, rumination, phobias, anxiety, depression, self-destructive behaviors. Often the identified patient in a family system is the scapegoat in that narcissistic family. So often patients are handed a sack full of drugs, when what they really need a consistent one year course of Cognitive behavioral and/or Dialectial therapy. EMDR is also very important to help release trauma that was stored in the body.

reading these comments about getting diagnosed later in life has made me realize how lucky I am to have been diagnosed at fourteen years old

Im bipolar 2. My young life was a wreck. I went for help several times. Always the same. They said i was major depressive and the gave me antidepressants. Every time i wound up almost dead and locked up. I was 30 when i was finally diagnosed bipolar 2. Now im properly medicated doing just fine 5 years later.

I was diagnosed with bipolar 2 at age 32 and it made sense. However, after medication, therapy and raising a family I have uncovered that the root of my disregulation is early childhood trauma which then snowballed.

Wow I really feel like this could be what I’m struggling with. I always felt like my mood was too “good” for depression, but I had intense lows with crisis and stuff. I always felt like there was something wrong with me

I wish I could hear what the people off camera were saying. Other than that though, great talk, very informative.

These people have described me to a T. I'm 30 years old and in so much pain. I'm calling the doctor in the morning. Thank yoy for this video. 😭🙏

I’ve been characterized as suffering from depression/anxiety for 14 years. SSRI’s made me feel either euphoric or extremely agitated. I was just recently diagnosed with bipolar II- my brother has it as well. I’ve been on lamotrigine for about 3 months and quit taking lexapro and have never felt more leveled.

I was diagnosed 3 years ago thank you it put me to tears because this is exactly me all the time

I have been “living” with short periods of hyper mania and long disabling depressions for over thirty years. I have so far been diagnosed with everything but bipolar, including severe depression, ptsd and even borderline personality disorder. The antidepressants only make my symptoms worse. Every one of those symptoms so obviously fits bipolar 2, but it is still impossible to get a diagnosis even with family history to support it. Why are psychiatrists so reluctant to diagnose BP in the UK. It makes me so angry, especially when I listen to others saying how there lives have suddenly become worth living once correctly treated.

I was just diagnosed with Bipolar 2. This is awesome, thanks for uploading.

Possible Insite on the "Disordered Eating" aspect of the presentation and an idea: When depressive - personally - I find it almost impossible to eat. I feel neasuous at the idea of putting food into my body and I feel full all the time regardless of eating. I have rapid weight loss and often will just sleep instead of eating. (Flawed logic is that if i am sleeping I don't feel hungry - and maybe tomorrow I'll have the energy to cook).During Mixed Moods I felt neasous and Anxious ALL the time and food was either a crutch (Binge) or neauseating. Also while in hypomania I often forget to eat and/or sleep and still feel fine. Just another perspective on the idea around Disordered eating. (Diagnosed With BiPolar II)

I can't speak for everyone but I overeat because it calms me down. Treatment please.

I was just recently diagnosed with Bipolar II. This is so helpful. Thank you so much!! I am almost 40, hopefully I’ll finally be able to live my life better. You are right about so much. It’s nice to see why I’ve made some decisions I’ve made.

I am an avid #MentalHealthAwareness advocate and spoken word performer, and I love this so much. I travel the country trying to bring that awareness on stages, in classrooms, hospitals, and on my YouTube channel, so I get excited when I see other advocates. 💙