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Can anyone answer whether bipolar comes in degrees, like low, moderate or high? Or is bipolar strictly binary - in other words you either have it or you do not.
The reason I ask is that my father was severely bipolar & the disease is horrible to live with at times. Most of the time I'm dealing with some level of depression, although usually not horrible, and some normal days, but sometimes I feel somewhat "manic" - - could I be slightly bipolar?
Replies to "Can anyone answer whether bipolar comes in degrees, like low, moderate or high? Or is bipolar..."
@johneckenrode11 Understanding our mental health issues can be a life-long challenge, and I think it is not unusual to move between different situations.
Here is a link to Cleveland Clinic's discussion about bipolar disorder, which made me really think! https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9294-bipolar-disorder
From Healthline is an article that points out specific differences between depression and bipolar disorder: https://www.healthline.com/health/bipolar-disorder-vs-depression
Have you had a professional assessment to determine what or if you are dealing with any of these conditions? It would go a long ways in helping you understand what you are dealing with. I know for me, having a definite diagnosis helped me tremendously!
Ginger
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There is cyclothymia, too, which I think of as a spectrum of Bipolar I. However, Bipolar II is also its own diagnosis which I think is misnamed. I think it's worth looking up the various diagnostic criteria and seeing a therapist, NP or doctor who could help.