Sounds more like schizoaffective.
Bipolar dx is such a long process/time consuming one needs to do inpatient and observe behavior over a period of time.
Charting/mapping highs and lows can be tough without proper journaling otherwise?
How does one differentiate a psychotic break, manic episodes, depressive episodes then detail it’s bi polar and not possibly a psychotic break as bipolar?
Worked years and with patients and happy I was a psych RN but not the Dr adding the diagnosis. Some were real hard and had more than a dual diagnosis.
I think my sister is bipolar. She tells me she has been diagnosed with depression only, but I seriously doubt that. I think she doesn’t want us to know she’s actually bipolar. Her highs are higher and her lows are lower than anybody. She sees “auras” around people sometimes. Sometimes her grip on reality is tenuous. It’s very hard.
My son has bipolar. He’s on meds, but he never really seems happy. He has a college degree in economics, but he just works at Whole Foods. He’s very smart, but has a terrible self image.
He was such a sweet young boy. It makes me very, very sad. I wish I could help him more.