Bipolar or ADHD?

[FrozenRobot7]

For years now I have been trying to pinpoint “what’s wrong with me” (not in a bad way but something mentally was off) and after hearing more of the symptoms of ADHD in women, particularly social symptoms like consistent interrupting or talking a lot, I felt immediately very validated. Throughout college I would go through periods of hyperactivity and then burnout, and this diagnosis seemed to fit this well. I feel like I constantly need to be doing something with my hands, constantly stimulated, or I will get bored and just end up spending hours mindlessly scrolling on my phone.

After discussing this with friends and my therapist, this diagnosis seemed to resonate. But, it will probably take close to a year for me to get a solid, formal assessment done and there are other symptoms that seem to relate closer to bipolar. My ‘hyperactivity’ and ‘burnout’ are pretty cyclical, with different amounts of times in cycles but most last at least 2 weeks, if not more. In these ‘hyperactivity’ times I am often sleeping in less, or rather I am sleeping in much more during the ‘burnout’ times. In these hyperactive times I can also be impulsive, but this is not consistent throughout these ‘hyperactivity’ times and may just be more random. I do find myself needing to eat less during these hyperactive cycles, and often use food as comfort during the ‘burnout’ times. During the hyperactive times I often start many projects I struggle to actually finish by the time the burnout arrives. During these times I am also doing A LOT, staying very busy and productive during the days and the burnout times are- the opposite. There are so many other details I am probably forgetting, but for the most part that’s the gist.

I know the real answer is getting formal diagnoses from professionals and trying medications, but this will be a very long process and I want to be able to get a grasp on “what this is” now rather than later. So I ask those that have either or even both of these diagnoses what their opinions are. Nobody is an expert, but I’m really struggling right now with the uncertainly of these two possible diagnoses and just want to hear from others that have more lived experiences.

[Face Up.]

I have Bipolar II and some of the symptoms you are experiencing definitely could be symptoms of bipolar. I'm not saying that's what you have of course, and it very well could be ADHD since I am not a doctor! I've heard that there can be an overlap in some of the symptoms.

Some of the symptoms stick out to me like sleeping less, being sometimes impulsive, and starting many projects that you struggle to finish. I also experience a "burnout" a lot of the time after going into hypomania, but I'm chronically fatigued as it is so it's hard to say.

It may take a year for you to get a formal diagnosis like you said, so I'd start the process if possible. I'd also talk to your therapist about this. I know they may not be able to diagnose, but maybe they can give you some tips on how you can track your symptoms, etc, so you have a better idea of what could be going on,

[WhisperingSilence]

Hi. So I have ADHD and BPD (borderline personality disorder) and a lot of the symptoms and traits of both BPD and ADHD overlap. It could be that you have both , one or the other, like you said the only way you will know is if you get an official diagnosis. I was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 5 years old and the. BPD later when I was late 20’s.

[Dude111]

My mum had Bipolar I think

[Mindfulness.]

Hi there,
I understand that you wish to get a diagnosis as soon as possible but sometimes it does take a bit of time to go through the process so I would start as soon as you can so you are able to get the results sooner rather than later.

[Astro04]

Even I did that question to me. Now I knew. And it was better not to ask.