Whatcha calling me?

I had already had a tentative diagnosis of bipolar disorder when I went to the psychiatric hospital based on a certain abnormal gene found associated with my mitochondrial disease. That I understood, Then the symptoms of psychosis were added in and I was like, whoa, are you calling me psychotic? The anxiety disorder I think came from being in the darn hospital. But I would like to explain my official diagnoses for those who do not know.

Bipolar disorders are marked by episodes of mania and depression, which may alternate although  most patients have a predominance of one over the other. Bipolar disorders usually start in the teens, twenties, and thirties. The lifetime rate of Bipolar disorder is 4% of the population with both genders represented equally.

There are three types of Bipolar Disorder:

Bipolar I: The presence of one severe manic state and including usually depressive episodes
Bipolar II: The presence of major depressive episodes with one or more hypomanic episode (not complete manic)
Unspecified Bipolar Disorder: Disorders that clearly match features of Bipolar Disorder but not completely enough for diagnosis

Psychosis usually happens during the manic phase and can easily mimic schizophrenia

Treatment of Bipolar Disorder usually uses mood stabilizers and 2nd generation antipsychotics. Treatment generally has three phases
            Acute: To stabilize the new symptoms
            Continuation: To achieve remission
            Maintenance: To keep the patient in remission

I fall under Bipolar I (oh the stories I could tell about a manic episode) with symptoms of psychosis because I was hearing voices (Damn Molly). The anxiety disorder I cannot really specify on because there are tons of disorders that come under that heading. My treatment for my Bipolar is both medication and therapy.

Yet if we met you would never know there was anything different about my brain than yours.I have learned to cover it well and unless really manic or really depressed can act normally.

Miss Molly Mack

I told no one that I had been hearing a voice other than my own in my head since before my first suicide attempt. I thought they would think I am crazy, which is rather ironic, The voice continually told me I was unworthy, unloved, unimportant and that life would be better for everyone if I just killed myself. It was like listening to a CD on repeat 24/7. At the hospital after the second attempt I confessed to the doctor about the voice (Once I knew I could trust him). He said it would take a combination of medications and work on my part to get rid of the voice. Positive thinking, meditation, writing, etc. were all encouraged. I decided that since I argued with this voice often enough it needed a name. I went with Molly because it seemed to be a less harsh name. It turns out that the name Molly means bitter. Very appropriate! The best news of all is that Molly has been put on mute!!