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Comment by alecbenzer | Hacker News Reader

curious if anyone can relate/offer advice

I wouldn't call it "advice", but I've observed that there are some stabilizing factors.

Body chemistry is important, but the most effective measure (exercise) is also affected by cycles: sometimes I exercise for months, sometimes I don't move a finger for months. It's easier to take care of what I eat/drink/smoke, at least for me.

The other thing that works is routine. But not trying to control every thing I do or I don't. Working on something or writing, learning English, playing the guitar regularly, even half an hour a day results in progress. Progress makes confidence.

And solid confidence is the best thing to lean on.

Hope it helps.

Absolutely I can relate. You seem to have distilled my head.

I have, unfortunately, never discovered a solution. If you figure it out, remember to share.

It seems like a reasonably good description of bipolar II. Rest assured, it can be tamed (either with medication, a therapy - such as CBT or even just a humanistic therapy - or both) but the first step is in finding the right help rather than ignoring it. Good luck.

I was actually somewhat happily surprised to hear you say that. I had kind of suspected that I had bipolar II for a while, but I sort of put the thought out of my head for fear that I was falling into a self-diagnosis trap. I'd wanted to go to a professional and be told I had it, but I never got around to really going.

Going to a professional isn't falling into a self-diagnosis trap, but wanting to be told you have might be.

No, I wasn't worried about going to a professional, I was just warned by some people that I shouldn't spend so much time on the internet trying to figure out what I have and then convince myself that I actually have it, and that I should just go see someone and have them tell me what I have (if anything).

I ended up not really going to see anyone, though. The one time I did see someone, I happened to not really be that depressed at the time, and so he seemed to think that there wasn't much wrong with me, but I wasn't sure I could trust his opinion since I don't think I could effectively relay how I feel when I am depressed to him. I'm going to try and push myself to actually go see someone again, though. Hopefully I'll be able to explain myself better, or at least see someone frequently enough that eventually my feelings will come out.

That first paragraph is probably the best psychological advice I've ever seen on the Internet. :-)

It's very possible you are just experiencing life, you should go check out that Learn Optimism book today.

> Hopefully I'll be able to explain myself better

You might print out your posting and bring it in.

I've thought of that, and I'll probably end up doing that. Somehow I feel like a therapist might be annoyed that I'm just shoving a paper in their face instead of talking to them, but I suppose it's the best I can do if I'm not depressed at the time.

If they're annoyed with you for communicating in the way that works best for you, you should find a better one.

In reference to this, do you think it would be a bad idea to tell someone I talk to that I think I have bipolar II? Sometimes I'm just tempted to when I'm asked something like "so what are you upset about?" or "what are you making this appointment for?" I'm not sure what to say other than "I think I have bipolar II".

i can relate to everything you wrote (and perhaps) feel. i have notebooks filled with text that is eerily similiar.

feel free to contact me if you wanna talk.

it gets better.

oliver@olivernowak.com

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