The nurse practitioner I'm seeing about my ADHD diagnosed me with bipolar disorder

She literally could not have surprised me more if she tried

This makes no sense to me but it's scaring me a lot :(

I don't really remember having manic episodes? Depressive maybe but it's usually after something bad happens to me and not really consistently....

I told her I put off making this appointment cuz I've been feeling really bad recently, then she just asked me a few questions like if people say I talk too much sometimes or if I do things impulsively and prescribed me an antipsychotic (aripiprazole) wtf

I asked some family and they haven't noticed anything like this... idk :(. Has this happened to anyone else? Am I just in denial? I'm afraid to take this drug she gave cuz I really don't need to be even more tired all the time... or tardive dyskinesia or something (unlikely, worst case)

  • very_poggers_gay [they/them]
    ·
    9 months ago

    Heyo, I'll share some thoughts because I'm a psych trainee working at a clinic atm.

    ADHD can result in behaviours that look like mania (or hypomania, which is like mania but less intense), and you can have both, but they are very different.

    I don't really remember having manic episodes?

    I feel like this is a big thing. Especially because you said your friends and family haven't noticed any changes either. To get a bipolar diagnosis, you need to have a confirmed history of at least one manic or hypomanic episode. These episodes should be an obvious difference from your typical self, beyond your typical up or down. For a "manic" episode, it should last at least 1 week and must result in major impairment or disruption in your life, for example, being hospitalized. For a "hypomanic" episode, it should last at least 4 days and also cause notable impairment. If you can't point to a time in your life when you might have had an episode like this (i.e., where you were uncharacteristically energetic (like not sleeping for multiple nights in a row or sleeping only one or two hours), speedy, or impulsive for about a week or longer), and neither can your family or friends, I really can't see a justification for a bipolar diagnosis...

    And If you talk fast, have lots of energy, are impulsive or unorganized all the time, that just sounds like ADHD.

    Her diagnosis and prescription seem way out of pocket and unjustified, imo. Was your appointment supposed to be related to medication for ADHD?