For as long as I can remember I've had ADD, but in the past year I've acquired something else. I've heard that people with ADD and ADHD can have other disorders that can co-exist with ADD. My mother is a manic-depressive and has been since she was young. I've learned that what my mother has is hereditary and could've possibly have been passed to me. I worry all of the time, I have a constant knot in my stomach, I'm either really happy or really sad, I cry quite often, I can't anything lightly...I take everything so seriously. All of these things are ruining me...and my relationship with my wonderful fiance and are also making his life miserable ...I dont' know what to do! I've made an appointment with my family doctor to talk to her about it. Maybe she can help me or refer me to someone. If anyone has had a similar problem will you please reply. I want to learn as much as I can. Any replies will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

*why can't it all just go away?* :sad:

-Raven

Hi Raven,

Making an appt. with your doctor is a step in the right direction.
Sounds to me like anxiety, but I'm not qualified to know for sure.
If it is , that is generally easily treated. You may want to keep a journal as to what, if anything, is going on when your feeling this way. Sometimes a certain situation brings on anxiety, but that's
not always the case. Try not to be so hard on yourself. I hope your doctor can provide you with some answers. Good Luck.:)

Dee

There is a message group here for bipolar ADD (and anxiety, and depression, etc.)
http://www.addforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=55

Here's another recent discussion you probably can relate to:
"So I'm sensitive, I want to stay that way"
http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7360

I don't know much about bipolar or anxiety but I know depression can be something that develops where it wasn't a problem before and it makes you weak, so more sensitive, or it can make you hold in your feelings and seem less sensitive. Anxiety can do those things too probably and of course bipolar as well.

Sometimes it seems too complicated and these classifications are sort of arbitrary but it's worth trying to understand what is going on to try to address it.

We are here for you Raven.

I always laugh when people, me included, make the vague question " what is wrong with me" it leaves it so open ended ...but yewh I have an assortment of problems, I have had trouble with depression, self harm, currently have sleep apnea, the add of course...

Raven,

Good luck in getting to the bottom to it all and finding help. I hope the Forum helps!

How are you feeling?

Often times from what I have read Manic Depression doesn't manifest till the later teen years. Often it can be triggered earlier Than that by a crises, heartbreak, etc.
I am curios as to what the doctor will say. I hope whatever it is you will find a way to manage it.

I have depression along with ADD. I take lexapro at the moment.
It helps me a lot.

deleted

As someone who was apparently misdiagnosed with Bipolar when the hypomania was actually manifestations of ADD, I caution you to bring that up with your doctor early on in your discussions. I have ADD and Depression, which is apparently not all that uncommon as co-existing conditions. The depression made me moody and sleepy and unfocused, and my pdoc (Yale educated and no slacker) misdiagnosed me for the past 2 years as Bipolar with mild hypomanic episodes. Turns out the low-level mania was just how my undiagnosed ADD was presenting itself. The best of doctors can get this very wrong, so be sure to talk her ears off with every detail you can remember, no matter how insignificant it may seem to you now. I wish I had those 2 years back, but maybe I can help others avoid such a waste. Good luck!

As someone who was apparently misdiagnosed with Bipolar when the hypomania was actually manifestations of ADD, I caution you to bring that up with your doctor early on in your discussions. I have ADD and Depression, which is apparently not all that uncommon as co-existing conditions. The depression made me moody and sleepy and unfocused, and my pdoc (Yale educated and no slacker) misdiagnosed me for the past 2 years as Bipolar with mild hypomanic episodes. Turns out the low-level mania was just how my undiagnosed ADD was presenting itself. The best of doctors can get this very wrong, so be sure to talk her ears off with every detail you can remember, no matter how insignificant it may seem to you now. I wish I had those 2 years back, but maybe I can help others avoid such a waste. Good luck!I gotta agree with this. I and two of my friends have been told we were bipolar and put on those meds. DID NOTHING. Well messed with my liver but that's it. My youngest sister has those same types of emotional rollercoasters, but no sort of mood disorder. She just feels a lot and has to learn to get it under control but it helps her make great art. Be careful about mania. I've actually seen a couple of manic phases in a friends mom. I'd MUCH Rater be add then bipolar.