Expert: Joyce A. Anthony - 12/12/2008

Question
My symptoms:
50 thoughts going on inside my head at a second. Feel little pain inside my head while it is happening. Feel irritated, easily distracted, don't feel energy in my body. When someone ask questions to me I feel like they are investigatingme. I don't feel like socializing or talking with people. I talk with my family members whenever I feel like. Sometimes I talk in an irritated way. Sometimes I throw in sexual-natured jokes without feeling embarrassed. A lot of future plans are going on, a lot of past, awful events going inside my head...it's like a combination of past, present and future events exploding into my head. Feeling of hopelessness, guilt, thoughts like "i want to die". I am a loser. I can't do anyhting. What will happen to my future like if I don't study, get out of my bed, earn money, I'll end up in a poor, charity institute,this type of scenario makes me more depressing. Wasted a lot of academic years, havent done anything academically for the last 8 years,feels dead in my head.
Additional Details

I don't live in the sad state all the time. Sometimes I feel really happy, laugh out loud and act like a normal person with nothing to worry about my life. I am able to watch movies, socialize with people but in an overjoyful mood/condition. There is this bad habit I have I dont know whether it is a part of the symptom. I start laughing out loud before saying a complete sentence. On some occassions I try to be so funny and come up with absouletly hilarious jokes...or lines. Mostly sexual in natured.
I have cry-spells when I read about stories of bi-polar patients. They look like me but I don't behave in the same way like they do... For example, I dont go on spending sprees, or try to actually attempt a suicide....I am far reservered, coward when it comes to implmenting such ideas..

Answer
Hello Asad:

While I can't officially diagnose you, I would highly suggest you make an appointment with a psychiatrist to be evaluated. What you describe is very likely bipolar disorder.  Not all who suffer this disorder experience all the symptoms.  Your individual personality will determine how you act and what behaviors you exhibit. What is most important in the diagnosis is the mood swings.  This includes how often they change and how severe each is.  Making an appointment with a psychiatrist or psychologist will enable them to take a family history and evaluate your symptoms.This will make diagnosing and treatment easier.

                        Joyce A. Anthony