Is My girlfriend Bipolar?

Question

So my girlfriends mom is bipolar. And my girlfriend now thinks that she may be bipolar. I have yet to see any really big signs of it yet. Sometimes when we are hanging out or doing something she will just change her mind and want to leave or not do what was planned for the day. Her mom has caused a lot of problems in her life. After her brother die a year ago her mom stopped taking her meds. My girlfriend has now moved out of her moms house and is living with her dad. She says this has helped. I have yet to see her be really depressed for a long period of time. I don't know if her mood swings are related to hormoness or what? She is only 17.

Answer 1

Encourage her to see a psychiatrist for an evaluation instead of living in fear of something that may not even be her issue.  Only about 10% of children of ppl w/bipolar develop the illness .  It sounds like she has many reasons to be emotional, so there probably is a fair chance that she's not bipolar.  But, only a skilled pdoc can diagnose.

Answer 2

yeh it doesnt sound like she is. i always change my mind randomly, it just being indecisive not bipolar lol. my friend is biploar, and she has really manic depression and then suddenly is hyper and so happy and this is like sometimes from hour to hour, biploar is pretty extreme really in some cases, though in some i guess its more subtle, but based on just what you said i wouldnt say your girfriend is nope.

Answer 3

Sounds like a typical 17 yr old girl to me. Ever hear the saying "It's a woman's prerogative to change her mind"? Bipolar is about huge mood swings into deep depression or mania that is unusually intense. The swings are not usually fast (though they can be) but often take a year or more to go from one end to the other. She sounds fine to me.

Answer 4

She doesn't sound like she has Bipolar, she may be suffering from depression which is understandable since having to deal with her mother and losing her brother.

She should go to her GP and they will recommend her to right mental health specialist, she may benefit from counselling.

Answer 5

She doesn't sound bipolar. Just because her mom is doesn't mean she will be.

Answer 6

based solely on what u wrote, i hardly think that she is bipolar. its normal for people to change their minds drastically about prearranged plans even on a daily basis it doesnt mean that she is bipolar.  

Answer 7

I am bipolar so ask yourself these questions. Does she have very high energy one minute and then very lazy the next minute? Does she have trouble falling asleep? Does she turn on you on the drop of a dime for no reason? You already said she has depression but there are many other properties of bipolar disorder that would qualify her as being bipolar. Research about bipolar disorder online and determine if she has all or most of the symptoms it describes. Hope that helped!

Answer 8

From what you've said there are no indications that your girlfriend has the symptoms of bipolar disorder.

Try to assure her that just because her mother has it, that doesnt mean she will ever have it in her life. It sounds like her difficulties and worries stem from the way her mother is, rather than actually within herself,especially as you say moving out has helped.

Mood swings and changing her mind are perfectly normal for a 17 year old girl! Just assure her that you love her the way she is and she's fine.

Good luck.