Anyone AS and Bipolar?
I was once diagnosed bi-polar a long time ago, but haven't had an "episode" of manic depression in many years. I suspect that the amount I was drinking at the time (to cope socially) temporarily messed with my brain chemicals. At the time, the psychiatrist just chose something to put on my files for insurance, but she wasn't too sure about the diagnosis. Also, anti depressants worked extremely well for me after that - and they never give those to bi-polar patients. And now I'm sober, I no longer exhibit the bi-polar symptoms.
I'm AS and bipolar - diagnosed bipolar first (adult) Treatment worked well (Lithium) but many odd symptoms remained that aren't bipolar: social aversion, reclusiveness, people reacting very negatively to my honesty and outspokeness, rational, logical and science-oriented. I'm old - 65 and from lifelong experience I can see that I was always Asperger, but there was no such diagnosis (especially for girls) when I was a young child. So - I just had to "make do" Bipolar symptoms showed up during high school, but back then the diagnosis was very rarely considered; I was finally diagnosed BP at age 36 and thought that was it. But as Aspergers has become better known, my doctor could suddenly see that I've been Aspergers all along.
My experience leads me to believe that bipolar symptoms (for some of us) are actually symptoms of Asperger. Bipolar may be a "family" thing or simply a "mistake" in diagnosis. Psych doctors don't understand this stuff well-enough to "sort things out." It will take a lot more research.