Autism = Bipolar

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Topic: Autism is similar in part to Bipolar Disorder.

Discuss!

You need to establish your foundation for this.

Explain.

So, basically what Verdandi said.

How are they similar? Apart from Stephen Fry's obsession with sweets as a youngster. And I mean he was really obsessed, compulsive sweets eater. And he liked to dress from a certain time period.

I can certainly try!

Well, I have noticed how myself and other folks with Autism Spectrum Disorders have rapid changes in mood, which I'm given to understand is a prevalent symptom of Bipolar Disorder.

I was hoping to receive the opinion of others in this matter, and if they have noticed any similarities in symptoms between the two conditions.

Bipolar is this (the moods are often there for months at a time, not quick to change):

Manic phase: seemingly unlimited energy, often accompanied with impulse control issues
Depressive phase: depression

Nothing at all like Autism, which is:

Social impairment: from not being able to at all (aloof) to being so badly at it that you're effectively unable to make peer relations [in most cases]; not counting nonverbal and/or verbal disability that's always there to some extent
Repetitive/restricted behavior: from an all encompassing singular interest that precludes doing most other things (AS most often), to various forms of routine and environmental control patterns of behaviour (having to do something in the same way, or you can't do it). plus a heap more under this heading

See how the two main categories are a world apart?

Well, not all bipolar is rapid cycling. So... Yeah.

Purely anecdotally however, my mother has bipolar (officially diagnosed, if it makes a different) and I have suspected Aspergers. We are nothing alike in the way we handle our emotions, my mum cries at everything - happy or sad, which is disturbing for me - and I tend to sit silently and wait for negative emotions to pass (or SH if it gets too much), and do pretty much the same for positive emotions, unless I feel comfortable with who I'm around/where I am, then I clap, giggle, and generally squee.

My mothers mood swings are far more pronounced than mine (or most people I know, actually). I suppose her depressive episodes (and occasionally manic episodes) can have a similar effect on her interaction with people. But more in a Narcissistic way than an Autistic way, in that she is so absorbed in her own emotions, thoughts and feelings that it's impossible for her to even realise that other people have emotions, let alone that they may be as important as her own.

So, yeah. Different. Similar. Mostly different.

Well, I suppose our activities on our respective foci can be compared to a bipolar manic phase. And I suppose the meltdowns/retreats could be compared to a depressive phase.

Still, I have yet to feel the level of exultation and self-worth a bipolar in a manic phase is said to have, so there is a obviously some significant differences there.

I have both bipolar and autism and in most ways, to me at least, they feel like polar opposites (with a few symptom overlap exceptions). In fact they are so different that the person I was before bipolar onset (before age 16) - basically just your standard autistic, and the person I am now after bipolar onset feel like two completely different people. It makes me feel like I have multiple personality disorder - not only feeling like a different person depending on what mood swing I'm having, but also feeling like a different person depending on whether my autistic thinking or my bipolar thinking is dominating at whatever time.

I can have quite strong swings of mood and fluctuate between short periods of mild depression and more manic episodes. These swings can be sparked by almost anything but I wouldn’t describe this as exactly bipolar; my moods come and go more frequently than would be normal for that condition and are not I think as extreme. I think instead I am just incredibly over-sensitive to what is going on around me, so much so I often need time alone to recuperate. Although I do have these periods of depression and mania, what concerns me more is what sparks them, which is anxiety and anger. I can at times feel extremely anxious and worried about stuff which appears petty and unimportant to others; and then at other times I can lose the plot completely and fly into a total rage. Not to the point where I would do anyone else any harm, I’m not quite that bad. But even so I hate the fact that it happens and that I appear to be not able to control it. After these bouts of anger, which are over almost as soon as they start, I always feel incredibly guilty and apologise profusely. I don’t like speaking about these issues particularly the anger issue as I feel embarrassed by it.

There is a very brief article here, http://www.bmedreport.com/archives/24029 which claims Norwegian studies have identified an overlap of bipolar and ADHD, in regard to mood cycling.

My auntie (now 87) is diagnosed as bipolar, although she hasn't had an episode in many years. Her manias and depressions dominated my childhood, as her loving sister (my Mum) dealt with her. But, I've thought for a while that she maybe has an autistic spectrum disorder too. On Christmas day, my Mum said something which added to that idea. I asked what my auntie had been like when she was younger and my Mum said she thought she was better than everyone else and distanced herself from others. I don't think my auntie does think this at all, but maybe the way in which she conducted herself gave others that impression, just like it does for many people with Aspergers.

My daughter and I have mood swings too, but nothing like my auntie. We can swing in minutes and it's usually related to what's going on in our lives. They are not extreme at all. I was depressed on Friday and cried for a few hours. Then I was right as rain by the end of the evening, had a joyous weekend and I'm just fine now. My auntie's manias or depressions would go on for months at a time and didn't seem linked to anything at all (but maybe she saw it differently). However, I really see the connection with my situation and my daughter. The autistic traits can be traced via my Mum, to her Mum (who had depression, similar to my auntie) to her Dad (whom I never met, but from my Mum's description, he sounds pretty Aspie to me).