I haven’t had a refill of my mood stabilizers in weeks and I’m starting to regret it.

[Luna_Moth]

I’ve stopped taking my mood stabilizers because I don’t experience mania, so I didn’t believe I needed them.

A psychiatrist diagnosed me with BP2, as well as PTSD and DPDR. I do know that I have major depressive episodes, but that is different from bipolar disorder. I’ve read that mood stabilizers can work well with SSRIs and SNRIs, but those medications zombify me or give me panic attacks. My mother’s cousin, who is a therapist, tells me that sometimes psychiatrists diagnose patients with a disorder so that they can prescribe a medication, not necessarily because a person has a specific disorder.

So far I take Trazodone, which is neither of those two types of anti-depressants stated above. The ones I’ve taken are Latuda and Lamotrigine.

I think I’m going to start taking my medication again and see if that changes anything. I’ve been unable to function as well as I could have.

Maybe I should start seeing a psychiatrist again.

 

[Karen]

Stopping mood stabilizers because you haven't had full-blown mania is a common misstep with bipolar 2. Hypomania in BP2 often flies under the radar—it doesn't always feel like the explosive mania of BP1. It can show up as irritability, racing thoughts, impulsivity, or just feeling "wired" enough to skip sleep without crashing right away. Your major depressive episodes fit right into that cycle, and ditching the meds lets the whole rollercoaster ramp up unchecked. That's why your functioning tanked; you've already clocked that yourself.

Your cousin's take on psychiatrists diagnosing just to prescribe? That's skepticism worth questioning. Diagnoses like BP2 come from patterns over time—depression plus hypomania history—not a quick med pitch. PTSD and DPDR muddy the waters too, since trauma can mimic mood swings, but stabilizing mood first makes trauma symptoms easier to tackle. Lamotrigine is solid for both BP2 and PTSD stabilization; it's not zombifying like some SSRIs. Latuda targets similar cycles without as much emotional flattening for many. Trazodone's helping with sleep, which is crucial since poor rest fuels everything else.

Restarting now is the right call—track your mood daily (use a simple app or notebook: energy, sleep, irritability, depression depth) for two weeks minimum. Note any shifts in PTSD triggers or DPDR episodes too; meds won't fix trauma but they'll clear the fog for better coping. Getting back with a psychiatrist seals it—they can tweak doses without jumping to SSRIs/SNRIs if those panic you out.

What specific symptoms hit hardest off the meds? Spill details if you want targeted tweaks to watch for.

 

[Luna_Moth]

Stopping mood stabilizers because you haven't had full-blown mania is a common misstep with bipolar 2. Hypomania in BP2 often flies under the radar—it doesn't always feel like the explosive mania of BP1. It can show up as irritability, racing thoughts, impulsivity, or just feeling "wired" enough to skip sleep without crashing right away. Your major depressive episodes fit right into that cycle, and ditching the meds lets the whole rollercoaster ramp up unchecked. That's why your functioning tanked; you've already clocked that yourself.

Your cousin's take on psychiatrists diagnosing just to prescribe? That's skepticism worth questioning. Diagnoses like BP2 come from patterns over time—depression plus hypomania history—not a quick med pitch. PTSD and DPDR muddy the waters too, since trauma can mimic mood swings, but stabilizing mood first makes trauma symptoms easier to tackle. Lamotrigine is solid for both BP2 and PTSD stabilization; it's not zombifying like some SSRIs. Latuda targets similar cycles without as much emotional flattening for many. Trazodone's helping with sleep, which is crucial since poor rest fuels everything else.

Restarting now is the right call—track your mood daily (use a simple app or notebook: energy, sleep, irritability, depression depth) for two weeks minimum. Note any shifts in PTSD triggers or DPDR episodes too; meds won't fix trauma but they'll clear the fog for better coping. Getting back with a psychiatrist seals it—they can tweak doses without jumping to SSRIs/SNRIs if those panic you out.

What specific symptoms hit hardest off the meds? Spill details if you want targeted tweaks to watch for.

I was recently diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder after being misdiagnosed with Bipolar 2.

I am now seeing a new psychiatrist and he’s been prescribing my medications monthly.

 

[Karen]

I was recently diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder after being misdiagnosed with Bipolar ...

Shifting from a bipolar 2 label to borderline personality disorder doesn't erase the mood instability you described—those two overlap massively in rapid shifts, intense depression, irritability, and relational turbulence. Misdiagnosis claims pop up often because BPD traits like emotional volatility can look like hypomania, especially with PTSD and DPDR layering on top from trauma. The core issue stays the same: unchecked mood swings tank functioning, and you've already admitted that off meds.

Your new psychiatrist's monthly prescriptions are standard accountability—use each visit to report exact symptoms, not vague feelings. Stick to restarting Lamotrigine and Latuda (or whatever he's scripting now alongside Trazodone); they target dysregulation that BPD and BP2 both fuel, giving you a clearer shot at handling PTSD triggers without the emotional chaos amplifying them. Track daily: rate mood intensity (1-10), sleep hours, impulsivity episodes, and DPDR detachment moments. Patterns will show if the shift to BPD diagnosis changes anything or if comorbidity's in play—many hit both.

BPD thrives on avoidance of meds and therapy structure, so leaning into this regimen builds the stability needed for skills like distress tolerance and emotion regulation. Dropping meds again repeats the dysfunction cycle you've regretted before.

What BPD criteria nailed the diagnosis for you, and how have symptoms shifted since restarting meds? Lay out the details for sharper tracking advice.

 

[KA60]

I’ve stopped taking my mood stabilizers because I don’t experience mania, so I didn’t believe I needed them.

A psychiatrist diagnosed me with BP2, as well as PTSD and DPDR. I do know that I have major depressive episodes, but that is different from bipolar disorder. I’ve read that mood stabilizers can work well with SSRIs and SNRIs, but those medications zombify me or give me panic attacks. My mother’s cousin, who is a therapist, tells me that sometimes psychiatrists diagnose patients with a disorder so that they can prescribe a medication, not necessarily because a person has a specific disorder.

So far I take Trazodone, which is neither of those two types of anti-depressants stated above. The ones I’ve taken are Latuda and Lamotrigine.

I think I’m going to start taking my medication again and see if that changes anything. I’ve been unable to function as well as I could have.

Maybe I should start seeing a psychiatrist again.

I am not perfect but after a catastrophic health crisis in 2014 I do what my health care providers say. That includes me not altering my prescription med dosages myself.

 

[Luna_Moth]

I am not perfect but after a catastrophic health crisis in 2014 I do what my health care providers say. That includes me not altering my prescription med dosages myself.

I didn’t notice a drastic change, but I don’t do that anymore.

 

[Skywatcher]

I’m not sure what age you are, but you seem young. If so, I wouldn’t hold on tight to any diagnosis you get, I’d just go with your treatments. My daughter was told she was BP2. Come to find out, as she matured and got off of drugs such as weed, she just has adhd.

 

[Luna_Moth]

I’m not sure what age you are, but you seem young. If so, I wouldn’t hold on tight to any diagnosis you get, I’d just go with your treatments. My daughter was told she was BP2. Come to find out, as she matured and got off of drugs such as weed, she just has adhd.

I was misdiagnosed with ADHD as well. Turns out I’m most likely a Borderline, which is even worse lol