What could cause my dc's mood to shift every 2 weeks? Is this what bipolar looks like?

[Anonymous]

I've been keeping a diary and noticed that dc has mood shifts on around a 2 week cycle. I wouldn't say his good mood is marked by any crazy behavior, he's just in a sort of baseline pretty normal/ good mood. Then he'll have about a week a month where he is generally more irritable. And so on. Has anyone noticed something similar with their child? Is that what bipolar can look like?

[Anonymous]

Bipolar usually has longer cycles, though sometimes they can be fairly brief and rapid. But they're not typically as predictable as what you describe. Are there any other factors related to the irritable weeks? That's what I'd be looking at, with something that reliable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bipolar usually has longer cycles, though sometimes they can be fairly brief and rapid. But they're not typically as predictable as what you describe. Are there any other factors related to the irritable weeks? That's what I'd be looking at, with something that reliable.

Also, wouldn’t the manic part of the cycle be more noticeable? Even just an increase in activity or productivity, or in risk-taking, or a general air of running at a high rev.

It sounds to me more like he’s successfully masking some sort of issue much of the time, but that can be pretty exhausting to keep up. When it gets overwhelming and he can’t conform to expectations anymore, he gets irritable and needs to pull back a bit to recharge.

[Anonymous]

How old is the kid? Both my boys had a lot of hormonal mood stuff going on around 8th grade. It was like the testosterone surged and they weren’t themselves, then it faded away.

[Anonymous]

Doesn't sound like bi polar in the slightest. Sounds like what people in the movies think bi polar is.

Sounds like a teenager.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Doesn't sound like bi polar in the slightest. Sounds like what people in the movies think bi polar is.

Sounds like a teenager.

As the parent of a bipolar now young adult, I completely agree. Nothing you me twinned even remotely sounds like bipolar.

To the PP who thinks the manic would be more pronounced, for bipolar 2 the manic can be pretty benign but the depression is deep and dark.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bipolar usually has longer cycles, though sometimes they can be fairly brief and rapid. But they're not typically as predictable as what you describe. Are there any other factors related to the irritable weeks? That's what I'd be looking at, with something that reliable.

Also, wouldn’t the manic part of the cycle be more noticeable? Even just an increase in activity or productivity, or in risk-taking, or a general air of running at a high rev.

It sounds to me more like he’s successfully masking some sort of issue much of the time, but that can be pretty exhausting to keep up. When it gets overwhelming and he can’t conform to expectations anymore, he gets irritable and needs to pull back a bit to recharge.

Mania can present primarily as irritability though that wouldn't be the only symptom. There'd need to be something else to suggest bipolar - increased energy, reduced need for sleep, pressured speech, etc. And it doesn't fit the profile for Bipolar II, which includes pronounced depressive episodes rather than manic ones (which present as hypomania, usually).

Again, the regularity of it may be a clue as to what's going on. Good luck, OP.

[Anonymous]

Just in case you changed your DC’s gender for privacy, this is very typical for girls with hormonal fluctuations.

[Anonymous]

op - to answer qs above - dc is a boy, is 10 (so not teenage stuff).
it's helpful to hear the above. I have noticed it cycles for a while. I will try to further tease out what could be the triggers but it's tricky bc dc's life is fairly systematized in the sense that there isn't a lot of variation (not bc he can't handle it but like any kid he has sports on various days and school stuff is pretty routine).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:op - to answer qs above - dc is a boy, is 10 (so not teenage stuff).
it's helpful to hear the above. I have noticed it cycles for a while. I will try to further tease out what could be the triggers but it's tricky bc dc's life is fairly systematized in the sense that there isn't a lot of variation (not bc he can't handle it but like any kid he has sports on various days and school stuff is pretty routine).

OP, what led you to start tracking his moods? Was it solely the variation that you noticed in those or are there other issues? Does he have any insight into these changes?

[Anonymous]

Is it a two week cycle or one week per month? If I’m reading correctly, you mentioned both. If it’s one week a month, is there any correlation to phases of the moon or the like? Not saying he’s a werewolf…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just in case you changed your DC’s gender for privacy, this is very typical for girls with hormonal fluctuations.

+1 This. I thought this was going to be about a girl. I was going to say that it sounds like classic PMDD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it a two week cycle or one week per month? If I’m reading correctly, you mentioned both. If it’s one week a month, is there any correlation to phases of the moon or the like? Not saying he’s a werewolf…

haha. it's that he'll have 2 weeks of worse mood followed by 2 weeks of good mood. my math is HORRIBLE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:op - to answer qs above - dc is a boy, is 10 (so not teenage stuff).
it's helpful to hear the above. I have noticed it cycles for a while. I will try to further tease out what could be the triggers but it's tricky bc dc's life is fairly systematized in the sense that there isn't a lot of variation (not bc he can't handle it but like any kid he has sports on various days and school stuff is pretty routine).

OP, what led you to start tracking his moods? Was it solely the variation that you noticed in those or are there other issues? Does he have any insight into these changes?

I just noticed I would have weeks that were so hard with him and then weeks that were way easier, and in those weeks he seemed happier and more regulated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doesn't sound like bi polar in the slightest. Sounds like what people in the movies think bi polar is.

Sounds like a teenager.

As the parent of a bipolar now young adult, I completely agree. Nothing you me twinned even remotely sounds like bipolar.

To the PP who thinks the manic would be more pronounced, for bipolar 2 the manic can be pretty benign but the depression is deep and dark.

NP here. Agree with these PPs (and have experience with bipolar)