What is the chance that I will end up becoming bipolar since I have struggled with depression for along time?

What is the chance that I will end up becoming bipolar since I have struggled with depression for along time?
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answer:Please consider seeing a psychiatrist and getting prescribed meds. They can really help, and new and better meds for depression are coming out all the time. Just be warned, it can take a while to find the right combination—a while being as much as a year, and sometimes longer. We don’t know yet how to calculate the chances of becoming bipolar. The fact that your mother and uncle have been diagnosed shows you it is in your genes. But genes are not the only thing it takes to get the disorder. You also need stress. And stress comes in many different forms and it interacts with your genes in different ways, so you can’t predict exactly what will happen. You might end up with depression only. You might end up with bipolar disorder, of either type. You might end up with schizophrenia. The genes for mental illness are interlinked and as I say, they are expressed differently in different people at different times. Do not be afraid. This is very treatable, as I have learned over the last four years. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder four years ago. My mind was racing. I was acting out sexually. I was very irritable and disorganized. I felt disconnected and unloved. I felt worthless. I was a mess. And despite being a mess, people still seemed to find me interesting. Weird. I don’t know you and I know next to nothing about you, but I think you are right to be worried about bipolar and you should take steps to prepare. Seeing a psychiatrist and getting your depression under control is a good start. Do not let the psychiatrist prescribe you an anti-depressant without a mood stabilizer. Read up on it before you go. An antidepressant given to people who present with depression but are actually bipolar can kick you into mania. It is very common. So beware of that. So I think it would be wise to see a psychiatrist. They are the only one who can prescribe meds knowledgeably. I don’t trust medical doctors to understand as many of the drug interactions. Tell the shrink what side effects you want to stay away from. Tell them what you are afraid of. Tell them what you want to accomplish. Good luck.
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