Well, in the past few months, it's finally dawned on me just how manic I am. I mean, I knew I had a tendency to be hyper, scatterbrained, I make impulsive decisions, I do nontrivial tasks on the slightest whim, I spend hours and days on projects without getting enough sleep or water, etc. When I realized that this is what describes mania, I found myself wondering if, in addition to my other conditions, I also had bipolar disorder, at least the mania.

Turns out, it's not as simple as that. This article explains that many autistic people have a form of ADHD (attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder) very similar to the kinds of mania that can present in bipolar disorder. However, it's less accurate to say that I have ADHD, and more accurate to say the ADHD is a symptom of my variety of autism. At least, they're so co-morbid (commonly coexisting) that these kinds of mania symptoms are often considered autism symptoms. Additionally, the article explains that it's much harder to even diagnose bipolar disorder in autistic people because of the fundamentally different ways autistic people think and behave, and such a diagnosis may be inappropriate.

I guess this explains why I've been told before that I do not have bipolar disorder. I'm manic, but not bipolar. And, in retrospect, I have vague memories of when I was younger and a therapist recommended against prescribing me ritalin (used to treat ADHD), because it's contraindicated in people with Tourette syndrome (which I also have), because ritalin causes existing Tourettes tics to become more permanent. (Many Tourettes tics come and go over time.) I say I have vague memories, because I had a tendency to tune people out and stop listening. (Ironic. XD)

My profile disclaimer already declares my autism, Tourette syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder and tendency to panic attacks. I wonder if it's a good idea to list my ADHD too.