GET A SECOND OPINION!!!!
I have panic disorder and have also had many bouts of depression. Many people experience both, yet that is not at all the same as bipolar disorder, which happens to be a very popular catch-all diagnosis at the moment. Here is an answer from a medical doctor (at Columbia University) who specializes in treating anxiety and depression, as well as bipolar disorder. Here's what he has to say:
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES IN IDENTIFYING ANXIETY DISORDERS AS OPPOSED TO DEPRESSION?
Michael R. Liebowitz, M. D.
It is sometimes difficult to distinguish between pervasive anxiety and depression, because people who are depressed may also be anxious and agitated and may even have anxiety attacks. Moreover, people with anxiety disorders may become demoralized and depressed as their illness interferes with their ability to live a normal and happy life. There are, however, some major differences. People with anxiety disorders generally do not suffer the same degrees of lethargy, as do those with depression. Anxious people are more apt to have trouble falling asleep, rather than waking up early, which is a hallmark of depression. Anxiety does not impair a person's ability to enjoy things or to be cheered up, as depression often does.
Michael R. Liebowitz, M. D.
Professor of Clinical Psychiatry
Columbia University, College of Physicians and
Surgeons, Director, Anxiety Disorders Clinic,
New York State Psychiatric Institute
