Do you think i should get help?

According to your profile you are 18. What you describe fits teenage life quite well. It's part of growing up. Everything is a drama, every up and down. Your boyfriend breaks up with you and you think you can't live on without him. One moment on top of the world, the next moment so depressed and upset the nearest mousehole to crawl into won't do. What you liked to do before, you don't want to do anymore. Engaging in risky behavior and at the next moment taking it safe. Irritable and lonely one moment, star of the party the next.... Every teenager goes through it. Part of it hormonal imbalance that's natural at that age (as are the pimples that come with it), part of it is the desire for independence (from parental and other control), yet still wanting to feel sheltered and comfortable at the same time. Personally, I don't think you need help. However, you do have valid concerns due to your family history. On the other hand you have arrived at a stage where you overanalyze your behavior and seem to live in fear, no terror, of really suffering from manic depression. You most certainly should discuss this with your doctor who can be more helpful in giving you advice in terms of how hereditary this is, what your chances are for having it, and what the real signs are. There are tests and analyzes a doctor can perform to properly diagnose the disease... But really, I don't think you suffer from manic depression just simple teenage growing up syndrome which will dissipate within the next seven something years. One sign is that most manic depressive people do not know they have it until they are told something is wrong with them. I urge you to discuss your concerns with a professional if only to finally move on with life and not to live in fear of what you might have inherited from your ancestors. It obviously seems to take away from you being able to enjoy life the way you should at your age which in the long run will lead to depression, not manic but simple depression.

Ok here goes. Everyone exhibits signs and symptoms of different mental disorders. Manic depression, also known as bipolar is quite severe in that the "ups" can be rather extravagant and dangerous. I exhibit strong qualities of this but I do not have it. What I do have is borderline personality disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and an anxiety disorder. I also have an underactive thyroid that contributes to my depression. Look up the BPD and compare it. You will find striking similarities but will more than likely find a key that rejects the idea of Bipolar. Bipolar is hugely misdiagnosed these days. There are thousands of people being medicated for it that don't have it. Bipolar is something that you would need to confirm with a highly trained psychologist before believing it. I wouldn't doubt for a second that you have something going on but don't be to quick to decide what it is. You need to see a physician and also a good schrink cause there are many factors that aren't published that they look at in determining a condition. Take care girl!

All of those symptoms also apply to hormone fluctuations. Just because someone in your family has manic depression, doesn't mean you are more likely to have it. It could also be that you are a very creative person. Creative people quite often have intense feelings - good and bad.