Before anyone says I should not be taking stimulants - I am far more functional, punctual, and present now that I take them than I was before taking them.

However, if I don’t take my afternoon dose of stimulants I become incredibly depressed and melancholy in the evenings.

I try to take them as little as possible but part of me wonders if my inconsistencies in dosing lead to confusion whether I am depressed due to bipolar. I can’t discern between being depressed because of bipolar or if this is due to coming down.

I am about to start vraylar due to what I feel is constant mixed depression and I am worried that I don’t have mixed depression but rather just experience stimulant withdrawal.

Is it worth trying vraylar or should I just take the stimulants as prescribed every single day? I feel lost. 

Maybe it’s not a black and white scenario. Stimulant withdrawal could exacerbate the mixed depression I am experiencing.