PTSD, Depression, Anxiety and Bipolar Disorder

Lennonluv2

I was diagnosed with Bipolar at age 14. I'm 43, so it's been a helluva long time that I have been dealing with this. I have a psychiatrist who I see monthly and a therapist twice a month. I get by, I've been stable for quite a while. I take Tegretol but was on Lithium for many years and after that Depakote. Tegretol is supposed to be weight neutral and I've been losing weight for the first time in ages since I started taking it a year ago.

The past few weeks I can feel a shift in my mood. I've been really down, crying a lot and am desperate to crawl under the covers and stay there. I can't seem to shake the mood. I'm seeing my Dr this week and may need to add an anti depressant. Working out helps a bit but my personal opinion is that when the imbalance is chemical it requires a med adjustment.

One thing that keeps me pushing forward is that i am a mom to a sweet and fabulous little boy. He distracts me in all the best ways and keeps me from letting this depressive state win. I'm married to a good man who picks up the slack with the little guy when I need to step away. Bipolar runs rampant in my family as my sister and four of my cousins and an uncle all suffer from it

I try to remind myself that is 100% treatable and thank God for that at least. Good luck to everyone, it feels good to know I'm not alone.

trudijoy

I was diagnosed with situational depression in Feb '11. Took the drugs, felt strong enough to come off them, went through pretty dire withdrawal. Been off them almost two years now and have developed strategies to avoid sinking deep into the black. SO far, so good - even if I feel myself slipping into despair I'm able to bounce back.

Smiling_Sara

I have terrible social anxiety. Even scared to make the calls to get help.

It's pretty much led me to a life I never really wanted to live, Being scared all the time.