Are you bipolar?

124

Replies

  • AlayshaJ
    AlayshaJ Posts: 703 Member
    Nope, just a manic depressive with anxiety.
  • jkcrawford
    jkcrawford Posts: 435 Member
    My husband is bipolar and won't admit it,
    I haven't spoken to him in three days.
    I can't deal with him when he gets like that.

    I wish you the best of luck with all your treatment.
  • MsNewBooty83
    MsNewBooty83 Posts: 985 Member
    my mom is, its so bad that i cant even have a relationship with her and havent spoke in 12 years. see a psychiatrist and get on the meds. i hope you can get it under controll. not just for you, but everyone around you. its a real sickness and its hard to live with for the person affected and those around them. best of luck to you!
  • kelseyhere
    kelseyhere Posts: 1,123 Member
    My best friend from 7th grade on is bipolar. I knew her before meds and after. I've also known her through those times where she stopped taking the meds due to financial reasons. When she's on her meds, she is much more productive, happy and balanced. When she is off her meds, she tends to get so wrapped up in her anxiety that she can't function. It's like the meds give her more clarity so she can stay focused on what's right- graduating college, getting into a great grad school, earning a decent paycheck, and let all the BS stay behind her. When she's off the meds, I feel like the BS (boy drama, coworker issues, etc.) overtake her.

    I'm no doctor, just a close friend of someone who has struggled with this for many years. I love and support her on or off her meds, but I know (she does too) that she's better when on them.

    It's a personal choice but worth investigating. Meds aren't magic, you have to experiment to get the right combo (it took her a couple years to get the right balance) but if you find something that works you might be better off for it.
  • RainHoward
    RainHoward Posts: 1,599 Member
    YEs
    No
    Maybe
    I don't know
    Go away
    What was the question?
    I hate you
    Marry me.
  • jplord
    jplord Posts: 510 Member
    Being bipolar does not go away.

    This is what I keep reading, and that is seriously depressing. So basically I am going to cycle back and forth between hating myself and being okay with myself for the rest of my life. Plus being angry ALL.THE.TIME and exploding at the drop of a hat. Wonderful.

    Read the rest of what I said. It can be managed.

    I am a parent like you. I have four daughters and I used to rage and be angry and pull all kinds of stunts that made my daughters fear me and feel intimidated and threatened. That was the worst. Now things are WAY better, ut it did take years to get there. None of that ANGER behavior like before, but I still get peeved or cheesed and everyone knows to back off until I get centered again - it doesn't take long. And I can control my outbursts better. More so each time I feel it coming on. My family used to despise me. I despised me. Things are better now. I apologized a lot and listened a lot. We had a 17-day road trip together this summer - something I could not imagine doing 5 years ago. And I only went berzerk once.

    We had to check out of the hotel or pay a fine and there was 5 minutes left to the deadline. And my youngest daughter (15) wasn't packing. "Why?" "I don't want my dirty clothes in the same suitcase as my clean clothes." DEPTHCON 5!!! SIRENS. STEAM! Over in 10 seconds.

    You can manage this. For yourself. And for your family.
  • JennyLisT
    JennyLisT Posts: 402 Member
    Being bipolar does not go away.

    This is what I keep reading, and that is seriously depressing. So basically I am going to cycle back and forth between hating myself and being okay with myself for the rest of my life. Plus being angry ALL.THE.TIME and exploding at the drop of a hat. Wonderful.

    With appropriate treatment, bipolar disorder can be managed. I'm highly functional, but I could not live this wonderful life I now lead without lithium. Lithium and I will be celebrating our four year anniversary in November. My life before meds and therapy was like a war zone but not anymore.
  • mreffle
    mreffle Posts: 45 Member
    There are a lot of good suggestions, definitely see a psychiatrist though. Even if you have to wait. My daughter has Bipolar Disorder, the rapid cycling kind, with generalized anxiety. Some people's cycles are only as few as one or two a year, where her cycles were every 2-3 weeks. This played havock with her classes, she missed a lot, and is now in her last year of high school, and has 4 credit that she's had to come back for.

    She (and we with her) went through a couple of very difficult years, but as her meds were continually adjusted to get the right mix, and while she continued with her therapy/behaviour modification sessions, she finally has the right mix so she can lead a very normal life. We didn't have a family doctor at the very beginning, so with one particular episode, where we didn't know where to turn, we took her to emerg, and that's where her story began. She never had high manic periods, she would just sink into depression, and with a lot of love and care she'd come out of it. Good for a while, then something would set it off again.

    I know this will not last though, but enjoying the moments as they come. She is takng Lithium, Seroquel, and Celexa. Typically, an anti-depressant will make a bipolar patient's mood very manic. When they started my daughter on it, they prescribed the tiniest amount, like a quarter of the smallest pill. There were other meds that made her brain foggy, and she couldn't focus or retain anything in school. Because of that, she'd fall behind, and that would increase her anxiety, and spin her downward again. She's a real trouper.

    I wish you all the best.
  • WelcomeToWonderland
    WelcomeToWonderland Posts: 89
    Being Bipolar is not the end of the world or even your world, though, at first it seems to be. There are great medications that have been developed and allow you to have a relatively "normal" life. There are other ways of controlling your symptoms; after a while you'll be able to recognize when you're having an episode, your family can learn ways to bring you out of an episode before it goes full blown. Talking to a therapist is one of the better things you can do; while you need to let your family and friends know how you feel talking with someone who you don't know on a personal level will allow you to be honest and open without feeling judged. Don't let it scare you too much because there are so many ways of calming the symptoms.



    I don't have bipolar but I am schizophrenic.
  • hausofnichele
    hausofnichele Posts: 531 Member
    I was diagnosed Bipolar I and II numerous times by therapists and doctors in mental hospitals. I have been on disability for the past 3+ years from my mental health issues... I was on every medication there is. And I finally had enough of it. I've learned that for MANY doctors, the term Bipolar is a garbage can diagnosis. This means that they like to diagnose lots of people as bipolar when they really aren't.

    I found out that I actually have Borderline Personality Disorder, severe anxiety and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

    I stopped all the psych meds but continued with anxiety medication which helps. I have done extensive reading on Bipolar, personality disorders and the mental health world in general. It seems like so many doctors are quick to diagnose anyone with Bipolar. It is something that should take a really long time to figure out seeing as how it is, clinically speaking, 6 months of depression followed by 6 months of mania. You COULD have Rapid Cycling Bipolar (which I was also diagnosed with) but .... none of the medication ever helped me. And I have so many people in my life who have been told they are Bipolar and put on meds that they probably don't even need. Most of them were never helped by the meds they were put on and stopped them not long after starting.

    You know what I did? I stopped being so hellbent on my mental health and went to doctor after doctor to see if there was something wrong with my physical health and hormones. I think it is absolutely critical for anyone who is about to get on a psych drug to go and get their thyroid checked, vitamin levels checked (esp. Vitamins D and B) and find out if there are any hormone imbalances. I found out all last year that I had all kinds of problems going on physically that were causing the majority of my major depressive symptoms. I also found out that I am pre-diabetic and had been undiagnosed for years. So I was always under-eating and then because my blood sugar levels were so out of whack, I was having emotional and depressive episodes that were making things worse.

    Eating well has helped me significantly. I am on a lot of medications and supplements now for other health issues but I am SO MUCH better off when I eat properly and exercise. I'm definitely far from ever saying "I'm cured".. I highly doubt that will happen.. but for me, I really think everyone should try and focus on diet and getting their blood checked out thoroughly BEFORE getting on these psych meds that are full of awful side effects, can make you suicidal (been there a few times), make you gain weight in some instances (esp. SSRI's), are very difficult to ever get off of, are costly - and the list goes on and on. Be careful and take care. Sometimes the meds can be helpful but they are not for everyone, certainly not for me.
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    Somedays I am
  • Ninjajenna
    Ninjajenna Posts: 41 Member
    I have ADHD and anxiety. My psych actually decided to try me on Lamictal which has been used for people with bi-polar. He thinks I could have Bi-Polar II. It has actually done well with my anxiety, so I told him I really don't care what he puts down!
  • angelicasmommy
    angelicasmommy Posts: 303 Member
    I have been on lamictal for maybe 6 months, but in the last 6 weeks I cannot for the life of me remember to take it every day. I was doing great until I went on vacation for 2 weeks and I think I took it 2-3 times the whole time, and since then I keep forgetting. I am going to be making a great effort starting tomorrow to take it every day at the same time.
  • Ninjajenna
    Ninjajenna Posts: 41 Member
    Yeah, I went through a period where I went off it, because I still have a hard time admitting meds help me. I can definitely see the manic stuff come back, especially the anxiety and inability to focus.
  • FitnessPal4L1f3
    FitnessPal4L1f3 Posts: 77 Member
    I have Bi-Polar 2 Rapid Cycling. I take meds, go see my P-Doc anytime there is a problem, been on meds since March 2007. Just Lamictal 150mg and Ambien because I have HORRIBLE sleep schedule.

    Being bi-polar sucks - it was very hard for the first six months knowing that I am now pill-dependent the rest of my life. I know though the quality of my life on the meds and off the meds - to those who matter, my two boys - they mean everything to me and I know their life is better because mine is too.

    Every so often someone will say something stupid "He/She is crazy." "Yeah I heard He/She is Bi-Polar" - I love it - Bi-Polar is now being referred as a "Mood-Disorder" to help shave the negative stigma away.

    Anyhow - I can always use a friend and offer support to you as a friend.
  • rachelbethany
    rachelbethany Posts: 211 Member
    Nope, just a manic depressive with anxiety.

    Is that a joke? lol . . . manic depressive is just an antiquated way of saying "bipolar."
  • rachelbethany
    rachelbethany Posts: 211 Member
    I agree wholeheartedly and fully identify with this!
    I was diagnosed Bipolar I and II numerous times by therapists and doctors in mental hospitals. I have been on disability for the past 3+ years from my mental health issues... I was on every medication there is. And I finally had enough of it. I've learned that for MANY doctors, the term Bipolar is a garbage can diagnosis. This means that they like to diagnose lots of people as bipolar when they really aren't.

    I found out that I actually have Borderline Personality Disorder, severe anxiety and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

    I stopped all the psych meds but continued with anxiety medication which helps. I have done extensive reading on Bipolar, personality disorders and the mental health world in general. It seems like so many doctors are quick to diagnose anyone with Bipolar. It is something that should take a really long time to figure out seeing as how it is, clinically speaking, 6 months of depression followed by 6 months of mania. You COULD have Rapid Cycling Bipolar (which I was also diagnosed with) but .... none of the medication ever helped me. And I have so many people in my life who have been told they are Bipolar and put on meds that they probably don't even need. Most of them were never helped by the meds they were put on and stopped them not long after starting.

    You know what I did? I stopped being so hellbent on my mental health and went to doctor after doctor to see if there was something wrong with my physical health and hormones. I think it is absolutely critical for anyone who is about to get on a psych drug to go and get their thyroid checked, vitamin levels checked (esp. Vitamins D and B) and find out if there are any hormone imbalances. I found out all last year that I had all kinds of problems going on physically that were causing the majority of my major depressive symptoms. I also found out that I am pre-diabetic and had been undiagnosed for years. So I was always under-eating and then because my blood sugar levels were so out of whack, I was having emotional and depressive episodes that were making things worse.

    Eating well has helped me significantly. I am on a lot of medications and supplements now for other health issues but I am SO MUCH better off when I eat properly and exercise. I'm definitely far from ever saying "I'm cured".. I highly doubt that will happen.. but for me, I really think everyone should try and focus on diet and getting their blood checked out thoroughly BEFORE getting on these psych meds that are full of awful side effects, can make you suicidal (been there a few times), make you gain weight in some instances (esp. SSRI's), are very difficult to ever get off of, are costly - and the list goes on and on. Be careful and take care. Sometimes the meds can be helpful but they are not for everyone, certainly not for me.
  • nikilovesaxl
    nikilovesaxl Posts: 148
    I'm not diagnosed but I'm about to start medicine to see if it helps my mood. I guess my old psych diagnosed me with depression. I've tried four different anti-depressants and nothing has helped me. Thats when I looked up the symptoms and realized that it sounds more like I have bipolar disorder. I get very angry very easily. I go through crying spells out of nowhere. So I told my new psych my concerns and she actually listened to me this time, and she put me on a new medicine in hopes that it will make my mood a bit more stable. Hopefully it'll work. Hoping for the best for all of you.
  • crazy_ninja
    crazy_ninja Posts: 387 Member
    You know whats most worst with this bipolar case for me?

    Its ok for me to get angry, sometimes....and also sad...and also get suicide tendentials.....because its not the whole time.
    But for others it seems like theire world breaks apart! My parents met me not long time ago and I had a realy bad day.....mom starts crying and they told me how bad and evil it is.....I said, "well, it´s normal to me".....crying again.....
    For me it seems like a lot of people are afraid of emotions...so they feed me with meds and noone has to care about the rest, but me :grumble:
  • rextcat
    rextcat Posts: 1,408 Member
    i:heart: F**** YOU b*** I :heart:

Categories