Hello. Sorry if this is answered
elsewhere on this forum, but I think I may
have bipolar disorder. I seem to fit some
of the criteria, though not all... I
recently went to see my doctor because I
felt I was going mad- i'd been (i can now
see) obsessive and delusional about a
couple of things. But i'd also been
getting very intensely depressed-
self-harming and not being able to get out
of bed. I've been doing far too much, not
going to bed till 4-6a.M., getting racing
thoughts, walking really fast, and feeling
superhuman!!! But then, I haven't been
going on the spending sprees that a lot of
people talk about. I also don't find
myself talking very fast, even though my
thoughts are racing. Anyway, my doctor
looked at my record and put me on
anti-depressants again (been on ciprimil
before)- this time ciprilex. It nearly
killed me. I turned suicidal. I went to
see a psychiatrist who told me I don't
have a mental illness, just "complex
emotional problems". You see, my dad died
when I was 10 and I recently lost a friend
to suicide. They think I am in control
and just need to get a grip. They threw
all these self-help books at me... My mum
just thinks i'm stressed and need to relax
more. So now I don't know what to
think!!!! Is it just that i'm trying to
deny responsibility for my own life by
blaming all this on an illness? I'm 19,
so some friends just say that this is
typical adolescent behaviour. My god.
Please could someone talk to me, because I
just don't know what to do. At the moment
I just sleep and cry. I just want to die,
although i'm not suicidal anymore. Sorry
for all this. Thanks for your help.
|
mia
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 25 Jan 2004 Posts: 147 Location: dallas
Insanity Personified Posted: 03-04-04 22:59pm
Everyone gets depressed when someone close
to them dies or commits suicide, that is
completely normal. Any doctor will tell
you to be depressed for a few weeks at a
time, at such a time, is actually to be
expected. However, depression lasting
longer than a few weeks or recurring
constantly, is something to be worried
about.
If you do not feel that the psychiatrist
you saw listened to you, it is never out
of the question to seek a second opionion.
If money is a problem for you, there are
public assistance programs and church
programs that offer free or sliding scale
programs to those that could not other
wise afford them.
I hope you have family and friends that
are close by or close to you, that you can
talk to. It is important that you keep a
line of communication open with the most
important people in your life. I speak
from experience, I am bi-polar and have
had a diagnosis for about 8 years. Even
though it is difficult for someone without
a mental disorder to understand how you
are feeling, if you have a family like
mine, they will love you all the same!
Good luck in your endevers! Remember
that no matter what is "wrong" with you,
you are no less or no better than anyone
else, and you are special in the eyes of
god! Be good to yourself.
Good luck
mia
|
vrajavala
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Feb 2004 Posts: 12 Location: Hollywood Florida
2nd Opinion Posted: 03-05-04 10:15am
Maybe you should get a 2nd opinion from
another psychiatrist. Sounds very odd.
|
purple333
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 1420 Location: Sydney
Posted: 03-07-04 10:59am
If all I got was a pile of self help books
i'd be even more depressed.
Which is not to say they can't be of help
but that's in the long term; how to start,
side from getting another opinion, try
5htp (50-100mg at night) check out
tryptophan in a search engine, but
essentially 5htp balances the serotonin
in the brain hence reducing stress,
another stress reducer & mood
stabiliser - among other things - is,
sam-e (both are natural things which
wouldn't interfere with any meds) also
vitamin b's.
My daughter's psychiatrist has her on
these as he prefers to try natural
therapies whenever possible. He also says
that taking a gentle 30 minute walk around
dawn helps as at that time there's
something in the rays of the sun (even if
it's overcast) that also destresses.
You may wonder why i'm on about stress but
most people who are depressed are also
stressed, often having become depressed
after alot of stress (including death
& suicide of family & friends,
ill-health etc).
|
mia
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 25 Jan 2004 Posts: 147 Location: dallas
Insanity Personified Posted: 03-07-04 18:37pm
Be careful before using any natural
remedies. Always check with your doctor,
some can interact with certain medications
or illnesses.
Please go through this forum and read up
on what other people had to say. Don't
just read one or two, go look up any of
the topics that look like they apply to
you. Reading other people thoughts can
connect you with others and make you
understand youself better if you are
experiencing similar things.
