Bipolar - manic or depressive? (Long post, sorry)

[Tala]

Brought this over from another thread where it was totally off topic.

I've never been on lithium, but my doctor says it probably would have made things worse in my particular case.

Prozac didn't do shit for me, but when they coupled it with depakote, I became a fucking zombie. I don't remember much at all of my 20th year. I ran out sometime around my 21st birthday and never got the 'script refilled.

I'm on a fun cocktail now, but it's working beautifully. What works for some doesn't work for others, trust me.

Glad that something has helped, and wish more bipolar people would get checked out instead of trying to hide the problem or deny it exists.

Bipolar Disorder is what was once called Manic-Depression. There's something wrong with the neurons or the receivers in your brain, preventing the mood stabilization that normal people have.

Those of us with the disorder tend to have "cycles" of up and down periods. Keep in mind that normal people can do this, but we are the extreme version. According to my doctor, a normal person usually cycles between sadness and happiness on a regular basis, with more of a normal feeling of everyday regularity for a longer period of time. Usually their sadness/anger/joy etc. will only last a day or two, thus the old saying, "having one of those days."

A bipolar person often goes through that cycle in a day. I was going through it several times a week, making me volitile and depressed one moment, king of the world the next with no way of knowing which mood would strike when.

I am diagnosed with bipolar disorder - depressive tendancies. This means that I tend to get really high and happy before falling into a very deep depression that can last hours or days or months.

The drugs I'm on help so much it's incredible. I don't do the whole depressed thing for very long anymore, maybe just a day like everyone else, then I'm fine again. I still get sad, I'm not a zombie, but I'm "up" more.

Anyone else here have the same disorder? On drugs? How do you cope?

[Kapitan Ivanov II]

I believe Juicy D Links suffers from this ailment.

[DarkJedi]

if you can't deal with shit without drugs, you = weak.

[Tala]

Originally Posted by Kapitan Ivanov II

I believe Juicy D Links suffers from this ailment.

I have no idea whether he does or not, but only he can confirm or deny.

[Damian_Maxcash]

Originally Posted by DarkJedi

if you can't deal with shit without drugs, you = weak.

Thats retarded even by your standards

[Tala]

Originally Posted by DarkJedi

if you can't deal with shit without drugs, you = weak.

I don't think that's the case. But I'd rather be weak and dealing with the problem than strong and denying that my problem exists. Denial is weakness in my eyes.

But to each his own.

[CDSmith]

Taking a tangent here, a good many people out there suffer from situational depression. I had never come up against it myself until about seven years ago after a back injury that ended my job as a health care worker. After three months of basically being a shut-in I suppose depression can set in with the best of us.

A short time after that I was prescribed an anti-depressant called Zoloft. I did a 4 month cycle after which things were..... better. But for the first three weeks of taking it I suffered with incredible nausea and heartburn the likes of which rendered me nearly incapacitated every morning.

After my system adjusted though, the mood elevating effect was very noticeable and effective. You're not "high" for those of you wondering, but just, well, happier, more positive. If you were sitting around brooding before, now you're more motivated and of a better mindset to go out and take on the world again. The effects are hard to explain, but for me it worked, and I have only felt the need to do one further cycle of it since. That was about four years ago.

Situational depression, although usually curable, can be no less devastating to people and shouldn't be taken lightly. Otherwise basically normal people can be driven to drastic measures, even suicide over it.

Lastly, one other thing to consider is that insurance companies tend to throw up a red flag when they see any treatment for depression in one's history. When I set up some insured funds for my future several years ago I had to jump through some extra hoops because of it, and in some chronic cases I can see where service would even be denied all together.

Anyway, carry on...

[kmanrox]

ive been diagnosed with bipolar and prescribed lithium... i was also on rispidol(antipsychotic)... i stopped taking the rispidol becuase it made me not have wood, and i never took the lithium because i like to be the way i am...

fuck y'all! =)

[DarkJedi]

Originally Posted by Tala

I don't think that's the case. But I'd rather be weak and dealing with the problem than strong and denying that my problem exists. Denial is weakness in my eyes.

But to each his own.

Thats not what i meant.
If you're strong, you don't need drugs to deal with your mental problems.

Most of people who take these kinda of drugs just want to escape reality instead of facing and accepting it.

[Head]

Non-drugs alternatives agsist but drug companies don't want you to know about them.

[Tala]

Originally Posted by DarkJedi

Thats not what i meant.
If you're strong, you don't need drugs to deal with your mental problems.

Most of people who take these kinda of drugs just want to escape reality instead of facing and accepting it.

Again, I have to disagree. Most ADULTS taking these drugs are those who have either forced themselves to admit to the problem and get help or who have been forced from outsides sources, i.e. family, friends, law enforcement, etc., to admit it and get help. I was one of the latter.

Most children on these drugs are the spawn of parents who just don't want to take the responsibility of raising a child and get some nitwit to diagnose the kid with ADHD and put him on drugs. I feel for those kids.

People who want to escape reality generally go for the street drugs - coke, heroin, many rely on alcohol as well.

Not bashing you for your opinion, just disagreeing with it.

[Damian_Maxcash]

The full name is BiPolar Affective Disorder - aka BAD - Somehow appropriate

Im on Venlafaxine and starting Lithium soon

It was a shock at first - I always knew something was wrong, its just scary when its given a name

Good luck

[Boss Traffic Jim]

Originally Posted by DarkJedi

if you can't deal with shit without drugs, you = weak.

You're a Retard

[DarkJedi]

These drugs are bullshit. How do they help you deal with the situation ? By tranqulizing you ? It won't help your problems.

Why are you taking them ?

[DarkJedi]

Originally Posted by Afrin

You're a Retard

fuck off.

[CDSmith]

Originally Posted by Tala

I don't think that's the case. But I'd rather be weak and dealing with the problem than strong and denying that my problem exists. Denial is weakness in my eyes.

But to each his own.

Good answer.

It's not weak to admit occasionally that you need help. It's the ones that don't who end up jumping off a bridge. I've always been sort of the strong type that is always positive about everything, the kind of person that people would say "Ah, he's a rock".... but when certain things in life come together and hit you all at once and set you on your ass, at some point you have to put aside your "tough guy" act and admit you can't do everything, all the time, all by yourself.

I should point out that during that whole time seven years ago, I knew nothing about computers at all. I took a few courses, got myself retrained, and set myself on a whole new path. Depressed or not, I do what I gotta do, period. But many others out there have it different, and simply can't cope all on their own, the depression is too strong.

Especially those with chemical imbalances beyond their control. Too much seratonin, not enough melatonin, not enough seratonin.... the list goes on and on. Why would you want to live like that when you could find the right prescription for you and get a whole new lease on life? THAT is not weakness, it is actually life-saving for many.

[dready]

Originally Posted by DarkJedi

if you can't deal with shit without drugs, you = weak.

Get a fucking clue asshole.

[Tala]

Originally Posted by DarkJedi

These drugs are bullshit. How do they help you deal with the situation ? By tranqulizing you ? It won't help your problems.

Why are you taking them ?

I'm taking them because they DO help my mood stabilize. You're right, they don't help me with whatever situation I'm in, but they do help me to maintain a more normal level of emotional stability, which in turn keeps me more able to use my mind instead of my emotions to deal with situations.

I know what I'm like when not taking the meds. I know what I'm like while on the meds. The medicated version is much better. Guess you would have to be around me on a regular basis to see the difference.

[escorpio]

Originally Posted by DarkJedi

These drugs are bullshit. How do they help you deal with the situation ? By tranqulizing you ? It won't help your problems.

Why are you taking them ?

They don't tranquilize you, they restore a chemical imbalance in the brain that interferes with serotonin uptake.

[Meta Ridley]

Originally Posted by DarkJedi

if you can't deal with shit without drugs, you = weak.

You, my firend, are ignorant on this subject. Plain and simple.

The brain is like any other organ in the body such that when something goes wrong, it may require medication to fix.
You wouldnt expect someone to magically heal thier liver or stomach if medication was required , why do you expect people with brain problems to do the same?
The reason people feel like shit a lot of the time is because the chemicals and receptors in the brain arent working rite, and no amount of trying to fix it yourself can do anything unless you already have to ability to magically heal every other part of your body.

[dready]

I have a friend that is clinically depressed. Without Paxil to balance her brain chemistry, she'd spend 3 hrs of every day bawling. Her 'happy pills' enable her to lead a normal life.

I guess DarkJedi would call anyone weak who needs a drug for any medical reason. Hey Dark... next time you need antibiotics or something... why don't you do us all a favor and not take them. You'd be weak if you did.

[bangman]

Originally Posted by DarkJedi

if you can't deal with shit without drugs, you = weak.

That's a very stupid comment. You obviously know nothing about this disorder, not to mention other mental disorders which REQUIRE help. You really should stay out of threads that you know nothing about.

A couple of years ago I went through a pretty hard time in my life and (without telling a long, twisted tale) I ended up in a psych unit. I admitted myself.
They diagnosed me bi-polar and I stayed there for 10 days. They started me off on Celexa - which did nothing for me - and then started me on Prozake + Depakote...which, like the quote said turned me into a zombie. It wasn't fun at all. For me, it basically shut down ALL feeling. I no longer went through cycles of depression and mania, but instead was at a constant "nothing state". I felt nothing. I couldn't be happy and I couldn't be sad. I continued taking it for a short period afterwards, but soon stopped both.

It's been a couple years since then, and i'm coping nowadays. I got my shit together and got my life on track.
I still have the characteristic "swings", but not as bad as then. My ex girl was diagnosed with bi-polar a couple years before me, and she seemed to have worse swings than I did, so i'm convinced that this disorder is not one that can hold just a generic label - it affects each and everyone differently.

Best of luck to those of you who are coping with this disorder.

[DarkJedi]

Originally Posted by CDSmith

Good answer.

It's not weak to admit occasionally that you need help. It's the ones that don't who end up jumping off a bridge.

The dude who killed 10 people in school and then offed himself (couple of weeks ago) was on prescription drugs. Did it help him ?

Originally Posted by CDSmith

Especially those with chemical imbalances beyond their control. Too much seratonin, not enough melatonin, not enough seratonin.... the list goes on and on. Why would you want to live like that when you could find the right prescription for you and get a whole new lease on life? THAT is not weakness, it is actually life-saving for many.

Thats bullshit.
Not enough melatonin ? Get your schedule in order and don;t work at nights.
Not enough seratonin ? Get your ass in gym, buy a bike or start jogging everyday. People have problems because they are lazy shits.

Of course taking a drug looks like an easy way out. But they don't work. You get hooked up on them, and as soon as you stop taking them your condition gets 2 times worse.

[CDSmith]

DJ, on some topics your complete ignorance astounds me.

But you're right, tons of people probably do take anti-depressants frivolously and needlessly, and yes, they are weak and often self-indulgents who pop them like candy while sitting outside the family cabana at the local country club.

But for some people, treatment means being able to function again. Some depressions are harder to deal with than others. I've been depressed before and not taken treatment, who hasn't? All I'm saying is that at one point of my life it was more severe than I realized. I didn't ask for it, the doctor who was my acting pain specialist diagnosed me with it, I just followed the gameplan is all. What I noticed is that it did help a lot in my case.

[Shooting_Manic]

Its very difficult to live with. Some hate meds because the highs are so fun and if you are a creative person (most are) you do loose some of that ability. There is also sexual side effects and people that are Bi-Polar tend ot be very sexually active with great sex lifes.

Its not easy. If you understand the disorder and study the effects and what to expect when you are high or low, you can live without any meds and use the great times to huge advantages. They low times, if you feel them coming on, you can fight them. It also takes a good group of supporting friends that will kick you in the ass when you are down.

My younger brother sufferes from it and he has learned to battle it, without meds and has done very well for himself. Control it, dont let it control you. Take advantage of the ups... and fight the downs.

[dready]

Seriously DJ, don't take any anti-biotics or any drug any more. You should be able to boost your own immune system so that you will never need them. If you do, you are definately weak asshole.

[CDSmith]

Originally Posted by bangman

That's a very stupid comment. You obviously know nothing about this disorder, not to mention other mental disorders which REQUIRE help. You really should stay out of threads that you know nothing about.

If only more people here followed that advice. But then again that would drastically reduce the amount of entertaining drama, we wouldn't want that.


DJ... why do you so often sound so malicious and mouthy and venomous and over-critical of others? I don't get you.

[Meta Ridley]

Originally Posted by dready

Seriously DJ, don't take any anti-biotics or any drug any more. You should be able to boost your own immune system so that you will never need them. If you do, you are definately weak asshole.

Exactly my point.

[shuki]

Read depression cured at last. It is not a book about depression but uses it as a way to show you how to treat the underlying problem rather than cover it up with drugs that will in the long run make your condition worse. It is a fact the sick get sicker. Everything has a reason you just have to identify it and make steps to fix it.

[Tala]

Originally Posted by CDSmith

DJ, on some topics your complete ignorance astounds me.

But you're right, tons of people probably do take anti-depressants frivolously and needlessly, and yes, they are weak and often self-indulgents who pop them like candy while sitting outside the family cabana at the local country club.

But for some people, treatment means being able to function again. Some depressions are harder to deal with than others. I've been depressed before and not taken treatment, who hasn't? All I'm saying is that at one point of my life it was more severe than I realized. I didn't ask for it, the doctor who was my acting pain specialist diagnosed me with it, I just followed the gameplan is all. What I noticed is that it did help a lot in my case.

Let's just say that I have a whole list of things that are fucked up about me, and not all of them are treatable with just medication. Hooray for therapy.

But the mood swings, nightmares, and paranoia are very controlled now. I have maybe one or two swings a month now, occasional nightmares, and am not really all that paranoid now.

The drugs help. My cocktail is what keeps me on a more steady level. I have no doubt whatsoever that it saved my life to have to do a stint in the hospital under lockdown while drugs were tried to ensure that they actually did something for me instead of just turning me loose without observation. Many people who are set loose like that really never find the correct doseage nor the correct drug or drugs and thus you end up with kids like the one Dark Jedi mentioned.

I'm not saying that this is a cure all for everyone, but it has helped millions of people, some of whom believed that nothing would help.

Yes, the drugs are a crutch. But I'd rather have the crutch and be able to walk than not have it and just lie there.

[DarkJedi]

Originally Posted by dready

Seriously DJ, don't take any anti-biotics or any drug any more. You should be able to boost your own immune system so that you will never need them. If you do, you are definately weak asshole.

you're comparing apples with oranges.
Depression doesn't have anything to do with your immune system. You're not sick. The problem is in your head, in your perception of things.

The drugs don't solve your problems. They don't "heal" your brain. They only make you feel good. The stimulate various areas and make shitty situation appear not that bad. Same with alchohol and hard drugs.

The more you get dependant on them, the less stress you can take in different life situations. And in time you can't live without them. But your problems stay the same.

[Tala]

Originally Posted by shuki

Read depression cured at last. It is not a book about depression but uses it as a way to show you how to treat the underlying problem rather than cover it up with drugs that will in the long run make your condition worse. It is a fact the sick get sicker. Everything has a reason you just have to identify it and make steps to fix it.

I'd be interested in reading that.

The drugs alone aren't the answer, but therapy and drugs together do wonders. Maybe there will come a time when I can do well with just therapy, but not right now. I'm learning to walk again.

[bangman]

Originally Posted by shuki

Read depression cured at last. It is not a book about depression but uses it as a way to show you how to treat the underlying problem rather than cover it up with drugs that will in the long run make your condition worse. It is a fact the sick get sicker. Everything has a reason you just have to identify it and make steps to fix it.

A lot of the time the depression or underlying problem is caused by a chemical inbalance in the brain. In most cases, drugs that replenish/stabalize those chemicals are very well needed. However, the prescriptions and counseling (and/or literature, etc) go hand and hand.

[kenny]

Originally Posted by DarkJedi

Thats bullshit.
Not enough melatonin ? Get your schedule in order and don;t work at nights.
Not enough seratonin ? Get your ass in gym, buy a bike or start jogging everyday. People have problems because they are lazy shits.

Of course taking a drug looks like an easy way out. But they don't work. You get hooked up on them, and as soon as you stop taking them your condition gets 2 times worse.

What about a severe disorder like schizophrenia?

[Meta Ridley]

Originally Posted by DarkJedi

you're comparing apples with oranges.
Depression doesn't have anything to do with your immune system. You're not sick. The problem is in your head, in your perception of things.

The drugs don't solve your problems. They don't "heal" your brain. They only make you feel good. The stimulate various areas and make shitty situation appear not that bad. Same with alchohol and hard drugs.

The more you get dependant on them, the less stress you can take in different life situations. And in time you can't live without them. But your problems stay the same.

You are not a smart (wo)man.

[DarkJedi]

Originally Posted by kenny

What about a severe disorder like schizophrenia?

In that case yes, some drugs are in order.

But it amazes me that every second American is hooked up on some kind of shit.

[CDSmith]

Originally Posted by DarkJedi

Thats bullshit.
Not enough melatonin ? Get your schedule in order and don;t work at nights.
Not enough seratonin ? Get your ass in gym, buy a bike or start jogging everyday. People have problems because they are lazy shits.

It's not bullshit.

(sigh).... honestly man, I don't know that I want to sit hear and beat you up with my keyboard today, but it's tempting.

I will say this.... aside from the years of dealing with patients and doing a lot of shifts in the psych facility at the hospital I used to work at, I had a nurse as a girlfriend for 2 years back in the late 90's. She was a habitual jogger, very active and extremely fit, and a full-time nurse on the cardiac medicine ward that I was also working on at the time. She also had a chronic depression, one that if left untreated would eventually render her incapable of making the least decision.

If left untreated, she would become a basket-case, lose her career, everything. But with the right treatment, and most of these people have to try several drugs before finding one that works well enough to cope with, she lives a basically normal life.

Dude, by your attitude here and by what you are saying, you know zip about this disorder or the endless varieties of cases, not to mention the endless combinations of treatments. The latest drugs out there don't turn you into a zombie, they work. I've seen too many cases first-hand to think otherwise, but if you don't want to believe me because I'm just some persona on a message board then go take your ignorant arguments to your physician and get the same answers.

Then come back here and telll me how you told your doctor he was full of shit.

[shuki]

Originally Posted by bangman

A lot of the time the depression or underlying problem is caused by a chemical inbalance in the brain. In most cases, drugs that replenish/stabalize those chemicals are very well needed. However, the prescriptions and counseling (and/or literature, etc) go hand and hand.

I agree that the reason why doctors prescribe the drugs is due to an imbalance in the brain but the drugs actually do not help it. The reason for the initial imbalance is due to a multitude of things that I can not diagnose via a board thread nor should I as I am not qualified. I guarantee you that you could solve the imbalance through methods described in the book. The author Sherrie Rogers M.D. goes on in detail about all these ailments and more in her books.

https://secure.dreamscape.com/presti..._web_store.cgi

[shuki]

Originally Posted by Tala

I'd be interested in reading that.

The drugs alone aren't the answer, but therapy and drugs together do wonders. Maybe there will come a time when I can do well with just therapy, but not right now. I'm learning to walk again.

Tala,

Get every single book that she has written and read them. Then make your doctor read them and work on it wih her methods. You will be glad you did.

https://secure.dreamscape.com/presti..._web_store.cgi

[Tala]

Originally Posted by DarkJedi

you're comparing apples with oranges.
Depression doesn't have anything to do with your immune system. You're not sick. The problem is in your head, in your perception of things.

The drugs don't solve your problems. They don't "heal" your brain. They only make you feel good. The stimulate various areas and make shitty situation appear not that bad. Same with alchohol and hard drugs.

The more you get dependant on them, the less stress you can take in different life situations. And in time you can't live without them. But your problems stay the same.

Depression is not the disease, it's the effect of the underlying problem which is indeed a physical problem. One's brain is malfunctioning, and there could be a number of things it's doing or not doing. In most cases, the brain cannot deal with the amount of seratonin produced, either too much or too little. Thus going to the gym isn't going to work for everyone, especially those who are too depressed to care.

The drugs don't "heal" the brain, you're right. However, they effectively treat the brain, helping it to adapt and correct itself. Therapy helps the emotional side, getting things off your chest can help so much. That's why the two, drugs and therapy, go hand in hand and are prescribed together.

And no one's problems ever stay the same. There's always a different variant in there somewhere.

[psili]

A human brain is pretty much hardwired near the age of 12 (or before?); meaning the synaptic connections that will be made are made - so says some programming teacher I had. Everything thought, conclusion, etc. after that age must be learned and will not be hardwired into your consciousness.

From having a mother, she a middle child in her family, who's been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, I think most "psychosomatic" illnesses are self created and the psychology and pharmaceutical professions only proliferate from it. I'm 100% confident my mother creates the "pain" in her life - not enough attention, feelings of alienation / worthlessness albeit the amount of time she spends helping family, etc. - are brought on by her and her alone.

In my opinion, unless you're a serious case who's taking knives to people one day and hugging them the next, I'd say your condition is created by yourself. From what I read, you post quality and mostly up-beat thoughts, indicative by no serious mental instability like some others who post here. I'm no shrink, I make no declarations that what I say are legitimate in any medical / psychological sense. I just think if you, in all reality, went to the local gardener and smelled the roses now and again while trying to seriously address things in your life causing you problems, it may help. Drug free.

[Theo]

DJ, take your pills bro

[DarkJedi]

Every depression has a cause, right ?
Drugs can't fix it. They only make you feel better about it (for a time)

You have to deal with the cause of depression yourself. Otherwise, it will stay no matter how much drugs u take.

[BlueQuartz]

people who are depressed and have everything in the world goi9ng for them should be picked up from what is probably a very nice existance and dropped straight into the middle of iraq or fucking aceh and see how depressed ya get - so many people in this world live in EXTREME POVERTY - by that i mean they do not eat everyday - when they eat they eat leaves or dirt

and we got rich computer kids with depression

MAKES ME SICK - turn off fox - get out of jerry springer land and go see a bit of the world - be the best cure for ya depression ever

[shuki]

Sherrie rogers talks about how in some cases the actual drug could and in most cases worsens the conditions as your body now needs to detoxify a new substance that you are introducing to it.

[bangman]

Originally Posted by DarkJedi

you're comparing apples with oranges.
Depression doesn't have anything to do with your immune system. You're not sick. The problem is in your head, in your perception of things.

The drugs don't solve your problems. They don't "heal" your brain. They only make you feel good. The stimulate various areas and make shitty situation appear not that bad. Same with alchohol and hard drugs.

The more you get dependant on them, the less stress you can take in different life situations. And in time you can't live without them. But your problems stay the same.

Though I do see your point with dependance, I think you need to read up on bi-polar disorder and find out for yourself what the disorder is.

Drugs like Fluexitine DO help. Of course they don't HEAL...very few drugs heal. And yes, for some people, it comes to the point where you can live without the drugs, but a lot of people will be taking the drugs for the rest of their lives - that's just how it is. It's not laziness, and it's not caused by an unhealthy lifestyle (though to a minute extent, a good sleeping schedule and excersise etc. will help replenish chemicals and help keep you balanced)

Fluexitine and the like operate COMPLETELY different than alcohol and other temporary-high drugs. They cannot be compared at all.

I hate to say it, but it seems like you are talking out of your ass on this subject.

[dready]

DJ, I hate to break it to you, but most mental disorders are the result of a chemical imbalance. There are many disorders in the body like this, diabetes, hemophilia, etc. Some people have hormone imbalances and take supplements. Just because it's your brain, doesn't mean it's "in your head".

Sorry, but you're just showing how really ignorant you are, and being a prick at the same time.

[shuki]

Originally Posted by DarkJedi

Every depression has a cause, right ?
Drugs can't fix it. They only make you feel better about it (for a time)

You have to deal with the cause of depression yourself. Otherwise, it will stay no matter how much drugs u take.

Bingo!

Almost 100% of the time the cause is environmental. A nutrient or mineral deficency. Alergic reaction or chemical sensitivity to any of the thousands of chemicals in the air, water and food we eat

[DarkJedi]

Tala, whats your cause for depression ?

[BlueQuartz]

Originally Posted by DarkJedi

Every depression has a cause, right ?
Drugs can't fix it. They only make you feel better about it (for a time)

You have to deal with the cause of depression yourself. Otherwise, it will stay no matter how much drugs u take.

right on man


drugs are not the fuckin answer


the statistics on people taking drugs in countries liek usa,uk,canada & aust are frightening - noone can cope with ANYTHING anymore - there is a pill for every little ailment you can think of - it really is pathetic