bipolar advice needed
Discussion
Hi everyone, looking for some support and guidance on bipolar.
Im using my 'other' burner account.
Im under a psychiatrist, he suspects bipolar 2 or cyclothymia. I had a breakdown 4 years ago which I suspect is linked to these conditions.
I have been under a psychologist for 4 years but shes not a bipolar expert and talking therapies havent really cut it, I find I can influence what is going on with actions but talking and thinking does negligable stuff.
Very very long story but I was given the wrong advice and meds for the years since the breakdown and I am a lot worse albeit numbed up. Trauma and stress are a major part of this.
I am unable to get enough time with the psychiatrist, as good as he is (I am under bupa) and I am trying to get more time but its not easy. I have also been in touch with bipolar uk but waiting to hear back. I keep getting to near a crisis point which my family and partner know about and I am doing my best to stay away from that all the time. I will use 111 if it gets too far but I am trying to keep out of crisis mode.
I feel like I need to speak to someone who has some real world experience of navigating this space but it is proving very difficult so I thought I would reach out on here see if anyone had some advice. Where to go, I am seeing the Psychiatrist in 2 weeks but I have to live these days inbetween.
Once I get on the right path I am sure I will be OK but its my inability to come down and relax which is the problem. Please dont suggest breathwork and stuff, I often end up in what I believe is a hypomanic state, awake for days straight cant sit still albeit far far beyond exhaustion, dissociated, etc. I know whats going on but I cant control the bloody thing.
Trying my best to get the help I need so PH normally has some good people. If anyone feels like getting in contact directly rather than posting, that would be most welcome.
Many thanks.
Im using my 'other' burner account.
Im under a psychiatrist, he suspects bipolar 2 or cyclothymia. I had a breakdown 4 years ago which I suspect is linked to these conditions.
I have been under a psychologist for 4 years but shes not a bipolar expert and talking therapies havent really cut it, I find I can influence what is going on with actions but talking and thinking does negligable stuff.
Very very long story but I was given the wrong advice and meds for the years since the breakdown and I am a lot worse albeit numbed up. Trauma and stress are a major part of this.
I am unable to get enough time with the psychiatrist, as good as he is (I am under bupa) and I am trying to get more time but its not easy. I have also been in touch with bipolar uk but waiting to hear back. I keep getting to near a crisis point which my family and partner know about and I am doing my best to stay away from that all the time. I will use 111 if it gets too far but I am trying to keep out of crisis mode.
I feel like I need to speak to someone who has some real world experience of navigating this space but it is proving very difficult so I thought I would reach out on here see if anyone had some advice. Where to go, I am seeing the Psychiatrist in 2 weeks but I have to live these days inbetween.
Once I get on the right path I am sure I will be OK but its my inability to come down and relax which is the problem. Please dont suggest breathwork and stuff, I often end up in what I believe is a hypomanic state, awake for days straight cant sit still albeit far far beyond exhaustion, dissociated, etc. I know whats going on but I cant control the bloody thing.
Trying my best to get the help I need so PH normally has some good people. If anyone feels like getting in contact directly rather than posting, that would be most welcome.
Many thanks.
Edited by Thisburner on Tuesday 20th May 16:50
Edited by Thisburner on Tuesday 20th May 16:51
Thanks for checking in Jon.
I took myself off to the Priory. Bit manic in that place to say the least but the good thing is now I got in with a decent psychiatrist. I was only in there 4 nights as it was far too noisy and busy for me to take, but now I am in with the psych, I am seeing him on a weekly basis which is really what I needed.
The mood stabiliser is very helpful for helping me to slow down and get some rest and sleep. Still not easy though but its a step in the right direction.
Its taken me some years to get into this mess so its going to take time to get out of it and back to normality.
When on the rare occasion I go out to the hospital or something I always see people and think how on earth did they get through the pandemic unscathed. In reality a lot of people didnt though and there are a lot of people paying the price.
Still, I am getting support from the psychiatrist, changed psychologist to someone who better understands me, and their feedback has helped to validate me and as such I am getting better support from family and friends; people are taking me more seriously. Mental/nervous system health can be very complicated, its not just a case of having positive thoughts else I would have pulled myself out of this a long time ago. I got sick and tired of hearing that, I had depression at uni and this isnt that.
I'll get there but it isnt easy its all gotten out of hand. Misdiagnosis and mistreatment did a lot of damage. Many of these doctors should have a price to pay. My situation alone has cost the economy a lot of money, personal things aside.
I took myself off to the Priory. Bit manic in that place to say the least but the good thing is now I got in with a decent psychiatrist. I was only in there 4 nights as it was far too noisy and busy for me to take, but now I am in with the psych, I am seeing him on a weekly basis which is really what I needed.
The mood stabiliser is very helpful for helping me to slow down and get some rest and sleep. Still not easy though but its a step in the right direction.
Its taken me some years to get into this mess so its going to take time to get out of it and back to normality.
When on the rare occasion I go out to the hospital or something I always see people and think how on earth did they get through the pandemic unscathed. In reality a lot of people didnt though and there are a lot of people paying the price.
Still, I am getting support from the psychiatrist, changed psychologist to someone who better understands me, and their feedback has helped to validate me and as such I am getting better support from family and friends; people are taking me more seriously. Mental/nervous system health can be very complicated, its not just a case of having positive thoughts else I would have pulled myself out of this a long time ago. I got sick and tired of hearing that, I had depression at uni and this isnt that.
I'll get there but it isnt easy its all gotten out of hand. Misdiagnosis and mistreatment did a lot of damage. Many of these doctors should have a price to pay. My situation alone has cost the economy a lot of money, personal things aside.
I absolutely, 100% hear you. I spoke to a GP with my concerns around Bipolar and he laughed at me and told me my family history of heart disease was more important. A couple of years after that I lost my home, career and marriage thanks to the bipolar. However, it's important to look forward and try not to bear a grudge.
I found Lithium a great help in steadying the ship, but I'm now free of mood stabilisers and decent sleep pattern has kept me relatively stable, albeit with noticeable ups and downs (not the levels of spending £10k in a morning on crap etc though).
Well done on the Priory. As you've no doubt worked out, the NHS is utterly, utterly useless at mental health. I was diagnosed through a psychiatrist at the Nuffield who was appalled, but not surprised that I hadn't been diagnosed years before. Look for local, independent mental health support groups. At the risk of sounding like an MH gimp, normalising conversation around it is essential. I pop into 'The Moorings', a local MH hub in my city and have a chat with them a couple of times a month.
Hope you're having a great weekend, and keep at it, it's a s
te illness, but once you've hot the hang of it, it's manageable and life is liveable.
I found Lithium a great help in steadying the ship, but I'm now free of mood stabilisers and decent sleep pattern has kept me relatively stable, albeit with noticeable ups and downs (not the levels of spending £10k in a morning on crap etc though).
Well done on the Priory. As you've no doubt worked out, the NHS is utterly, utterly useless at mental health. I was diagnosed through a psychiatrist at the Nuffield who was appalled, but not surprised that I hadn't been diagnosed years before. Look for local, independent mental health support groups. At the risk of sounding like an MH gimp, normalising conversation around it is essential. I pop into 'The Moorings', a local MH hub in my city and have a chat with them a couple of times a month.
Hope you're having a great weekend, and keep at it, it's a s
te illness, but once you've hot the hang of it, it's manageable and life is liveable. Dog Biscuit said:
One of my customers is Bi Polar (I'm a PT) and exercise has helped him massively with his episodes.
Worth a look into I'd suggest
Great shout. Circadian rhythm is hugely important in managing Bipolar; a decent exercise, diet and sleep plan is literally life changing. I was on an earlies/lates/nights shift pattern eating the sWorth a look into I'd suggest
te food you'd associate with that lifestyle which really exacerbated things.jdw100 said:
My ex and (has) rapid cycling bi-polar mania.
It is reason she is my ex.
I spent years with physiatrists and at support groups.
Happy to answer any questions.
Talking is great - to a point, medication is key though.
Rapid cycling is my flavour of bipolar, and is why my ex wife is my ex wife. Bipolar can turn people into turbo charged aIt is reason she is my ex.
I spent years with physiatrists and at support groups.
Happy to answer any questions.
Talking is great - to a point, medication is key though.
holes, which was the case with me. Thankfully my ex and I get on really well, and she's been able to move on and build a new relationship. Hope you're doing well, I can imagine it's soul destroying on a number of levels having a bipolar partner.
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