Hi, I'm Patrick, this is my first post.

I've realised I've had bipolar disorder for a little under a year now, although I have not so far been diagnosed. My main reason for not being diagnosed is that I'm worried that I may be bullied into taking medication, and I was prescribed anti-depressants before and I hated how numb they made me feel (I couldn't get annoyed at things, which was annoying, but then I couldn't really be all that annoyed and so spent all my time in a state of extremely mild annoyance).

But anyway, I have a couple of questions.

1) How long can a depression last? I have been depressed for a couple of months now and I'm wondering how long I have to wait to snap out of it. I realise it could be to do with the fact my life is quite crumby at the moment. I lost my job and my flat, my Dad's girlfriend is a psychopath and I can't stay with him for fear of being attacked and my Mum is an alcoholic and is chucking me out for the third time at the end of next week.

2) Can anyone give me tips on dealing with insomnia/hypersomnia? I missed a second job interview for the best possible job I could get with my qualifications and experience because I couldn't wake up. And yesterday I got up at 9am, went to bed at 1am, lay awake til 5am then slept til 5pm, so I was awake for 20 hours then slept for 12. Plus, I have just glanced at the clock and it's 6am!

I do intend to go to the doctor and ask to be referred to a psychologist, and I may rethink my stance on pills, but I would really appreciate any advice you guys can give me for now.

Thanks, and sorry for ranting.
Patrick

Hi Patrick: Please do not feel afraid about Med's when you find the right one you will be so happy again. I have tried many and Lamitcal really worked with the mood swings. Lamitcal is a mood stablizer. It would be benefitual for you to see a really good Physc Doc. You do not have to take Meds, if you do want to, but you have to give them a chance, maybe do a combo also readjust them

When I stared Lamitcal they start everyone off on a low dose. Side effect of starting to high really bad rash. So all I can say is to look into also look on board you will see that many people use Lamitcal. Having a hard life does make things worse when you have bi-polar. Look on the thread in the beg of this post for sighn and symptoms also

Keep calm and take care.

PS how is Scottland do you get good cae there? Is it free?

Jeane

Hi,

I agree about the Lamictal, or whatever medication(s) you might find that will help you get out of hte depressions. Anti-depressants are mostly not good for BP, as they can throw us into mania, but a few are okay - Wellbutrin, for one.
Usually, it takes a combination of meds to get us in shape to function, but sometimes a mood stabilizer alone works.

I think your sleep is disturbed because that's part of the disorder.
I'm glad you're willing to get yourself some help, but I wanted to emphasize that at least for me, medication is an absolute necessity.

I am sure you'll find great support and advice here, so do keep posting and reading. Welcome.

Hi Patrick.

I am unsure how the healthcare system is in Scotland but I currently am in Northern England. Where I am the NHS is very far behind in regards to bipolar disorder. I sought help a year ago and was too put on an anti-depressant. Well to let you know people with bipolar disorder have bad reactions to anti-depressents. Not just bad but very bad. For some reason the doctors here don't recognize the fact that anti-depressants trigger episodes in those that are bipolar.... yet in the U.S. it is known that they do.

The NHS put me on Seroquel which is an atypical antipsychotic. I tried to ride that out for six months (had to drop out of school last year around this time due to my unstable state from the anti-depressants) but I was still having cognitive problems. In December I saw a psychiatrist in the U.S. that finally diagnosed me and prescribed me Lamictal. I meet with my UK doctor this Wednesday about continuing that prescription.

I think my main point is that when you seek help from a psychiatrist or psychologist that you don't say you are looking to be diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I made that mistake. As a result they kept insisting that I had some fascination with being 'labelled' and that I was obsessed with a diagnosis. Uhm, whatever. So just give your symptoms and let the doctors do the 'figuring out' so their stupid egos aren't bruised.

As for depression, it often gets worse/longer with age. The bipolar brain also deteriorates when it is not medicated. I used to go one night a week without sleep and was a total night owl - staying up till 2 or 3 and sleeping in. When I started taking Seroquel I finally began to have normal hours. We're talking falling asleep around 10-12 and waking up 7-9. That's a damn miracle for me!

Please rethink your stance on pills. Bipolar disorder is the result of a chemical imbalance in the brain. Medication can help correct this.

On another note, some things that are good for insomnia:
-Don't use the computer an hour before going to bed. Something about the screen/information alerts your brain to be on alert/awake mode.
- walnuts before bed triggers some sleep/relaxation chemical
- lavender oil on your pillow helps relax you/induce sleep

Well it's nice to meet you. Do keep in touch with your progress.

Hi patrick and welcome!

A depression can last for a few months or longer even. It varies from person to person and from episode to episode.

Antidepressants cause mania for people with bipolar disorder. Do not take them alone. If you do you will become manic. You need a mood stabilizer in place to stop this from happening.

Seeing a psychologist or psychiatrist (pdoc) is not so bad. And not all meds will make you numb. You don't deserve to have to feel depressed all the time. I hope you feel better soon.

Thanks for everybody's replies.

Peike, you sound like you were in a similar position that I'm in. I dropped out of college and lost my job because of either sleeping in or being so depressed I didn't feel I could face the people I worked with. Not because I didn't like them, I'm very good friends with them and two of us are moving to Australia together for a year this summer. I just got inexplicably nervous about showing up when I was in that state. Also I am a night owl just now, although I wish I wasn't a lot of the time.

Healthcare in Scotland is free on the NHS (National Health Service) although you have to pay for prescriptions unless you're getting unemployment or disability benefits. As far as I'm aware it's the same throughout the UK. I don't know how I go about getting a psychologist - if it's through my doctor or if I contact them directly - but I'm about to pick up the phone and find out. I may have to travel a bit because the only psychologist I know of in this area is one of my best friend's mum's, and that'd be awkward.

Thanks to everyone who replied, it's good to know there are people who are willing to help and know what I'm going through. I'm feeling quite a bit better today (although I'm also a bit bored) so hopefully my depressive episode is coming to an end for now.

Thanks everyone
Patrick

Hey Patick: Glad your feeling better. For me just coming to the boards make me feel better!!

Hang in there!
Jeane

Hiya Patrick,

Hope you're doing well at the moment. Just come back to the boards after a four month spell away from them and saw your posting.

You're not in a completely unique situation here. A lot of people, myself included have never had the need to speak with, let alone consider going to visit a psychiatrist/psychologist. There's a difference between the two. The Psychiatrist is the one who introduces the medication to you regarding mental illness. The Psychologist is the one who uses therapy (which can be coupled with medication). But, invariably most of us on this planet will have some form of mental disorder at some point in our lives. I've been misdiagnosed for over 20 years of my adult life with everything from 'stress related illness', Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Clinical depression, depressive illness, and now finally, Bipolar Disorder.

All of these diagnosis have caused me to see a 'shrink' as they're nicknamed, over that time. I'd agree with one of the girls who said in her reply to your posting that the anti-depressants can make you go manic............oh can they make you go manic?! From what I now know, false diagnosis can result in the wrong medication being prescribed. My point here mate is that you really have to get to see the correct person for the correct diagnosis. That starts with visiting your own GP. The GP makes referal which can sometimes take months to come through as an appointment. But that's the start. I should imagine you've done that so far, so I'll cut the rest of the bull.

A point about meds. It's great if you can go without them. I hear plenty of people say that they can. There's reams of books about managing bipolar disorder without medication. That's fine and I applaud those people who can, and who can prove it can be done. BUT, if you consider this. Medication starts at one end of a line working towards the middle, and with good psychiatric involvement (the ologist) 'he' will start at the other end of the line working in to the middle too. As things progress with both, at least a feeling of well being can be aimed for.

I don't preach that you should take medication Patrick, but I say that people should consider the implications of not taking it. It's a fact, I hate taking mine. It is an everyday reminder that I am not the cool casual guy we all see in the bar. It does however make sure that I am not the complete 'galloot' that might be seen in the bar when I go in there - if you get my drift.

On a lighter note, every day's a new one. If yesterday was bad let it go. If today's bad, tomorrow's a different one. Try not to struggle with your feelings. If you can talk to people, talk. Whatever people or life throws at you, don't hang onto it. It's hard Patrick you know it is, but things can get better if you don't dwell on the bad stuff.

Good luck friend. Watchin out for you.

Bry