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This post has been edited by bugb34r: Feb 18 2020, 02:11 AM

do the drugs give you any side effects?

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This post has been edited by bugb34r: Feb 18 2020, 02:08 AM

oh din realise than u aren't on medication.
i assumed u were on mood-stabilizing meds.
i heard if you have a prescription u shouldn't stop taking eventhough u think that u feel fine and dont need it anyore.

besides medication, therapy and self-help strategies also play important roles. You can help control your symptoms by exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, eating right, monitoring your moods, keeping stress to a minimum, and surrounding yourself with supportive people. avoid drugs if possible

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This post has been edited by bugb34r: Feb 18 2020, 02:08 AM

he's right.
TS, should try to avoid drugs, and if u think u can't avoid it, try do research about the drugs the hospital will give u..
i believe they have adverse effects if taken for a long period.

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This post has been edited by bugb34r: Feb 18 2020, 02:08 AM

Please consult a GP/physician, or psychiatrist. The diagnosis can only be done by a trained psychiatrist. Bipolar disorder is characterised by periods of depression and mania. Medication and compliance is paramount to bipolar control.

And I have never, ever, heard of a no-drug bipolar control strategy. What are you guys advising here? If a manic bipolar goes off, the patient can literally die from exhaustion! It's a serious condition!

To TS: If the previous diagnosis of social anxiety disorder was done by a psychiatrist, it is likely that your diagnosis will remain in personality disorder categories, unless the symptomatology that you will report to the psychiatrist is markedly different. Don't be afraid to pour everything out to your psychiatrist, it helps the psychiatrist gain rapport and understanding with you.

This post has been edited by trencher10: Aug 22 2011, 12:16 PM

thats why i said to avoid it if possible.... overdose on something will get something worst than nearly good..

go for theraphy session

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This post has been edited by bugb34r: Feb 18 2020, 02:09 AM

good luck with your therapy

This.The meds are important.

I would say it's better to go on meds, even after considering the side effects.

Better just go to your psychiatrist to see what's wrong. Good luck.

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This post has been edited by bugb34r: Feb 18 2020, 02:09 AM

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This post has been edited by bugb34r: Feb 18 2020, 02:09 AM

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This post has been edited by bugb34r: Feb 18 2020, 02:10 AM

hi there,
If u dont mind, could i know how old are you?

thanks

You mean a referral letter from a GP/clinic doctor is it? A prescription is for medication.

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This post has been edited by bugb34r: Feb 18 2020, 02:09 AM

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This post has been edited by bugb34r: Feb 18 2020, 02:10 AM

[quote=bugb34r,Aug 24 2011, 08:16 PM]
20.

owh...ok2.
normally, the onset for certain mental illnesses like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia happen in early 20's...
so, u should get checked with the psychiatrist to verify ur problem...

but i do hope actually u didnt get this problem because u would be depending on medicine for quite some times..

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This post has been edited by bugb34r: Feb 18 2020, 02:10 AM

No, you're not too young to be diagnosed. It's just that this country doesn't really put much emphasize on mental health.

If you have some free time, maybe you might want to check out some of the latest proposed criteria for bipolar.

http://www.dsm5.org/proposedrevision/Pages...dDisorders.aspx

hi, my two cents.

no such thing as being too young to be diagnosed as a bipolar or any other mental illness. however, age does affect the outcome of ur initial diagnose. it could sometimes be years of monitoring, theraphy?, meds before u can get to the root of the problem.

also often, bipolars are misdiagnosed as 'depressed' as generally we only tend to seek help when we're in the 'down time'.

don't try to self diagnose also, as in, by just reading what you think you have and come to a conclusion. always try to do without the meds if you can. many alternative options available.

i believe the best psychiatric/counseling care we have is in UMMC(govt hospital options that is). if you are looking at private options, its very very taxing on ur wallet. some would also just be pushing drugs (its sad but true!).

alternatively, if ur just looking for someone to rationalise ur fears/problems, befrienders are pretty great and they have a good network of support. u can even drop in at their centre in pg or kl.

sorry if i'm overloading with info. hope u get well.

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Added on August 25, 2011, 11:43 amsorry, i must say this, it is possible to be without meds.
its always a matter of choice.
ultimately, the sufferer must make the judgement himself.
there are cases where being on meds aids someone further into a mania episode.



This post has been edited by RA54: Aug 25 2011, 11:43 AM

And it is possible for those choices to be made under times when insight is poor or lacking. And when sufferes make those judgements at those times, do you know what happens? Mental Health Acts and involuntary admission into mental healthcare units. Adverse drug reactions that decrease thresholds for mania are NOT contraindications for discouraging pharmacological strategies, there's a whole armamentarium of pharmaceuticals that allows better control at less adverse effects.

I suppose perhaps you misconstrued what my my earlier response was intended to be. I am not implying to be off meds and be on your own in your orbit. In order for someone to make a decision to go off meds or to be without in the first place, there MUST and should be multiple level of assessments over the external support for the sufferers and it usually come with many lifestyle changes. Perhaps its veering towards my belief that psychotherapy is more often than not the 'better' solution than long term medications. Its akin to either handing someone a fish for dinner, or handing them a fishing rod.

But without a doubt, certainly medications are useful in its own way. It is afterall a billion dollar industry. But its certainly not the magic pill? By way, I believe most of them act as a jerk to pull u into focus instead of veering off the rails. It just irks me that more often than not these days that sufferers are offered this 'band aid' immediately as soon as they are diagnosed. And many many sufferers holds the notion that it will somehow mysteriously transform their quality of life by just simply popping the pills. and THAT in itself, is often another common 'trigger' to a quick spiral into the depressive mode.

hence i said, it is ultimately the sufferers own choice. an informed and well thought out decision? i initially wrote that response as i am just uncomfortable sometimes when people are too quick to say, take the meds or you must take the meds, its imperative to be on meds to manage it. etc etc It certainly is not. it could be a kick start, it could be complementary, but you should never view it or take it as you're being sentenced to be on medication just because you have such a problem.

sorry TS if I am hijacking ur thread and trencher10 if its an offend to you?hope not. u sound like a logical person.

I don't discourage psychotherapy, counselling, lifestyle changes and other non-pharmacological strategies in psychiatric disorders. They are important parts of managing psychiatric disorders. However, the simplistic views and opinions that some sentences people spout off can too be miscontrued by patients to distrust physician's advice in medication compliance, and it is a serious problem. It reduces the rapport needed by the psychiatrist to gain trust, and can reinforce resistance of patients to outside support or help.

Some aspects of the comprehensive psychiatric systems I've seen in Ireland are practiced in a multi-disciplinary fashion that does not depend solely on pharmacology, where psychotherapists, social workers, public mental health nurses and counsellors work to help the patient in all aspects of their lives. But it is important that people do not play off the assumptions from news-grabbing headlines of dramatic adversities and base their management strategies that simplistically. Which is why I was vehement in the rebuttal. I guess I am too forceful in my countenance, so I also apologize if I am in anyway hurting any feelings.

This post has been edited by trencher10: Aug 26 2011, 08:51 AM

My aunt is diagnosed with bipolar too. Everytime she stops taking drugs, she will start to hallucinate. She's more self-centered n stubborn at time when it recurs. or will have different thoughts pop out from her mind. I thk best choice is to cut the root of the problems, believe to urself n ppl around you, trust them.

You mean like this?




This post has been edited by Diiimn: Aug 27 2011, 06:36 PM

i recommend you go to a doctor, my friend has bipolar and she is under medication now.
hers was a little serious but she is ok now.

Sound professional.. You are right, bipolar definitely need medications.

Just to share my view here, I think bugbear might actually just having anxiety symptoms as she just kept worrying about getting the bipolar disorder.

Just some screening questions here for bipolar:
http://www.bipolarworld.net/Bipolar%20Diso...osis/diag10.htm

Hope it can help.

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This post has been edited by bugb34r: Feb 18 2020, 02:11 AM

can't believe got so many normal people here can simply tell others to go off drugs. these meds are prescribed by experienced practitioners, not something that you can get over the counter.

good luck to TS.

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This post has been edited by bugb34r: Feb 18 2020, 02:11 AM

meds are there to improve your quality of life. primary tx for bipolar are meds. so yes, it can be treated.

when it comes to mental health, not taking drugs when you have to can be more harmful to yourself and the people around you.

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This post has been edited by bugb34r: Feb 18 2020, 02:11 AM

Hey mate, I really really feel your pain. I know what you are going through because I had dated a bipolar girlfriend for almost 6 years. I did stop seeing her after 6 years but it was because of a long distance relationship thing but not because of her bipolar.

Anyway she was 21 when I first met her. I don't know what you are like or what you should or shouldn't do, but from my experience with her, it's a difficult condition to deal with.
What I found was that when she was slightly stressed or unhappy, the smallest thing would set her off. Her emotions was a tinderbox with a short fuse. Small, irrational things could set her off into fits of anger and depression that would lead to arguments and fights (sometime physical ones). She would threaten to jump out of the car when she was sad.

I believed it was this irrational and sometimes immature thinking as the things that characterised her bipolar disorder.
Small unhappy thoughts in normal people don't get blown out of proportions.

Anyway, I don't have an opinion on meds, and it may have helped her but she never took any when I was with her.
She had taken meds prior to me meeting her, but she didn't like it because she said it made her really blur and slow (which kind of makes sense).

The only thing I could do as a boyfriend was really try to make her happy ALL THE TIME (you know how hard that is??) and try not to set her off as best I could.
This was really really difficult as she would dig up things in my past (like about my ex girlfriend) when she was unhappy with and go on arguing about for hours on end. If I was annoyed or impatient, I would end up making her condition WORSE and argue/fight to no end.

There is a relevant proverb:

An idle mind is a devil's workshop (or playground)

What that means is that, the more positive thoughts and more active mind, the less chance that unhappy/evil/naughty thoughts would creep into your mind.
Your mind can typically only think of one thing at a time. Trying to be positive most of the time will help.
Even when you do have unhappy thoughts, don't let them get the better of you.
Try and find something positive to think about.
Don't let small irrational thoughts get blown out of proportions.

besides medication, therapy and self-help strategies also play important roles. You can help control your symptoms by exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, eating right, monitoring your moods, keeping stress to a minimum, and surrounding yourself with supportive people. avoid drugs if possible

I know it's easy to say but hard to do especially for people with Bipolar. I never had it personally but only struggled to deal with it for 6 years in my ex girlfriend.
I mean everyone has something to be depressed about, how they deal with it and the emotions that each experiences varies according to the individual.

I do agree with H4XF4XTOR in his statement. But again, easy to say and hard to do, and no opinion on drugs.

You do need to explain to your girlfriend and family about your condition. Alternatively, get a supportive doctor to explain your situation to her/them.
Whether your girlfriend can tolerate it and wants to support you through the highs and lows of your emotions is up to her.

Anyway, well done for recognising that you have bipolar.
Good luck mate and stay positive.


Doctors always has to make an opinion about you and your condition in a short amount of time. Don't take what they say as gospel and don't let it get to you.
Why do you think people go get a second opinion from a different doctor???

Bipolar medicine is lithium, and i hear lithium makes you fat. XD

And if lithium doesn't work, maybe you'll be able to charge a mobilephone...

ummmmm nevermind...

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This post has been edited by bugb34r: Feb 18 2020, 02:11 AM

You really have to be honest with your girlfriend and you have to ask for your family to help more than your girlfriend.

Unfortunately, with girlfriends, you can't force them to stick around unless they really want to.
The more you force them to do something the more they want to reject it.
You can imagine that what advice her family and friends are giving to her at the moment regarding you.

If you are honest with her and she can't accept or be patient with you regarding your condition, you can't ask her to stick with you forever.
Hopefully she can accept you but if she can't accept it, it will only be another issue for you to get angry about it when you're a bit down.

I suggest you be honest with her. I suggest you give her space and distance yourself from her and tell her you need to sort your own issues out first.
Tell her you want to still talk to her as friends even if you can't be boyfriend/girlfriend. Having her as an outlet to discuss your problems will help you tremendously. When she can see your condition has improved, maybe you can continue your relationship.

This website has quite extensive information on bipolar
http://www.winmentalhealth.com/about_bipolar_disorder.php

3/4 of the way down on the above website:

Exercise

One suggestion that has been made as to factors that contribute to BD is that stress can trigger bipolar disorder. BD is "stress related). (Burgess, W., 2006). Vigorous exercise early in the morning can help to keep one calm and balanced throughout the day. Similarly, a brisk walk, outdoors in the evening can work better than a sleeping pill. Persons with bipolar disorder need exercise. Walking, swimming, biking, all affect a person's psyche in a positive direction, forward and with a feeling of purpose. The physical activity helps to burn off the stress which can fuel both depression and manic episodes. Chemically, exercise also has a positive effect on the mind, which can balance out highs and lows in one's mood and can even help lead one to full recovery.



Another website: 50 Natural Ways to Overcome Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder
http://www.winmentalhealth.com/self_help_b...ar_disorder.php


Again, i have no opinion on drugs, but I believe regular daily exercise would help you tremendously.
Consider waking up early and going to the gym, going swimming or just walking around the block every day (the free option!).
Easy to try and see if that helps you out.

The best would be for you to consult a psychiatrist, he/she will know what's best for you.

It's hard to admit that you have a psychiatric disorder, and your friends/family may brand you as "psychotic".. It's just something our society has not come to accept.

Whenever you feel doubtful if you really need help or not. Just flash back to the times you had an attack, and think about the people around you. Since you are only 20, I assume you are not working yet. Imagine in future you had an attack at work, what would your colleagues and boss perceive you as?

If you feel you need help, start early and start young.

Im sorry, what is the difference between Bipolar and anxiety disorder.
I've been diagnosed with Anxiety Disorder.

It's completely two different disorders. Lol.
Bipolar means you have ups and downs, this includes depression and manic episodes.

Anxiety disorder is to do with being anxious and probably having panic attacks. Get the person who diagnose you to tell you more about it.

I am close to someone with Schizophrenia. Bipolar is not death sentence, everything will be fine. Always be positive, there's always light at the end of the tunnel. .

This post has been edited by Imaizumi: Nov 29 2019, 01:55 PM

Hi. I used to be diagnosed with Bipolar II, and now it's been revised to Schizoaffective (Schizophrenia with a mood disorder present). I didn't manage to read the whole thread (I'm dyslexic, sorry), but I was diagnosed at the same age at you, 20 years old. Now I'm 27 and still on medication since 7 years ago.

There's a support group on WhatsApp called Fire and Ice where bipolars unite. Unfortunately I've exited the group due to some personal conflict, but if you would like to know more, just PM me.

If you really cannot tahan to the point suicide has been an option (which seems like the case), do visit the Emergency unit. They will prioritise your case. I know it's easier said than done, but trust me, they will take care of you.

Are you having a manic or a depressed episode currently? Or mixed?