I was just diagnosed with Bi Polar syndrome. I'm really scared. Should I be?!
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Not as long as you are taking your meds. My hubby has it and so does my best friend. It takes a while to get on the right medication but once you get it figured out you can live a normal life. I can tell you it can be just as hard on your loved ones as it is on you (more so in some cases). The problem is, most people stop taking their pills. That's when the problems start. Ultimately you are still in control and that thought should be comforting. There are also some great support groups that are very helpful.
Good luck! You are in my prayers.
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Dont be scared. Its okay. You can get counseling and help.
No honey, don't be scared, relax and be grateful that you have found an answer. There are medications that you can take to get this under control, and there are many, many people out there with it. Always remember that you are not alone.
Well you shouldn't be afraid becuase you know that God is on your side and will help you through this tough time. Be with family and friends and love them.
There is nothing to be scared about it. I know some people who are also Bi-Polar. There are people who can help you. You can ask for a referral from your doctor or you can make an appointment yourself. I have been diagnosed just over 2 years ago for Depression. Good luck & best wishes.
You can either be very depressed about it or you can be very manic about it. Or you can go back and forth between the two - you are bipolar after all!
But seriously, a lot of it depends on how severe your condition is. Patients with bipolar disorder will usually cycle between the two moods. Its usually not something that changes on a day to day or minute to minute basis, but rather you have episodes of a given mood lasting a period of time, usually days to weeks to months. These are interspersed and you may have periods of normal in betwen.
However a lot of it depends on how you are during those episodes and how severely it affects your daily life. For example if you get a depressive episode, it can manifest as a little sadness or a little loss of appetite or it can be severe and you will not want to even get out of bed or may even have suicidal thoughts or attempts. Similarly the manic episodes can manifest as hypomania, where you feel like you have so much energy and yet are still able to function or severe mania where you have binges of spending, going out and partying without rest for days and not be able to control yourself or set boundaries. During these episodes, discretion is often out the window and you may end up engaging in very risky behavior whether it be of a sexual nature or otherwise.
Many people with mood disorders do use illegal drugs to help adjust their moods. For example, when people are depressed and realize it, they may use cocaine or amphetamines to try to elevate their mood. Similarly people in the manic phase may drink or use heroin to try to lower their mood.
Depending on the severity of your conditions you may need to take prescribed mood stabilizing medications. You may need to take antidepressants when you are in the depressive phase. Lithium was a commonly used medication in the past to help stabilize the mood - instead of such highs and lows, you tend to be in the middle, but poorly able to demonstrate any emotion. However, lithium has a lot of other side effects and needs to be monitored closely to prevent those side effects from occurring. Valproic acid is more commonly used now, although the level needs to be checked to make sure it is in the therapeutic range. Certain people may also need to take antipsychotic meds to help with their condition as well.
You should discuss your fears and concerns more with your psychiatrist and/or therapist.
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