Bipolar You

One thing that you didn't mention is bipolar mania in the form of aggitation and aggressiveness. Although I was working with Psychiatrist and counselors, we could not see her bipolar "mania" in the midst of mostly depression because I did not KNOW that mania in teens is not happy, excited but can be anger and irritability.

I had a close relative with bipolar disorder, but back then it was called manic depression. Her manic moods were so intimidating to the rest of the family--we never knew what she was capable of doing. Good judgment flew out the window. Thanks for sharing these warning signs of bipolar disorder. Hopefully others can get diagnosed earlier, so they and their families can get the support they need.

I have been diagnosed with Bipolar II, and it seems funny to me how everyone is telling people to get help, and how help is out there. Well for me, I found help, and life was going good until I lost my insurance. I then was forced to cold turkey off of my meds, and go back to dealing with my problem in an unhealthy way. You see Lithium was what helped me. However,the problem is you do not only need to take the medication; you also need to have blood tests done periodically, so the doctor can measure your Lithium levels, which if found to be too high could be very harmful to your body. And these test are very expensive. I tried so many different prescribed drugs, and the only one which worked was Lithium. Another thing, which sucks, is I would not have been able to stay on Lithium for my lifetime anyway, because of how hard it is on your body. When on Lithium, I was not totally cured from the symptoms of my disorder either. Lithium, just helped to make them manageable. I also had problems due to the Lithium depleting my thyroid levels, which caused me to be put on a medication to help this problem level out. Wow! "Level out," If only they made a legal and affordable drug to help make this possible. Wouldn't that be Great! Until then it seems I'll have to keep dreaming of a time when I can reach my full potential again. On medication my College GPA, was 3.85, which I was able to carry for two years of full time schooling. Now I can't even attend school, because my moods are too erratic, my mind will not let me focus, and when it does focus it seems to always be on something out which is out of my control. I hope the best for those seeking help; I just want you all to be aware of the hardships, which come along with the help. If I had a choice I would be right back on the meds.

RLG,
Tommy