YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

A home for all us twitchy nervous intense bipolar folks.

I'm bipolar II with rapid cycling. I lean more towards depression but when I'm hypomanic... watch out.

I have long spells of feeling down with an occasional episode of irritability. When that happens I have a tendency to speak my mind unfiltered. Not good in work situations or dealing with difficult customers. Though I must say some of the things that come out of my mouth are hilarious and really put folks in their place. At least that's what coworkers say. Haven't lost a job over it yet though most people around me really have my back in situations like this.
The long periods of depression leave me feeling empty and alone. If I wasn't on my meds, I'd probably spend alot of time crying. Thanks to Lithium I feel pretty much empty and emotionally flat. My creativity is definitely neutered....
I've started working out and really being anal about my diet...those two things really help.

I know what you mean about speaking your mind. Sometimes (a lot of times) I speak my mind when my mind is just fucking with me. I say and do things I almost instantly regret. Par for the course...

I'm on Lamictal and Wellbutrin. It hasn't affected my creativity (I'm an amateur photographer). Therapy has helped tremendously.

Love therapy when I can afford it....spent years working with a therapist back where I used to live. That and the Survivors program at the Meadows in AZ saved my life. I guess the meds help too! I'm on a very low dose of Lithium, Abilify, Trazadone and Klonopin. Hate the idea of taking Benzos but it has really helped with the PTSD and anxiety.

I have a good life at last. My psychiatrist switched my medications quickly, every time I had problem side effects, so I was stable pretty quickly.
The psychiatrist before was awful.
So keep searching for a good doc, try asking the closest university mental health for suggestions. They had to see me first but it was worth it, the director helped.
I'm on Lamictal and resperidone. My medications havent changed very much since I got stable, just a tweak here and there.
Man, what a relief!
I still say stuff that I immediately regret.
As to sharing your diagnosis- I learned not to. Family will come around as you get better, but friends? If we know each other well it's OK, if it's someone new its best to wait or stuff you say can be taken as mental illness instead of truth.

I guess I'm pretty lucky - my psychiatrist put me on Lamictal and Wellbutrin and it's worked out fine.

As to who do I tell and how... my criteria are I'll tell anyone who really needs to know and who I know will respond in a way that is helpful and supportive.