Bipolar Disorder

www.cchr.org

I was diagnosed at 16 with type one bipolar illness. I loved the feeling of mania so much it was like a drug. When I was manic I had huge credit card debts,best cars I could buy....just drove and drove and shopped and shopped....I went to the best salons and worked out to be the hottest I could be..I just had ssssooo much energy.Then the darkness, and my 15 year marriage ended after i told him i cheated and lied. I had to tell him the. When I am manic iam out of control and althou I like the energy and happiness with it,i know know the huge ramications that will soon follow.diagnosed at 16 never truly treated until i was 32. I thought I could this on myself so I began to self medicateAlcohol,marijuana,cocaine. You can imagine the mood swings then. it was only my ex who kept me alive thru the period of time.Some special man...my guardian angel. Althouh we are divorced we wre best friends. Everything happens for a reason. Just starting lithium again...any advice?

extreme bedwetting lying and stealing extreme mood swings high days or low days no leveling off over 2 years

I think that I developed Bi-Polar Mood Disorders after the age of 13 when I began highschool By 18, I was in the care of doctors displaying Mania. I have been on Lithium since 20 years of age and am now 52 and in very constant and good control with a good Psychiatrist. I wonder if my case could have been triggered by alcohol and marijuana abuse in my teens. Thankyou. Mona Poltajainen poltajainenmona@sympatico.ca

I am a 27 year old mother and have had bi polar since I was 12, possibly earlier. In 2005 my daughter, who is now 4 grew up with these symptoms during her first year, at age 2 it got worse and controling a two year old with severe mood swings is quite difficult and sometimes extreme measures need to be taken in order to manage her moods. I managed to gain her trust during this year and she came to me whenever she experienced mood swings. Doctors and other professionals said she will grow out of this behavior, but when she was almost 3 I had my family doctor look into it by making a graph that kept track of her moods every two hours of the day for 2 months. We were sent to see a pediatrician to look further into it, he concluded that she had a learning disorder, possibly a mood disorder but he did not want to say for sure because she was so young. My daughter's third year was h@#$ as she became quite violent, extremely irritable, screaming and crying all day and every other symptom that comes with bi-polar. Her mainia was out of control, nothing is bad or good so I had a wild child - again extreme measures had to be taken, some of which a counceller thought of yet telling me I am doing better than anyone she knows at raising this child. Throughout this year I kept informing the family doc. about her moods and was sent again to a pediatrician. Two months before her third birthday my daughter had severe depression that she sat on my lap from waking to bed time doing nothing but staring at her hands for 4 days and just getting up to get something and come straight back was enough to send her screaming as anxiety took over her mind completely. This is when they knew that she needed help right away, she got so much worse in three months it worried the doc. Upon having a pediatrician, my family doctor and a psychiatrist who takes adult and child patience got together and 2 months after her fourth birthday she was diagnosed. I myself was not diagnosed until four years ago when I put myself in the hospital because I could not trust myself to not spontaneously harm myself. Most days during a period of time, 4 months in between, I don't remember. One Antidepressint was not enough, six months after my last stay in the hospital I was put on 2 mood stablizers and 2 antidepressints. I am finally living a normal life, a life of being the real me and not someone who had to concentrate on managing my moods. My daughter has been placed on meds immediately and for the last six months the dosage has been slowly adjusted to what is needed for her level of moods and we are still adjusting the medication. If anyone recognize or suspects their toddler has the disorder, I urge you to look into it as soon as possible for the sake of your child. Most doctors will not diagnose this disorder for children so young but don't give up the fight, a wrong diagnosis - ADHD - can severely do much damage by making thier moods worse. Fight for your child's welfare, even if you have to go from doctor to doctor, just DONT GIVE UP!!! Your children need you to give them a normal life.

How can a parent who cannot cope with the anger and mood swings of an adult (24) offspring convince him to get the necessary treatment when he believes everyone else gives him justifiable cause for his behaviour? His wife and child are obviously suffering emotional abuse.

bipolar sucks. i have it. i would know. i could be in the middle of a conversation with my friends and ill just break out in tears. orif im in a fight with my boyfriend ill do nothing but hug him. bipolar sucks.

I feel so alone all the time even in a crowded room. i feel like no one loves me and that no one is ever going to be there for me. i just dont know what to do. i have suicidal thoughts alot and its hurting me so bad because i know that people love me. i just dont know what to do anymore...

i'm almost 18 and i know its hard to tell if a teenager is bipolar or just going through the hormones. But i have noticed that i can lose control of myself and i can go from over excited to extremely depressed. I tried mentioning it to my parents but they laugh. What if i really am bipolar? i don't know what to do. i also haven't slept in weeks. i really can't seem to control myself when i get hyper or really extremely depressed. how can i tell if i'm just going through hormones or depression instead?

I have a 7 yr.old daughter who has been diagnosed ADHD with mood disorder,NOS. anxiety. The doctor said later she will most likely be diagnoed bipolar. Everyday is a stuggle with her.She has been on several meds since the age of 4 yrs.From birth to age 4 she woiuld not sleep. She was awake every two hours maybe less at times. I was totally sleep deprived I went to the doctor and thats when the meds started. and he referred us to a psychiatrist.She does well for awhile then things go backwards.And now we are in the backwards the doctor doesnt want to change meds again and I understand that. But I ask for help for what to do and get told kids with her disorder are very diffacult, and basically deal with it. Which I already know that I live with her disorder everyday.She also has problems at school with being aggressive.Just alittle guidance would be helpful.She is the youngest and it also has been hard for her siblings who love her dearly but also have no real understanding of these disorders.And I'll take the advise of get through whats happening now,thanks

I have been bipolar my entire life. After marrying a total stranger, I got help. I have spent 13 years trying everthing possible. I have some advice for everyone who is bipolar or has a bipolar person in their lives: 1. See a psychiatrist!, not just a GP. Have a complete drug panel test; if you have a thyroid or sugar, etc., problem, it is adding to your fatigue. 2. Never change or quit your meds on your own. Call your doctor. I always think I know what mine will do,but he comes up with something better. We are not psychiatrists, and neither are friends and family. 3. Take your meds on time. Buy a watch that has several alarms (Casio,etc.). 3 Get off illegal drugs, even if you're not taking meds. Find a rehab center that knows about BPD. You will only get worse if your're on drugs, including Xanax and sleep meds, even over-the-counter stuff. 4. Don't drink alcohol, even if you're not taking meds. Never mix alcohol with meds. 5. Go to bed early every night and get up at the same time every day. Make your room completely dark when you sleep. Check the internet for Light Therapy, but I don't know if it works. 6. Exercise every day and whenever you feel down and tired. Do a cardio-weights routine. Work it hard, til your sweating a lot. No excuses. Do try getting a swimming pool, water may help. If you're down, get out of the house and walk. 7. Eat nutritional food, especially vegetables and protein. Eat breakfast. When you feel manic, prepare food and put individual servings in baggies or tupperware containers, so you can just grab it when you can't move or when you are leaving the house. Make your house a fast-food restaurant. Try to get someone to help you or do it for you. My town has a free service, sponsored by a hospital, that provides someone to help with light housekeepimg, bill paying and cooking. 8. No sugar. 9. No caffeine. 10. 1000mg of omega. Many studies have shown it helps BPD. 11. Vitamins every day, especially B12 and other B's. Don't use natrual pills, like St. John's Wort. 12. Soc Sec Disibility turns most people down the first time. Keep trying. Do it now because it wom't go into effect for 9 months. Have someone make sure you always turn all required papers on time for any assistance programs. Apply for Medicaid, QMB, food stamps and ask your medicaid caseworker for more programs in your state. If you get Soc Sec, you will get Medicare. If you have a low income, you can get their low-income program and your meds will cost about $7 for name brands and $3 for generics. With Medicare, your doctor visits and hospital stays will be much cheaper. 13. For every medicine you get, check with 2 pharmacists for side affects and drug interactions. Know which are serious enough to stop it immediately. Also, when medications mix, they create a new formula. 14. Put your meds in a pill box set with days of the week on of each box and "Morning, Noon..." You may need help filling them out each week. Don't take chances. 15. Put spare meds everywhere: your car, you parents house, your friends' house, and extra in you purse. I also have a pillbox that goes on my keychain. 16. If you can't stay awake or get up in the morning, ask your doktor about narcolepsy medicine. Se t you alarm and take it early in the morning. 17. NEUROFEEDBACK!!! It's amazing. Find a psychiatrist or center that uses it. If your doctor doesn't have it, found someone who does. IT HAS SAVED MY LIFE!!! (It doesn't take the place of medicine.) 18. If a medicine makes you numb to the world and you can't be creative, ask for another one. 19. DON"T AVOID A DOCTOR BECAUSE YOU'RE AFRIAD OF LOSING YOU CREATIVITY FOREVER. MANIA DOES NOT MAKE YOU CREATIVE; IT ONLY ENHANCES WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE. YOU WERE BORN WITH YOUR GIFTS. If you get your meds worked out, it's amazing how much you can accomplish because you aren't leaping from one project to another. Also, we may not realize it, but we hurt other people when we're manic because our focus can't stay on them for more them than a minute. We can't keep promises, etc. It's been very hard for me to see this in my past and admit it. And there's surely much we don't remember because of the way we fly around. I've decided not to hurt myself by trying to remember my past and bad things I may have done that I didn't realize at the time. I have a life ahead of me. As it turns out, most people I've talked to just thought I was just being me and remembered my energy and enthusiasm. 20. Check the internet for lists of famous people who were/are bipolar. All known for their creativity or creative problem-solving: artists, musicians, writers, statesmen. 21. If people in tour life don't believe you are sick ("You're just trying to get out of work"), avoid them. Completely. No matter who they are. Mine can sink me for 3 days. 22.THE MOST VITAL THING IN YOUR LIFE MUST BE MEDICINE. YOU WILL NEVER GET BETTER WITHOUT IT. I know it's very hard to follow schedules, routines and lists, but your life depends on it. I wish you peace.

Amber!! I Am 31 was just diagnosed bipolar after being put on prozac. i went on a 6 month manic high that ruined my life! I am now in a depression that i can not pull out of. I lost everything on the high and now i sit in a room and do circles. they say i'm not ready to work and i know i'm not. i gave away all my clothes and shoes thinking i was going to sail around the world. i have no money and i just dont know where or how i will get my life back!! I'm so depressed i feel like its never going to get better. i'm on topomax and thats it for now. i have no money. i cant afford my mental illness. i truly feel like i'd be better off dead! does it get better will i be this looser for ever will people understand me will i be able to get a job agian. will i laugh ?? will i love?? i have never been married no kids?? i suck at life!! bi polar has taken over me and its been months now this whole summer actually i sit alone grumy angry annyed with everthing. i have no supportive family to help! I am alone! what do i do? how can this get better? R.S.

I'm a person who is considered "crazy". I have a disorder called Bipolar mania. At one time it was considered a bad thing. Except now people think crazy intelligent, crazy cool, crazy fun, crazy good looking, crazy grace full (I spell it that way for a reason), crazy devoted, crazy ambitious, crazy clean, crazy positive, crazy love. Its called dis-order because its not-ordinary. But thats not a bad thing. Before I knew how to handle my illness, or knew discipline (the root word for discipline is disciple and I became a disciple of the most power full (the reason i spell it this way is because nobody ever thirsted or hungered for anything while he was around) person the earth has ever expierianced) I was struggling tremensly. It was truamatic for everyone around me.       Now I see it as a gift from god. Thats what my name, Nathan means by the way. I am able to feel things for him on a level most others can't even imagine. And as long as I feel the way he told us to, and do the things he told us to, and use his "way" to handle the world around me things will turn out like they did for him. And I see it happening right before my eyes. People have me on there mind when they sing, a lot of people want to know how i'm doing the things I do, people are following me to places I need to go, My thoughts heal people, my hands heal and serve people because I'm begining to think how my teacher thinks and feel things, on a closer level than most because of my gift. I feel in a way others cant even comprehend. When I'm manic I can pray,read,sing, feel happiness, share love, tell stories, recite poetry, feel anquish about things that upset me, in a way others are not capable of doing. God has given me the ability to share my feelings in a way people understand so it helps people. Its a good thing for me and I wish you knew the things know in my life.

As helpless a parent feels when they have a child with ODD, these children are responsible, to some extent for their behavior. My 16 year old daughter has been diagnosed with ODD, refuses to take her medications, and uses her condition as an excuse for her actions. I feel terribly bad for her because I know she is constantly struggling. On the other hand, being a parent of a child with ODD may possibly be harder than the instability that the child feels. I am at my wits end. She knows this and seems to enjoy my anxiety. It's like watching your child self-destruct and they are smiling and saying look at me now........as harsh as it sounds, sometimes a parents has to distance themself away from your child. Stop Walking on Eggshells - helped me as much as anything I have read.. Trying to raise a child with ODD can make the parent sick, sicker than the child. I love her,but I have to love her from a distance.i

I'm 20 years old and feel like I have been experiencing bipolar disorder since as far back as I can remember- periods of intense satisfaction, energy, sexual interest, and euphoria followed by periods of soul-shattering depression, guilt, and anxiety. I feel like I need answers, but I don't have the money to pay for a professional diagnosis and would prefer not to bring this up to my family. Has anyone found a way to discretely obtain an accurate, professional diagnosis?

i have a son who is bipolar. im needing advie on how to get others to understand his condition. i have so called friends who think that when my son outs out that i should spank him. i dont do this because i know it only intenfies the behavior and the more dmage it can do. i have tried explaining this to them and they still say i am wrong. my firends all work with adults with this disorder but never children., Do i continue to try and educate them or do i just take the time to realize thast maybe they arent the friends i thought they were. will smeone please respond. I am told to hasve network of support and needing to know if i should find a new network of friends

i am 27 and have been dealing with alot i have bipolar and have had it for about 7yrs. it is possible to live a some what normal life just work with your doc.

could you tell me; are there any relationship(s) between bipolar and Charcot-marie-tooth (CMT) disease? Thanks, David

to anonymous 13 year old. you are a brave person to look up information and want to get yourself help. maybe print an article that you have read and share it with your parents, and explain to them how you are feeling, and that you may like to talk to someone. it also might be helpful for you to keep a daily journal . remember there is noone more important to parents then their children. take care!

i like how there is lots of good information here. but its put into piont form very nicely instead of long paragraphs. love that!

To Anonymous: going down that same horrible road with my 6-year-old . . . waiting to see a specialist. Wish I had helpful advice or consolation for you, but I can tell you some roads we've been down which might be helpful: autism/Asperger's evaluation; allergy testing; heavy-metal testing; sensory-processing disorder evaluation social stories; sleep study (diagnosed sleep apnea); iron deficiency testing; Parent-Child Interaction Therapy. I know you're scared. Me too. Good luck.

My husband has bpd. Now he just gets high all the time on weed. We own a small business together. I am at my wits end. I want to leave so bad. However he keeps us in such financial straights. He spends money everday aswell. He is also manic 80% of the time. At one point i got so depressed that i asked my docotor to put me on celexa. They help me so much when i felt i could stop taking them. I started crushing them and giving them to him. He became a whole new person. Much calmer and focus. I told him about it. And he began to take them on his own for awhile. However He felt that he was being to nice. And returned to being his manic self. I just want to leave him. He is just so evil

I have a 11 year old daughter that has a mood disorder leaning to bipolar. Its a hard road for the whole family. I have sent her to RT center for this problem. We have tried m eds for years nothing seem to work anymore. She becomes so violent its hard to control her. What else is out there?

my brother, now 46, has been dealing with bi-polar disorder for over 15 years. I've seen stages where he stayed up for 5 days straight, doing various things from speaking to God to thinking the CIA was after him for things he know about when he was in the armed forces. The biggest problem for a long time was that he wouldn't admit to having a problem...he was fine and it was the rest of the family who was crazy. Anyway, it took 8 long years for him to realize that he had this conditon, and he now controls it with minimal medication and sleeping pills to help him sleep when he feels that he is getting stressed out. The family went through some very stressful times in dealing with this disease but hang in there...support and perserverance will help the person get through it.

When I started going to the doctor in 2003 they told me I had depression, panic attacks and social aniexty disorder and put me on Zoloft,buspar this worked for a while but things were till not right I went on for years fighting what ever ws going on with me I was going through a divorce and it was hard I would do good then I would go another way it seemed and I couldn't work and I felt like a loser, worthless, no good to anyone, I have lost several jobs and I lost a very good job because of this just because I didn'y know what was going on with me , not until now since my primary care doctor sent me to a head doctor I didn't know what was going on. Just the other week it it close to a head and I know now that I have bipolar II and depression he had me on seroquel for serval months but he had to take me off because I gained over 30 lbs. he has put me on Lithium and kept me on my buspar and I also take valium only when I need to if I start to have a panic attack. I have been looking at a lot of sites trying to learn more about this disorder and the meds. I'm on. There's so much to learn about all this it's enough to blow your mind. I never thought about it until last night but these disorders will never go away, you can only try to control them with meds. but I will always have these mental illnesses and that really upsets me I never thought I would mentally ill, it hurts all I did last night was cry. Hopefully I will learn how to deal with this with the help of my doctors and also have a doctor I just go talk to, it helps sometimes I go back next week and this will be something I will talk to her about, since it bothers me so much. Thank you for letting me get this off my chest.

I am thankful for this site and for the people who have posted here. My 26 year old son is also exhibiting Bipolar symptoms and we have known there is something wrong with him since age 3, when he started having rages. We did take him to a psychologist once when he was around age 8 or 10, but the guy was clearly not very good. I think we then went into denial, preferring to tell ourselves our son was just " strong-willed." He eventually moved out and completed college, but now he is back here with us, jobless, depressed, still having rages mostly directed at me his mother, threatening suicide if we don't let him live here. He spends all day and most of the night on the computer, sleeps until 11 or noon, is full of anger and resentment if life doesn't go his way which is often, and has confessed to being unable to take care of himself. I am terrified because I see he has never recovered from his youthful problems, has burned some bridges with his friends, wants to buy a gun, seems to have nothing at all going on in his life and no plan to change it, which means he is going to stay like this and stay here with us, both of which make ME depressed. He explodes with loud profanity when I suggest he do something to change his situation, then later acts like nothing at all happened. I know the neighbors have heard him, which embarrasses me greatly. He can argue a point until dawn and sometimes you can only just look at him and think.."he is crazy." He fits the profile to a T regarding this illness, but I have no definitive diagnosis, just a strong gut feeling. I think since he has been this way for so long he may also have a personality disorder. It's like walking on egg shells around here. He needs help badly but I don't know where to begin. Therapist? Psychologist? Psychiatrist? We are not wealthy people but I guess we will have to do whatever it takes to get him some help. I am afraid the meds could make him psychotic and am also afraid that if future employers find out he is bipolar they won't hire him. Can it be kept confidential? He also smokes pot and sometimes drinks too much, trying to self medicate, I'm sure. Thank you for listening. Let's keep each other posted on our situations. We need support!

I have learned to love and accept myself. Being bi-polar is part of who I am but not ALL of who I am. It took time. I am now 48 and I enjoy life. I have good days and bad days just like anyone else who is human. If you will educate yourself, the better you will understand and the better you can cope.

Hi everybody. We have a 39 yr old friend and mother of 2 little girls who is hospitalized right now with bipolar disorder because her 53 yr old alcoholic boyfriend of 5 months convinced her to stop taking her medications because he doesn't buy the diagnosis or the condition and told her the doctors are wrong and she'd feel better if she drank. They got engaged 2 weeks after their first "date" and during her manic phase after she quit cold turkey she let him talk her into buying a bigger house all with her credit cause he doesn't have any. By the time we started to connect the dots, she had an episode at her teaching job and was sent home. He doesn't see what all the "fuss" is about and doesn't understand why she is in the hospital. My friend is very gullible and prone to making bad decisions and judgements when it comes to men. This is the 2nd time we as friends and family are going to have to try to get some loser guy away from her. Neither of them can see the forest for the trees. Right now she is more stabilized, and sees what she did was a mistake, but doesn't connect the boyfriend's influence to it. He views her as a means to repair his bad credit and get back the things he lost due to his numerous DUIs, divorce and incarceration all because he has to drink. I have no interest in trying to help the boyfriend because he has made a career out of boozing and is quite happy doing it. We just want to learn how and when to appeal to our friend that she should not marry this guy right now or ever for that matter. I have a criminal file on him that I downloaded from the public records website, and don't know exactly when would be a good time for her to see it. During the last 6 years she has been taking her meds and put herself through college graduating Summa cum Laude as a single mother even. We would hate to see her lose everything she has worked for as well as custody of her 2 kids. Any ideas?

My daughter is 12 and bipolar. She wanted to go see her grandpa who is 4.1/2hrs away. She has been there 5 days. (I home school her..so sometimes she gets sick of me!)He's a grumpy hermit and his wife tlks constantly. I warned her....in 4 days we go to get her. But she wants me to come now. I don't know if she can handle it till then. Any advice?

i am a mother with diagnosed bi-polar,ptsd,ocd,depression and anxixety,but now I believe i have DID (split personality-wich I did not get help for yet). I recently moved to a new state and am shopping for a therapist as my main personality spiral downward. I feel like i'm going crazy, forgetting stuff so i am paranoid. I have gotten medication for the other diagnoses but i've had bad side effects so i decided to do talk therapy without meds. Now here's my dilema my son is now being scene by a psychiatrist for a mood disorder not yet diagnosed, it may be bipolar I am afraid. He is a child and I do not want him to go through any of the side effects that I went through. When I was pregant with my daughter I was told there would be no side effect but The panflict said there was not enough time pass to have a definite answer. Now my daughter has rashes hair loss, by the way after four months of being pregnant and having heart palpitations I stopped taking the meds. I'm afraid and feeling lost expecially as I go thru my own personal battle. I am functional although my job is stressful have toxic relationships ( I am working on getting rid of )and am in several situation out of my control. I am aloso afraid of meds it feels almost hopeless. Usually I recover but now I feel lost.

I am 38 years old and was just told I have Bipolar 2. I have been through two marriages and a serious relationship which ended two days after I was diagnosed. I have 3 children. Im scared to death. I work in an adult mental facility. Many of our patients have bipolar along with other illnesses. I have been being treated for sever depression on and off for 20 years now. I have tried to commit suicide twice due to the overwhelming feeling of "I don't matter". I guess what I am trying to do today is reach out to those who are loiving with this thing and are actually living a half way normal life and are actually happy sometimes and not depressed all the time. I want to experience that. So please is there anyone out there who can help???!!!!!!

Can you be a US citizen ad live overseas and receive disability for bi-polar?

I was diagnosed with bipolar and borderline personality disorder 15yrs. ago. There is no magic answer, but there is life after diagnoses. I'm on an effective med regiment, I have a close relationship with God (lots of prayer!!), have been through diabolic behavorial therapy( 1 year outpatient program), learned my triggers and have set up plans with my husband and close friends to help identify when an episode is coming on or getting out of control. I know that sounds like so much but actually living, being alive and functioning and enjoying life takes work. My symptoms are not me! The symptoms are the illness! I'm not cured and there are times when I am barely hanging on but atleast I'm hanging on. For those of you who feel like it will never get better, don't give up. I'm bipolar and I'm enjoying life. You can too.

I am curious about adhd, bpd or cd because my sister and I recently lost all of our immediate relatives within 6 months. The medication such as aderall is suppose to assist with focus but does it also cause bipolar symptoms when taken for a while and then either stop or misuse the medicine.

I am a 52 yr. old man who has rode the roller coaster from HELL and to this day has not been able to get off. The answers will never come until BI-POLAR disease gets the intrest and attention all other diseases get or should i say the select diseases . I have been misdiagnosed put on all the wrong drugs ,unable to afford proper medical care have been refused care from doctors once they found out my problem WE ARE THE PLAGUE ! . The most painfull time is when I get to a place where i'm able to see clearly and see all the damage and pain behind me . My marriage is over all i have left is my daughter and she is what gets me through those dreaded and distructive times. Over the years I have coped more and more buy removing myself from any interaction ( not dealing with it). I am at it again trying to find a solution that will work . As I said at the start real solutins will not happen until society accepts our illness and to all those loved ones who care and make life better for US you are appreciated even if WE do not show it. still fighting

Is it possible for one to have both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia? If so, how helpful would medications to one (bipolar) be to the other (schizophrenia)?

I'm 29 also and recently diagnosed Bipolar. I have had so many different diagnoses PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, ADD, just too name a few. I know exactly how you feel. It's been 15 years of various medicines and antidepressents and never feeling any better. Always putting my family through the highs and lows; I'm feeling alright for the first time with a combination on Lithium and Prozac. I am praying this will be the difference over time. The Lithium was added a week ago. I'll keep you posted. I hope you all feel better. I know how you feel and how angry it can make you to wonder if your life would've been different if you'd had treatment and the right diagnosis.......

I was diagnosed this past year at age 29 with bipolar. After doing a lot of research, WOW that sure explained a lot of things that have occurred throughout my life!!! Such as the crazy and wild ways I have always had, then the I want to be in a black hole and left all alone don't even look at me feeling, to the enraged with soo much anger for no good totally unexplained reason inside that I just could not understand. That doesn't even include the drug, sex, violence, and other crazy ass addictions and fetishes that I have subjected myself to through the years. These all started at a young age and now makes perfect sense, but not until now did any of it make any sense. I can say that it has been a long haul and it is even a longer harder battle to fight your own inner demons. You begin to learn what your triggers are and what sets you off into directions you do not want to be in. You have to utilize your mesications, self control, and support system to their fullest extents each and every single day to stay on track to make life what you want it to be rather than letting the Bipolar making life what it wants life to be for you. I struggle very hard uphill in a constant never ending battle everyday so please believe me when I say this is all easier said than done and I know that because I live it and with it myself, but it can be done and you can live a productive life. It takes time, faith, pain, sweat and a lot of tears, but it can happen. I am also a single mother of two and at ages 8 & 9; I now have to face the fact that my son who is 8; is fine at school and in public but at home is totally out of control. I have tried it all but nothing seems to phase him. I now have to try to face the music and deal with an 8 year old bipolar child as well as manage my own. How do I deal with the outlandish explosive severity of anger he displays? This is a whole new ball game for me.

Our almost 14 year old grandson has bipolar, ADHD, and ODD. We are raising him and our almost 11 year old granddaughter who is ADHD but no behavior problems. We have tried all sorts of meds and therapy. Can't seem to find the right combinations. We don't know how much more we can take of his aggressive behaviors. WE NEED HELP

im a 16 year old my dad was bipolar i know it is hard to live with someone that has it. the only thing i can say and i hope people do is make sure they stay on their meds and DON'T LET THEM DRINK. my dad killed himself may 30,2003 bc he was off his meds and drinking and really down and then last year my mom tryed to kill herself and when she went in the hospital they told her that she also has bipolar so the one thing i can tell u is love them and try to help them and dont ever take time with them forganted

I have beem looking for someone to doiscuss BP proble,s. I have been dealing with it for about 20 years. Just looking for someone that may they can explain more to me. Thanks Ken

my grand son is 4 . he get in trouble at school. He has alot of anger, he hits he is a sweet loving kid but when he gets mad he is uncontrolable I have a hard time calming him . he doesn't like to go to bed or get up in the mornings . What can I do to help him? without putting him on alot of meds.

Hi I am a 27 year old female who was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder almost 2 years ago, before then since I was about 16 years old I started exhibiting extreme behaviors which I thought were normal for a rebellious teenager until I became very depressed and continued on to the age of 25 when I started to develope major anxiety, and insomnia then my mood swings became more prevalent hence leading to a diagnosis that was finally made by a past psychiatrist "bipolar". Before I was diagnosed I had attempted suicide 2x. I have been through some major changes, and have made big mistakes in my life because of bad decisions i.e. drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, moving away from home, almost losing my job, financial hardships, eating disorders to even getting married. I just don't know if I am on the right path of getting better, learning from my mistakes or and even learning how to deal with this disorder that I have a hard time accepting. I feel as if some days and weeks I'm ok and doing well to totally feeling the opposite hopeless and making another mistake. How do you know how to tell the difference whether it's really you making the right decision vs it's my disorder kicking in. I'm really scared, b/c I feel as if I don't know myself sometimes and scared of making horrible life altering mistakes, I mean getting married and divorced is really taking a toll on me in realizing what in the world was I thinking, and who was that person how could I have been so dumb!!! Any advice?

I am 50 yr. female - ladies - take your hormone pills - I used Estroven, an over the counter drug and got within 1 point of my correct hormome level! Inncorrect hormone levels will cause you to cry more! This is urgent news to women especially. Men DO suffer from this as well. I have been on every drug there is, and they never got it right and I had a lithium overdose, ambulance to treatment (14 days), two yrs. ago. I could go on and on, to tell the story that we are cattle and one shoe fits all with meds. I even snapped on my meds - which are better now than ever before, and tried for the first time in my life, to put a gun to my head (6 days in treatment center for that one last year.) Be careful. I am on the following now - lamictal (which is safer than lithium overdose), cymbalta (which I personally lowered my dose from 90 mg. to 30 mg. working that by myself for 6 months now), Ativan - narcotic (which no psychiatrist will usually give you, because of addiction!, PLUS IT WORKS for mania - I suffer from severve mania). Terrible to say - but a drug used for my back nerve pain called LYRICA - helps me NOT CRY and takes care of the depression part. Do not try this at home . I find that 1 Dr. treating you is this BEST answer - most will not - but I was lucky. I left all psychiarist and have all my meds under the care of my G.P. They were so wrong about what I really needed. Something caused me to have terrible headaches everyday and in my mix is Butabital (a narcotic with tylenol, caffiene and a small amount of barbituate - which will show up in a drug screen!, but not the ativan - wierd). I got Disability last year, after 30 years of working in Radio/TV, but I had other issues of ADHD - which NO Dr. will treat - due to ex. of Aterol making you too hyper and it is addictive. I tried it w/o Dr. supervision and it makes you feel so good! I only tried it 1 day. Do not do this by yourself! I hate this disease and the drugs for it cause so many side effects, it is unreal! Get use to it - no one will ever understand your condition fully, sorry to say. I've read all the books, but my husband and family have not, nor will they ever. AA will help you - GREATLY - working the 12 steps -PLEASE DO IT. I have been in AA - 20 years. I also am a "recovering alcohol isic and was addicted to zanax with drinking - on top of whatever meds I was on. I see a PSYCHOLOGIST to talk, two times per week and it REALLY HELPS. There are many, many of us that are dual diagnosis - this is so common! You must research M/D, Mania, ADHA, and addiction on your own, to be able to get somewhere by asking your DR. "IS THIS A DRUG I CAN SUBSTITUTE FOR YOURS ---- THAT DON"T WORK?". It is so sad - so little is known about this disease. Hang in there and I hope this helps to save a life! Go in another room if people can't stand your behavior till the worst passes and tell yourself it's O.K. As you know, this too shall pass. Pray to God allot because he does understand. My love to all who suffer and all those around them.

Working peopleI withbipolar disorder is it more common in men or women and what race

I am a 15 year old teenage girl. I have been searching the enternet for an explanation for my feelings and actions. Im extremley happy one minute and another it feels like my world is ending. My friends used to ask me questions about what was wrong with me and why my moods change so suddenly, I always had the same answer, "I don't know." Now my friends either become irritable with me or just ignore me. I think they think that im trying to get attention, but the truth is that i really dont know and im just as frusterated with myself as they are. I dont know wether im bipolar or im just going trough what every teenager goes through, sometimes i think its impossible though because its been going on for such a long time. Even when i was a toddler...... Im scared to get checked out because im afraid of what people might think or say about me...

To the woman asking about the 4 year old boy. I have a 5 year old son and he was diagnosed last year with ADHD. The medication they put him on made him sprial out of control we were sent to a neurologist who said he was depressed and put him on zoloft. It was the worst 6 days of my life he was not sleeping he said very bizzar things it scared the hell out of me. I called the neurologist and he said he would have to be seen by a pych doc. We were lucky enough to get him into Rainbow Babies Childrens Hospital. He was taken off of all meds for 2 weeks it was very difficul tbut nessiary due to his age in oder to put him on mood staiblizers. Hes been on them for 3 months he is so happy now. in chidren its very hard to diagnose we drive 2 hours once a week and his doctor spends about 2 hours with him. I will tell u he had symptoms as early as 2 years old. With most kids if they have a fit and want something and you give it to them they stop crying or can be consouled.With children and bipolar there is nothing you could do. He would go days without sleeping about the time we would think this is'nt normal he would crash I was diagnosed with bipolar at 17. my mother is a angoraphobia ( cant leave her house) my husband has never had problems. If you think your child has symptoms you need to call your doctor and tell him your fears. The worst thing you can do for your child is let them go untreated. I'm sure most of you who read this are bipolar and can agree.

I just found out today my 11 year old granddaughter has adhd and bipolar. She has lived with me for 9 years, her and her 2 sister's.Is there any thing out there that can help me on montly basic to help me take care of her. I know she can't get ssi. Thank you,

I just turned 25 and was recently diagnosed with type 1 bipolar disorder. I have been on many medications for a long time and have not yet found one that has helped. And I know it can take a long time for some medications to have any effect if any, some need to be slowly adjusted because they can cause severe health problems if not monitored correctly. I found this out the hard way. There is no quick fix for this disorder and it is very hard to make people who do not know what you are going through understand. The only thing I can say is never give up hope which is hard when you have this disorder, just keep believing things will eventually get better.

i'm probably never gonna be on this site again but one of my biggest promblems with my bpd is my hypersexuality... it gets me into trouble at skool and stuff. its not fair how my sisters don't have my types ofproblems. while their on the deans list i'm tryin not to get kicked out of my already special skool stay out of jail and not get myself into trouble...i cant take bipolar meds because they decrease my motivation and keep my mood level but low...

wow ive learned now that i have a bipolar disorder and im 13 years old. I have Mostly all the symptoms but im trying to do better for myslef tho. It was akready when i strted to feel isolated and felt an extreme difference to others in not a normal way which began when i was in 2nd grade. Music is what keeps me thinking postive and i want to do better for myslef and for my family.

Samantha, I think you should tell your mother to search websites just like this one. Knowledge is power and if she sees just how many people are out there that have this disorder maybe she will begin to understand that it is real and it is essential to have the support of family and friends to help you through it. I wish you all the best sweetie. I'm sending prayers your way. Take care and good luck, Heather - Ontario

i am 44 and have had bipolar since birth.3years ago got diagnosed with bi-poar unspecified meaning they can't determine between 1 and 2.would love to chat with anyone about this dis-order and maybe we can help one another ....galaxian500@yahoo.com

I am a mom of a 13 year old young lady with bipolar. I knew from the time I brought her home from the hospital something wasn't right. Nothing about her infant months, toddler years were "typical." I sought help for her 3 days after her 4th bithday. It has been an ongoing struggle for our entire family. When you feel you can't take it anymore...take a deep breath and NEVER give up..as hard as it is for us a parents--can you imagine a life of being the destruction of a storm and the beautiful rainbow at the end. Embrace the days of the rainbows for they make us stronger for the storms!! hang in there-mom from phoenix

I am 43 years old and have been dealing with my "bipolar lifestyle" since I was 16. I was misdiagnosed as depressed, split personality etc etc. I have tried many different medications and had many different reactions to them. All I can say is do not give up, there is a balance, find cognitive therapy, find support groups,talk to people and never hide or be ashamed break the cycle. I know my children, family and loved ones all appreciate me having done it!!

I am 14 years old and have been diagnosed with depresion, I am curently on prozac (20mg) I have always had major mood swings and I go from high to low on a daily basis. My mom can tell me something and ill be manic then my friend can tell me one other small thing and ill go back down. I am not sure if I have bipolar. My mother thinks that I am just moody and need to get over it. I wish she could understand what I am going through but she just gets angry. I've tried talking to her but it doesnt seem to make a difference. Any adivce please? -Samantha

i am the mother of a 30 year old female who has had problems all her life. she was never diagnosed until 20 years of age. i guess we just assumed she was sloe or different. i wish someone would have brought it to our attention i would have made sure she had gotton help. last month she tried to committ suicide. if you know someone with this please let the parents know in some caring way as soon as it is noticed by you friend, family member, teacher, ect. bless them all

I have a 13 year old son that was diagnosed at age 7. He spent 12 days in the hospital last year. He is on Concerta, Depakote, and Seroquel. He sleeps a lot better now, he used to have nightmares. Over the years he has been on Luvox, Clonidine, Prozac. The Luvox was not good for him at all

I am a mother of a 13 year old with BI polar, we have family staying for the summer, things are not going well, they dont seem to understand his problems, they think I am being the bad Mom for not punishing him more just want to talk before I go CRAZY! A Mom

Anonymous who don't know what to tell thier parents... You do need to tell them and the best way is to tell them exactly what is going on with you, and tell all of it good bad or ugly. I am 34 years old and was diagnosed Bipolar NOS (Not otherwise specified) last summer. I had always had alot of drama in my life,even when I was a kid I had my mom's drama to deal with too. I say drama and I am sure you get offended when people say that you are drama but that is exactly what it is. No you can't control it, so why try to stop it. The best thing that I found for me when I have episodes is to think of the Serenity Prayer, I don't know it word for word but to me it means don't fight the things that you can not fix. You are going to cry, get angry and all of the other things that come along with this ugliness going on inside that will NEVER stop but it can get better with meds and therapy. I am curious to know how old you are, like if you are a teenager maybe you are just suffering from the drama of high school or maybe you are infact bipoloar or maybe you have another disorder and you or who ever is telling you this information are misdiagnosing. I urge you to tell your parents to atleast take you to the doctor so you can find out what is going on and if you don't know how to talk to your parents you will deffinately benifit from seeing a therapist who you will learn to be open with and maybe you could learn how to handle things yourself or with the help of your parents. I don't know everything but I do know that I have it and it stinks. But you are not alone, you need to look for a support group or a website that you can interact with others who suffer from symptoms of Bipoolar or have already been diagnosed maybe then you will get the insight you need to talk to your parents. The scary thing that I am finding out about Bipoloar is that it is often misdiagnosed in children and is being diagnosed as the childhood disorder ADHD. My son is 9 and he has been diagnosed with ADHD since he was 6 and with me being diagnosed bipoloar I did some research online and my heart breaks when I think that this disorder is hereditary and all. I worry about my son. Please talk to your parents you don't want to go through life with any more struggles than you have to. Good luck, My name is Amber by the way and I have saved this page to my favorites so that I can look back to see if you have posted again. I hope you find the help you need.

Im bipolar and not enough people understand what it really is they think its just some thing that you can control amd you cant so people look at you and me diffrently and its just the outside looken in

I am a mother of a 4 year old little boy that has ADHD and Bipolar. I took him to his family doctor because he was having periods where he would get so mad that he would break stuff or beat a little kid up at daycare to release his anger. His family doctor said that it was just a faze he was going thru and just needed more attention. I finally took him to a mental health doctor that specialized in young children and found out what I had expected all along. Mothers if you think that your child is ADHD or Bipolar don't give up, because one day at the right time your child will act out in front of the right person and help will come. Believe me. Once the proper diagnosis is made and the right medication is found you will find the most amazing kid that you will ever meet. If you have any questions or just want to talk e-mail me and in the subject box put Bipolar. lesli_pinley@yahoo.com

children with bipolar disorder should be extremely weary of antidepressants as they can increase mania.