Mental Illness & Daily Life...

bipolar/social anxiety disorder here.
i do through several phases. i tend to rapid cycle. mania and then the lowest low you can imagine.
i get anxiety/panic attacks to the point where i can't breathe and my nose gushes blood.
i'm 31 now and i didn't present till i was about 26.
i have been in inpatient hospitalized treatments more times than i can count. i've stayed at the state run psych ward to be monitored. i've even had hallucinations.

i see a great doctor now and i think i am on the right combo of meds. i was taking lithium for a long time but it just wasn't working for me.
i only take 2 different kinds of meds now and i seem to be getting under control.

it's hard to find joy in life when you have a condition such as this. i have to refrain from doing all sorts of things cause it will kick up the anxiety.
the pills just help it. it don't completely go away

reply to post by thing fish


Hi you might want to see this thread about anxiety www.abovetopsecret.com...

Ok, first off... you need a mental health lesson, mcgrower.
There are what are called classifications of mental health. Such as psychosis, neurosis, and plain ol... paranoia.
These classifications have varying degrees. Also it is theorized that they have different causes. Some learned behavioral, some coping mechanisms, some based on neurotransmitters (chemicals) imbalances, and some based on injury or trama.
Some are genetically based as well. Most of these are called disorders.
Meaning they are not in order.
Those behaviors. And once a cause has been determined, sometimes they can prescribe treatment which corrects those imbalances.
Such as hypothyroidism, lets take Hashimoto's disorder as an example. It's not classified as mental disorder, but a physical one. This is a condition where the thyroid does not produce enough of the chemical/hormone because the immune system has attacked and killed it. (Autoimmune disorder)
The treatment for this is lifelong drug therapy.
Many mental illnesses are also treated by chemicals/hormones as replacement therapy, balancing therapy, or deficiency therapy.
Are you going to tell me to not take my thyroid pills, because I should just get over it?
My body isn't operating at "normal", but it is okay to treat that, but if someone's brain is not operating at "normal" they should just say no right?
The brain is part of the physical body, doesn't make it less needy of help.
The problem is that it takes a lot of trial and error to perfect an imperfect science.
Some people respond beautifully, some do not.
That doesn't make the drugs fault.
But I would never disagree that the practices in psychotherapy have not had their dark days.


[edit on 22-9-2009 by seagrass]

Thank you both Traveller In the Dark & Seagrass, for you excellent posts.
***Also to the Many other contributions throughout the discussion. This certainly helps in dispelling the "myth's" and stigma in mental health issue's, although not all posters share this insight.

I for one are interested in learning as much as I can, so thanks again to all for sharing.

[edit on 22-9-2009 by catalyst2466]

reply to post by catalyst2466
I admire anyone who will seek out a solution to their problems. Even if the solution doesn't work. Any attempt has value.

It is also easy to say someone is mentally ill if they act and think differently than so called "normal". This is where "normal" becomes all shades of gray.

Thank you, catalyst. This topic is definitely appropriate to your name.

And thanks to all who've shared what is often considered too taboo to talk about.

I find prejudicial attitudes towards psychological disorders far too common, though largely through a lack of understanding and experience. In the interest of a greater understanding, for anyone open enough to listen, perhaps they should consider that grief is a psychological disorder of a sort.

It is a deviation from what most would consider their usual mental process. Just because it's common to nearly every human being, and just because it can be considered self-correcting in many instances (though not all) doesn't make it any less of a disorder.

And while I wouldn't argue that there are some in any profession who's attitude towards uniformity and order is rather Nazi-esque, it doesn't serve anyone to paint with such broad strokes over the entire issue or they risk being no better than those they accuse.

Casting a wide net may catch a lot of fish, but how much of what is caught is even useful or dangerous?

I believe understanding is the highest ideal we should seek to attain. Understanding and being honest with ourselves about ourselves and applying our own understanding to others may help us see that we aren't as different as we'd like to believe. And I believe that sense of commonality with all human beings can generate empathy, compassion and ultimately peace in all of us.

It's when we categorize each other, and ourselves, and place value on those categories that we breed hatred and ignorance and fear.