Do I need help?

Question

I'm a very emotional person, and have been told by several people that I show signs of manic depression. I can see this myself when I look at the symptoms and compare them with myself. I check every box. But, I'm mostly up. I enjoy the creativity it brings, the enthusiasm & the love I feel for everyone around me. It's just the lows can swing into action very quickly and swallow me whole. And the spending. I'm thinking of going to see a doctor, but I'm worried that if they put me on medication I will lose the highs. Is it worth putting up with 10% of feeling worthless, sleeping to escape my mind & a general sense of hopelessness to experience the great rushes of the opposite end of the spectrum OR, is it be better to balance myself out. I've spoken to my bf about this & he thinks I should see a doctor, but I don’t feel ready to talk to friends or family, so ur opinions will be greatly appreciated. I'm just scared of going on drugs & losing the great parts of my personality. thx

Hi Annette, thanks 4 ur time. My dad was v. violent & emotionally abusive, when my mum left he kidnapped my brother & we didn't see him 4 2 years (he was 9). My mum went thru a mental breakdown & my teenage yrs were very difficult. Then my dad sxly assaulted my yngst bro. I got married at 21 to try to put the wrongs right & make my own family, but my hsbnd was v. manipulative & destroyed my self esteem. I left him after 4 yrs cos I was fed up with his treatment (no kids). Despite all of this, I'm so open with people and am generally a very hpy person & I mk friends very quickly & am often cntr of attn. When the lows hit, it's not cos I'm thinking of the past, I just suddenly hv no zest or interest and cry a lot & this can last 4 svrl days. My b/f is worried abt me & wnts 2 spprt me, & manic dprsn runs in my family. I'm proud tht I am mstly upbeat inspite of past woes, I just don't want to keep hurting ppl I love with my mood swings. Based on all abv, do u think I shld gt help?

Answer 1

i would love to ride your rollacoasta

Answer 2

Hi there,
It is not going to do you any harm if you go and see a doctor. The main thing for you to consider is that bipolar disorder (manic depression) can be very dangerous.
Even though you like the highs, and I can see why, they will eventually also get out of control.
Some people with more progressed bipolar disorder, can go without sleep or food for days, because their are experiencing manic episodes (highs). This is very harmful for your overall health. It can also impair your judgement. Whilst in manic episodes people can feel invinsible, and they put themselves in dangerous situations.
On the other hand the depression swings make you feel very low, and drained. I do not mean to scare you, but depressed people commit suicide sometimes. Even though in your case these episodes are not as persistent and often at the moment it can all change.
The thing is that you cannot know when the switch will occur between mania and depression. It is also impossible to predict how the condition is going to progress! What if your 10% of bad mood, will turn into 75% in the future???
Unfortunately, you cannot just balance yourself out, darling. It is mostly caused by the chemical inbalance in your brain. Your levels of neurotransmitter serotonin are jumping from high to low.
The medication will level this out and you will be able to feel just right all the time.
I can understan why you have doubts and fears. I would be just as unsure in your situation. I would advise you to seek help though. I believe it will be for the best.
Chances are your condition might not even be severe, you might not need strong medication. From what you have written so far your everyday functioning is not hugely impaired by your mood swings.
You might be just in need of some counceling, and that is always good. Helps you deal with any issues you have, liberates you.
Think about it, you actually are concerned about yourself, or you wouldn't have asked the question. I suggest you help yourself out and see the doctor. You will benefit from it in the long run.
All the best,
Natalija

Answer 3

Hello, I would like to shed some insight to your dilema. First of all I can fully relate to you. I used to have those ups and downs, but there was stuff going on in my life. I too did not want to go the "perscription" route and I too was mostly up and did not want to "sell out" my personality for the few times I was down. So I totally feel you on this one.

I do have a few questions though. First of all, are you in a bad relationship? Has someone close to you died or is sick, have you been betrayed by a close friend or family member? If you answered yes to any of these questions, than your ups and downs may not be "manic" they could be just some "drama" going on within yourself because of these relationships. The answer is to try and end a relationship that is effecting you this way. Because your feelings of worthlessness and stuff are coming from somewhere and if you are mostly up than where are these thoughts coming from. Who has contributed to you believeing these negative notions about yourself? Past programing in childhood, a previous boyfreind?

If none of the above is true for you then, yes ....go to a therapist and check it out. Don't do the "perscrption" thing if you don't want to. There are many alternative nutrition routes to take to balance out your moods. I'm writing a book about foods you can eat that alter your mood and have the same effect as perscription drugs, but with no side effects!

Best of luck dear and write back if you have more questions1
Annette

Answer 4

Hi,If your friends and bf suggest you see someone you should. (especially since you check every box) I know about manic depression my husband has lived with it for 12 years now, and I would suggest to anyone to go talk to your doctor about it A.S.A.P. They can help you control you feelings with out feeling extremely low or high. It would be good to involve your family if they are the supportive type. Over the years my husbands moods swings began to become increasingly worse to the point where he nearly endangered our kids it began to get so bad that while he was having a high he couldn't remember things that he had done after. So now we are separated and live in different countries. ( that's what we agreed) cause he realises now that it wasn't a good thing no matter how good he felt at the time when he came down he realised the damage he had done. Now he is working with doctor's keep a journal on how he is feeling everyday. It seems to be helping. I only hope it works out for you . Good Luck

Answer 5

Hi It sounds like you have really been through it. I would suggest that you see your doctor, but also that you understand that seeing the doctor doesn't mean that you have to totally give up control of your life. Anti-depressants work really well if they are taken for a short period of time, not for ever, as far as I understand it, just long enough to help you find some middle ground. Its fine having the highs and getting through the lows, but everyone needs some middle ground too. Thats the bit that's missing. Once you get that back, you can get the highs, and of course there will be a few lows, but not as desperate and not for as long.

Good luck in finding your way, and take care.

Answer 6

See the doc

Drugs are your choice; the doc will understand that. You can come off them if it's not working for you. You may also find that you can tune the dose so that you don't lose too much of the high (or turn off too much of the low). Expect a bit of a rough ride as you figure out which drug and how much to take - it can take a couple of years to get that right.

There's much less of a lock-in with drugs these days. It's not like a lobotomy. It's like pressing the brake pedal gently - you can take your foot off again if you want.

Answer 7

This Q is v. personal 4 me as hav been diagnosed as bi-polar since i was 12. Doctors can help, but only if YOU feel you need someone to talk to, but i would advise you not to take drugs as it numbs you out and you seem to enjoy the highs, as i myself do, The real key is working out why it all started and what sets both states off, then working out a system of keeping yourself on an even keel, for instance when im down i can barely get out of bed, i dont want to see any1 and my everything my fiance says makes me cry, the only thing to do is make sure im well fed and force myself to do something creative, and an hour in ill start to enjoy my work. it's very hard for ppl around you to deal with so its important they understand how your feeling, but you can only talk when you see it clearly, my advice is sit down and write out a life map with everything that seems important first. dont turn to drink or drugs when ur down it will only make matters worse in the long run. i have now found a system that works for me and im getting steadily less extreme. you are your best doctor but if you need to talk professionals can be very useful. i hope you find your way, i really feel for you coz i remember wat it feels like, dont let any one try to change you just try to know how to cheer yourself up wen u do feel crap, and dont give up coz youll get to a point where your comfortable with the swings and will learn to take more control. good luck and i hope this helps in some way? x x

Answer 8

Many people who suffer from manic depression dont want to take medication because it gets rid of the highs. My advice would be to go and see the doctor who can give you medication, but you don't have to take it. The choice is yours. If it was me, I probably wouldnt want to take medication and wouldnt go to the doctor, although I cant be sure and I'm not very responsible so don't rely on that.

Answer 9

i think u need to consult the Doctor .

Or why dont u talk about this to your family ,i am sure they are with u they see u on a daily basis they would really be able to help u , as u said u dont want to lose the creativity and the enthusiasm you get out of it .

So wait for sometime , talk to family and then if you and your family thinks its geting off hand , please go to the Doctor.

Take care

Answer 10

You will lose yourself in the lows.

Your friends will find it to erratic and stressful and they will begin to distance themselves because you are unstable.

You will struggle to succeed in your career during the lows.

You can even become suicidal.

You should seek help.