Mental.. Mind problems. :( :(?

Question

Doctors and medicines really freak me out because I have been on so many medications it's not even right. But I deal with sadness/depression/mood changes and I'm a Christian and I don't want to be this way but it hurts so bad to have to live with this disease(s). :( :~( How long does it take going through a great mental illness or a great sadness? I hope to outgrow this SOON and everything will work out for the best. :)

Answer 1

I hope you do too, but it is impossible to predict how long it will take.

Answer 2

Have you ever been to a counselor or therapist? Have you been diagnosed with anything (bipolar, clinical depression, panic, etc.)? It has nothing to do with being a Christian or not; nobody wants to feel this way.

This is not your fault; you should know that first. It is, for the most part, a chemical problem. If your brain was producing enough serotonin, etc., you wouldn't feel this way so often. I think you should really look into finding an objective party to talk to about your fears and sadness. Ask your minister or priest for idea. This has a great chance of lessening if you begin to understand you need and deserve help. If these mood swings are constant, you really need to see a psychiatrist. Like you said, it is a disease. All diseases need to be treated to cure.

I understand that you have seen doctors and been on meds in the past but you may need to see someone new. A good psychiatrist will try some medications to get an idea of whether or not you react well to them, but you should get a diagnosis first. Surely, though, talking about your problems helps as well.

Best of luck to you.

*Sam* - Diagnoses of bipolar are almost always helped with medication. I have seen very young children have to take meds to control the mood swings. Under 18 or not, you are entitled to get treatment (unless you've been known to use drugs in the past). BPD is a very serious disease - chemical and genetic. The synapses in your brain aren't sending information correctly. Medicine (and therapy) is the best way to treat BPD. Please ask your parents or school counselor to see a psychiatrist. You should never have to live in a situation wherein you often want to kill yourself. BPD is a lifelong disease, just like diabetes is. It HAS to be treated with medication. The doctors can decide what dosages are good for your age. Not treating BPD is like not treating diabetes - if you don't, it will become increasingly difficult to live with, and the suicidal thoughts will worsen. Please speak with an adult you trust about this, or an objective school counselor. Just as diabetics need insulin, you need mood stabilizers. Medication and professional counseling work best. Here's more on your condition and what may help:
http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/bipolar.html

Best of luck to you too.

Answer 3

It may take a long time to find the right medication and the right dosage to stabilize you. I've had this problem all of my life and was diagnosed with Bi-Polar Disorder. I take medication and although I am not perfect I am certainly much better than before. Life is more bearable and manageable. I still deal with depression but on a level that I can reason with it not like it was before when it took over my life. Finding the right drug combo can be a pain but stick with it because in the end it is definitely worth it. I also am a Christian and praying and asking for help will do you good. God bless you.
jw

Answer 4

you don't outgrow mental illness or sadness or depression... sure, sometimes feelings move on and you can move forward but your actions and reactions are your responsibility and yours alone... pills mask symptoms same as Comtrex masks the symptoms of a cold... when the pill wears off, you are left with the symptoms...

coldhearted as this may sound, things won't get better until you start to deal with yourself. There are so many ways to work to moving forward into recovery. The medical model of dealing with mental distress is addressing symptoms and not the whole person. The recovery model takes the person in the context of his/her life and offers hope that tomorrow doesn't have to stink as badly as today did.

The very act of feeling stuck in your symptoms heightens the symptoms... learned helplessness is when you "buy in" to the notion that you are disabled and that you are doomed for life unless something/someone takes care of you for you.

"Long term studies have consistently found that 50% or more of people diagnosed with a major mental illness go on to a significant or complete recovery." (quoted from the New York State Office of Mental Health)

Docs don't want to buy into the notion that people can and do recover because that means less patients for them and the pharmaceutical companies don't buy in because it means that less folks will buy their drugs... have you ever given thought to the fact that medications are also called drugs??? things that make you go hmmmmmmmmmmm.

I agree that there are times that medication can be a bridge between an episode and mental balance but long term???? shooo once your cold is over, you don't still take the Comtrex, do ya?

A psychiatrist who I respect over most folks I've ever met told me that the moment you ingest a psychotropic medication, your brain chemistry is forever altered.

My way of life is to safeguard my mental health by being proactive about my mental wellness, not buying into a mental illness - I don't have fever, I am not puking, I AM NOT ILL!... I myself enjoy the dubious distinction of having two Axis I mental health diagnoses and I gotta tell ya, they've been my blessing. On my recovery journey, I've been privileged to meet the most amazing, inspirational people who bring out the awe in me in the strength to move forward despite the intense odds against them.

My recommendation is to give recovery a shot. Add it to whatever else you are currently doing to get well (likes meds and therapy). That's the thing... you have to GET well and meds can't help with that much... again, they just mask the symptoms.

I also answered your question on disability... after 4 years in bed -"disabled", I attended a training course that helped me to use my experience with mental illness to train human service workers to do the same. 6 years later, med free, working 50 hour weeks, I run the program. Feel free to email me if you want to know more.

Hope flourishes in the heart of those who believe in it... where there is life, there is hope. You may not have hope for tomorrow, for the future, right at this moment but if you BELIEVE in hope, it can blossom and help you move forward.

Good luck

Answer 5

Depending on your diagnosis/-es, you may struggle with it for a while. However, everyone has differing levels of resiliency (the ability to "bounce back") and everyone grieves at different rates. Most times, it's all in the attitude - if you make up your mind to "fake it 'til you make it," that may help. Try the thought-stopping technique: when you find yourself thinking of negative things, recognize them for what they are, then make a conscious decision to focus on the positive. Sometimes it's hard to find that small space of time where you actually have the forethought to shift to positive thinking. A lot of times, that's where the right medication comes in. I hope you can find it! Please keep in mind that sometimes it takes a couple of months for meds to really make noticable changes in your perspective.

For me, I have to surround myself with positive things - things I enjoy seeing/doing, people I love. I also find that planning for the future helps, like planning my dream house or planning a future vacation. I pray a lot and read my Bible. God may be preparing you for future work with others suffering from what you're experiencing now! You just never know. Just keep looking up and have faith that He will never give you more than you and He together can handle! Good luck & God bless!

Answer 6

Although I'm not at all sure the grieving I had to go through following the sudden death of my husband is the same as what you're going through, it was definitely my great sadness. Nothing can prepare you for it until you're going through it. I allowed myself to move at my own pace, but to continue moving forward and not get stuck. Some days I took baby steps. Other days I took giant steps. The main thing, though, was to keep moving forward and not to allow myself to get stuck or go backwards. It worked for me and maybe could for you, too.

Answer 7

i have bpd and it sux royally- no one will put me on meds cos it can mess with you if you're under 18... depression sux i must agree, and the only thing stopping me from killing myself is hell because i am a Christian too. the only thing i can say to you is hang on and keep praying- your day will come. May the Lord be with you in these trying times and suffering.

=] love, sam

Answer 8

Keep praying, and keep taking the medication.