Bipolar and won't take my meds...what now?

Question

I know it sounds stupid, but I won't take my meds. I'm 15 and I have Bipolar disorder, as well as something called Borderline Personality Disorder.
It's just emotionally stressful to take my meds. I start bawling when I have to take them cause I'm reminded that I'm "insane" and nobody likes me. It doesn't help when people say I'm a "poor baby" cause I take 5 different meds and they're all horse pills. But I dont like people feeling bad for me.
I'm sad cause I have to take them. I feel like it does more harm to me than anything else. Now, my social worker is forcing me to take my meds and I feel so incredibly depressed.
I also feel like therapy has done a lot for me, and I don't need my meds as much. But it doesnt help when I need something like a dentist (been asking for 8 MONTHS) and my mom acts like she doesn't know what I'm talking about. She has a lot on her plate but I don't know how to schedule.
What do I do now?
Are there any websites or support groups I can check out?

Answer 1

1) You are not insane.

2) You ARE unique and special.

3) In conjunction with therapy, you will be able to wean off them, but refusing to take them while you are getting better is only inhibiting your recovery.

been there, done that

Answer 2

If your therapist is a psychiatrist I would ask him about your meds. He may agree to cut back or even stop some of them.

You should take your meds though. It may take a week or two for you to stabilize on them . Some side effects when you start depending on what they are .

I am sure there are support groups and websites. Ask at your therapist or local hospital social worker. They normally keep track of local groups.

I have listed a website that has an index of sites .

I am a diabetic and take about 6 pills each time , twice a day so I know how ya feel . It seems you are always taking pills but to be healthy you have to do it .

If your the sort of bipolar that goes from very depressed to dancing on the tables it just upsets people . They might like you if they got to know you but if your moods are all over the place they don't know what to expect and that upsets people .

You aren't insane, at least not the way you mean .

If your mom doesn't listen about stuff like a dentist , then tell someone at your school , or your therapist and let them handle it . Your mom is probably worrying more about you and what she can do to help you , or what she did wrong that made you sick.

Answer 3

I'm not sure if I have an "answer" to your question, but can offer my experience so you might be able to get something from it. I am a 26 year old female and have been diagnosed Bi-Polar for ten years now. At 16, I too refused to take my meds, and looked for other treatments. I took "natural" supplements, eat healthy, exercised, denied I even had the illness and other outrageous things. Well, here I, ten years latter and no better off despite my many attempts. I have been on MANY different meds and combos of meds. I have finally realized I MUST TAKE MY MEDS. If you were a diabetic person, would you not take your insulin? Its practically the same thing. I am going to talk and group therapy many times a week and still trying new meds to get stabilized. Never give up, More people than we can comprehend are taking meds for different conditions. Please don't give up, I haven't. Keep your chin up over there; it sounds as if you have already been so strong with all this.

Answer 4

If anyone thinks you're a poor baby because you take five different meds, THEY have the problem.

Insane is when you see pink feet dancing in front of you and hear the chocolate milk telling you to slaughter your neighbour.

Bipolar disorder is not insane.

In order for therapy to REALLY help, you need to take your meds, honey. It can be hard sometimes, but they really do help you. Don't try to do too much at once, ok? Take things slowly. You recognise you're bipolar and recognise that you SHOULD take your meds; this is a good start.

Maybe ask your mom to get your pills ready and make sure that when it's time to take them, the TV is on or you're talking on the phone so you won't think of it as much. And reward yourself after! Try to make it a bit easier on yourself, ok?

Answer 5

This is hard. Especially when you're a teenager and what everyone thinks of you is so important, and many teenagers are not as understanding as adults are when it comes to this stuff.
There are a lot of people who will talk at you and tell you what's best for you. They may not be right, even if they are doctors or professionals. If you feel strongly that the meds aren't helping then you should push hard to get off of them. Nobody knows how you feel better than you.
Remember it's OK to need help. EVERYONE does sometimes. Don't believe that perfect, independent person myth. That stuff's for the movies and TV. It's not reality. No one is like that. And, if they appear to be, it's just because you don't know them well enough.

Answer 6

I am bipolar and I also have trouble making myself take my medications sometimes. You must take your meds or you will go manic or worse... depressively manic.

On another note, being bipolar and having borderline personality disorder does not make you "insane", "retarded", or "crazy". It only makes you slightly different...and different is a good thing. I mean... what would life be like if everyone was the same? BORING. That's what.

As far as the whole dentist thing goes, ask her to teach you how to make an appointment. Not only is it a life skill that you need to learn, but it also shows initiative.

I don't know how much you know about DBT, but here's a couple links to support groups here on yahoo!
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/dbtclass/
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/DBTSKILLS-DG

I couldn't leave without giving you my IM. its Trekkiecab

Answer 7

To be completely honest, you wouldn't believe the amount of adults that actually take mental health medication. While there are still people out there who thing that these types of medications are "taboo" and shouldn't be talked about, I think you would be completely surprised at the number of people who do take medications, and are willing to share their experience. I take anxiety/depression medication. At first, I refused to tell anybody, because I thought I would be looked at differently. Eventually, I realized that many other people take meds to, and don't think bad or "odd" of me for taking mine.

One of my best friends is bipolar/borderline personality. For years, she took several different types of medications. Over the years and through therapy, she was able to SLOWLY wean herself off of her meds, and is doing quite well. 6 years ago, I never thought she would be able to be off the medicines. Although this doesn't happen for everyone, some people do need to take them all of their life. But this isn't a bad thing. I would rather take medicines and feel almost "normal", as opposed to not taking medicines and feeling like crap. It's your life, and you have the right to enjoy it. If you actually feel the medicines aren't helping, talk to your doctor. You may be able to change/reduce something, and it can be hard finding the right combination. However, if you find medicines that work for you, and allow you to work and feel better, then take them and be proud. It's a good thing to find something that will help you. There are other people in the world who would love to have meds that can help them think/live normally, but can not find the right medication for them. Also, you don't need to tell others you are on medication if you choose not to. As far as your mother, consider telling her that you will try to be less negative about taking your meds, as long as she doesn't feel the need to tell everyone about them. Also, tell her that your internet buddies said to get you to the dentist! (Try, no complaining about takintg meds for 1 or 2 weeks if she makes an appointment, this may shut her up! LOL).

Answer 8

It might not be very helpful but I'm 19 with Bipolar and I refuse to take medication too. For me, I'm too paranoid about it. I don't know what emotions are mine, I don't know whether they will take away the parts of me that I like, I don't like the thought of something controlling my head.
I don't think you should have to take medication if you don't want to; I don't think it's right you're being forced as it seems to be making you more depressed. They're testing me on just therapy now but they still give me disappointed looks as though I don't want to help myself. But you have to do what you think is right for you, not something that is going to make you more depressed. People say you should take it but different things work for different people. You wouldn't give the same amount of painkillers to someone with a toothache as you would to someone with, say, their leg blown off.
Has the medication helped at all? Can your social worker not help you with the dentists appointment? I know what you mean, I was trying to sort something out with the bank the other day and I really didn't know what I was doing or feel up to it. I feel like my mental health team should be helping me with that.
Maybe you should contact them. Their name is the P.I.E.R. team which stands for Psychotic Intervention for Early Recovery and their phone number is 0116 295 6958. Your doctor should help with referring you.
And hey, you're not insane. I don't think anyone is without their own health problems. Sounds strange but I think of it as being a different level of human. There is no such thing as normal. Hope this helped a bit. :)

Answer 9

Wow, how candy and precise. You do understand that to be bipolar, he has 2 extraordinary personalities. Do each halves of him want you equally? If not, perhaps which you could reduce him in 1/2, and provides the unwanted 1/2 to his Fluffin. On the subject of his pet named Fluffin, is Stooge looking to say he is a "Stud Muffin with Fluffin"? Either that, or provide Fluffin away to the local zoo. I hear they would use more meals for the lions and tigers. I idea Stooge also had a pet gerbil too? Marvel what he does with that little creature?

Answer 10

You are NOT insane because you have to take medication for bipolar. I take medication and it helps so much!

I go to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. You can use this link to find a chapter near you.

http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=support_findsupport

Here is an on-line support group if you are not able to make it to meetings.

http://www.bipolarsupportgroup.net/