Manic depression...?

[Janos]

Does anyone else suffer from this (or think they suffer from it?)

[suedenley]

my dh is undergoing assesment at the mo as they think he is bi polar he is very difficult to live with most of the time .

[jabberwocky]

Pretty sure an ex-bf had it. He could go from charming to utterly frightful in 10 seconds flat.

[Janos]

Yes, I can understand that sudenley. My mum is bipolar.

[throckenholt]

did you watch the Stephen Fry programs recently ?

[Janos]

I did watch the Stephen Fry programmes, it really struck a chord..

[throckenholt]

you or someone else ?

Whichever - if you think it may be relevant then well worth getting it checked out. From what he said he had been ignoring it and living with it for years but seem to think it was getting worse and should be treated.

I guess it is like a lot of things - admitting there is a problem is the first big step to dealing with it.

[Feelion]

My brother is bipolar as was my g/father. they tried shock treatment on him but didnt do much. I probably am too but hate to think it.

[Janos]

I'm pretty sure I am...haven't been diagnosed but am planning on going to the doctors next week so wil mention it then. It is a bit frightening.

[throckenholt]

I can imagine it would be very difficult to think you would never have the creative buzz of the mania phase - but the depressed phase must be something you dread.

[ladyschaefer]

My DP is Bi Polar, he's not on medication at the moment as he's coping quite well but he still has his occasional down moments although they are becoming less frequent. When he's going through his mania he can do anything, he writes, draws, makes music its like he can take on the world. I found websites on the subject helped me a lot as it was hard for me to deal with him when he was down, but now that i understand Bi Polar what it is and what it does i find it a lot easier and i can sympathise more.

[suedenley]

My dh is on anti depressants though they are assessing at the mo to see if mood stabilizers would help more as at the moment he is very low and is having a lot of suicidal thoughts he spends most of his time sleeping and wont talk to his friends or answer the phone even though he can see who is calling he has zero tolerance of the kids so he shuts himself away in the bedroom.we never go out when hes like this as he cant stand being near people and thinks they are judging him.
When he is manic he isnt creative though, he just seems to think were rich and is constantly buying stuff he doesnt need like cars, he has 7,
mobile phones he has 20 and wheels he has 15 different sets here and i know he stashes some at work so i dont find out about them, he has been in trouble with the police as he thinks he can get away with stuff he has abused alcahol and drugs in the past , He has no sex drive whatsoever and i really try to understand and be supportive but some days i think i cant stand it anymore and want to leave him and then i feel guilty because he cant help how he is and as he points out im understanding of our son who is asd.sorry for rant feeling sorry for myself today

[mummylin2495]

hello Suedenly.i understand your frusrations as i have a sister who is also bi polar ,she has the symtom of thinking she is really rich and she goes every day to a cafe for lunch ,when she could actually cook it ,she has also just been on a self awareness course which cost her £ 600 ,but then she tells me she is worried about paying for this that and the other! It is a very complex illness and i too have been very upset and even annoyed when she does what i think are stupid things but of course to her are normal.My sis has had very bad mania episodes and has been known to get drunk in a resturant and dance around causing her husband ( ex now ) and children to be mortified. But through it all they need someone there whichever scale they are at wether it be a low or a high The stupid spending is part of the illness and you cant tell them what to do with their own money.One of the problems with my sister is that when she is on a low she will not meet with any of the family except me and she dosent want me to tell them this and that so i have to cope with her on my own.she has phoned at all times of the night to ask me to go and meet her ( usually sobbing hysterically ).But through it all ,i will be there for her as she is still my little sis.I have tried to read about her illness and now understand why she does the things she does and have a greater understanding of it now,but it is still very hard for people just beginning to cope with it.hang on in there because there is light ahead and people do get stabalised for long periods of time .we have to remember they are ill.if you want to getin touch i will send you my email address.

[mummylin2495]

SUEDENLY.have just read your post again and it is such a similar story to my sister .She also used to refuse to answer the phone even to our mum,shewould get the children to answer and say she was in the bath or gone out etc.One difference i did note was about his sex drive ,with my sis it was the exact opposite ,and she started to sleep around with the most undesirable people.She even met one while she was being treated in the priory ( luckily covered by bupa).When she is very low she sleeps an awful lo because she says " i dont have any energy " at one time she used to eat in her bedroom away from her famly and was too tired to even get her kids a drink ! they are now 17 and 20 and both going their own way now but she has seperated from her husband and the whole family has been split up. She also gets drunk quite often and this adds to whichever mood she is in at the time.

[redsky]

I'd never considered my self bi-polar until I read this thread! I know I'm prone to depression - spend days slumped on the sofa sobbing, can't look after the children, can't talk to anyone, too 'tired' to move, limbs feel heavy and achey, plan suicide etc etc but I think now I also border on the manic side. I'm on antidepressants which are working just fine at present but even when I'm feeling ok like now I always feel like the next high or low is about to overwhelm me again.

[suedenley]

Hi mummylin
thankyou youve made me feel a lot better knowing someone else understands whats going on here i have no one to talk to about this as my ds doesnt want anyone to know so i feel like im bottling up everything. He has always been like this and to be honest in the early days i used to think he was just a b*ard, cos hes a violent drunk although the life and sole in the pub, he has gambled thousands of pounds and taken great pleasure at making me cry as well as the stuff ive already mentioned already, he is always in self destruct mode, he says he sleeps because its the only time he isnt thinking and that he cant wait for death so he doesnt have to think again and that scares me.
He says he doesnt know from one day to the next if hes going to quit his job, leave me, or end his life,
the thing he says most often is that its not that he cant find worth in anything its just he cant find worth in enough.
yes would be great to email thankyou]

[mummylin2495]

SUEDENLY you can email to my hot mail i will then give you my " normal " email address .keep your chin up ,i understandhow hard it is for you.

[email protected]

[mummylin2495]

redsky you must get to your doctor so that you can get the right medical opinion,then the correct treatment,Do you have someone in your family you can turn to for a shoulder to lean on ? But please make that appt as soon as possible ,you can help.best of luck.

[mummylin2495]

redsky you must get to your doctor so that you can get the right medical opinion,then the correct treatment,Do you have someone in your family you can turn to for a shoulder to lean on ? But please make that appt as soon as possible ,you can help.best of luck.

[mummylin2495]

suedenley are you ok ?

[suedenley]

hi mummylin
Yes im fine did email, you but dont know if my email working as sometimes it doesnt. sorry i wasnt here yesterday it was my birthday and spent the day doing some much needed retail therapy got myself a digital camera and took some great photos of the kids today and put them on the computer never done that before so feeling quite proud of myself.
hope your ok too

[mummylin2495]

hi suedenley happy birthday for yesterday hope you had a good time to cheer yourself up. no email recieved so try again ! i have to go and do my little job now but will look later .hope things are calm today for you.keep your chin up.