Through my one of the members of the peer support group i started back in Nov of 2006, I learned of this poor girl who had to live her life, constantly in fear of society and the world, and feeling suicidal at times. Unfortunately, she is being unproperly medicated, and suffering needlessly, by one of those sub par doctors. There's tons of them. And being uneducated about your bipolar condition and not knowing that your doctor is shitty, sucks. I've been there before.
Not only have i seen my share of poorly treated patients, I too have been victim of extreme Mania and Depression, and not knowing that anything is wrong. I've tried cutting, burning, and strangulation before and luckily for me and everyone else who loved me, I didn't succeed. Actually, I never tried, I was only experimenting. That's what my clouded mind told me those days.
On the Mania side, I've acted out certain fantasies, like working for the Department of Homeland Security, aiding to search out hidden terrorism plots in our own country. Of course i didn't go out and shoot anyone, nor could I have, at least with out a lends attached to the front of it. I was a photographer. A photojournalist, really. I was diligently documenting vulnerabilities using my camera and voice recorder. Besides realistically, it was a good deal for everyone.
This girl was being treated with only Lithium. Lithium is probably the single best medications for treating serious mood swings, but it's only a stabilizer. Although, we all have different chemistries and certain meds work better for some than others, the simple fact remains that this girl was stabilized at an ultra low level. That low is Hell, literally.
Sucessful treatments consistantly show that bipolar disorder is treated with a variety of chemicals. Typically this regimine consists of at least a mood stabilizer and an antidepressant, but some stabilize the other way and the antideperssant triggers the other side of the swings, Mania. Mania, can be not only heaven, but terrifying as much as the Depression.
Now i'm not a psychiatrist, even though sometimes it seems i know more, when you get a family doctor or counseler without the proper medical training on the medical aspects brain chemistry prescribing meds. I've read my share of literature, deal with my share of patients, and participate in a several support groups other than mine. I'm sure that with the addition of an antidepressant this girl would have to suffer no longer, and could be free to live the beautiful life that a successful treatment affords.
Being bipolar is a wonderful thing, as long as we can keep those extremes down. Some of us even feel as though it gives us an edge on everyone else in the world. Let's face it, we think faster than others.
Peace out, my brothers and sisters...L8tr
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1 comment:
You have a very interesting view of BP disorder. I've never heard of anyone looking at it from a positive viewpoint - and I think it's wonderful. I have ADD and my son is ADHD...one of the things I learned early on is that labels are only what you make them. That we should embrace the things that make us who we are, no matter whether society accepts them or not. And you embracing the very thing that makes you "different" is refreshing.
I'm not medicated for my ADD (but I am medicated for a shitload of other things :P), primarily because I was dx'd late in life and I have coping skills. My son, however, is medicated. And I am SO thankful that we are lucky enough to have gotten a wonderful child psychologist and a fantastic psychiatrist to help us. I couldn't imagine having a sub par doc OR being uneducated about our conditions.
Anyway, I applaud you for taking the initiative to help others in your same situation and for educating yourself about your disorder.
Jodye
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