Comments on: Bipolar Disorder and Suicidal Depression Downswings

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 16:52:47 +0000

Hi Julie,

You absolutely may quote me..I certainly quote you to my friends and family so that they may better understand this illness and me.
Thanks for all your hard work in expanding the knowledge of bipolar beyond the clinical.

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 23:33:08 +0000

Helen says, “mood swings are not that rapid”. There is such a thing as rapid cycling bipolar. Some days I can alternate between depression and mania in a matter of hours.

I WISH it was merely a personality problem that could be cured with therapy. It helps as do the meds but some days and hours are better than others. Oh, yeah, I’ve also experienced mixed states (depression and mania at the same time). It feels like I have my foot on the gas and the brakes at the same time. No fun.

Hi Kathleen,

That is one of the best descriptions of an mixed episode that I have ever read! May I quote you? Julie

By: Admin

Admin — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:39:44 +0000

Hi Helen,

Thanks for your honest comment. I need them! I responded on today’s blog post. julie

By: Helen

Helen — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:24:40 +0000

Once AGAIN, Julie indulges in a whine fest. I feel she has more personality problems than bipolar problems, as every single day there seems to be either a depression or a mania. Seems to me that bipolar doesn’t work that way, mood swings are not that rapid, not so rapid they can be attributed to bipolar but to something else. Probably something else. Does she go to therapy? That may be help a lot.

By: C

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 20:56:10 +0000

I am glad to hear that you recognized what was going on and pursued alternatives. Once again, you give me hope! C

By: LT

LT — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:32:38 +0000

Thank you Julie! I too am sliding down the slippery slope of mania. It started for me with the inability to sleep. I am addicted to the “Retro” tv channelshows from the 70’s etc and I have watched them unceasingly. I make up random endings in my head with thoughts racing and feeling like I don’t need to sleep.

Then I take Trazodone and still am wide awake.

I also have realized that with the spring my mania is whipping up, I recognize my 3 patterns as Melissa has said, the “3 S’s”. I have even had to cut some people out of my life as they add dangerously to the mania.Of course they are dis-appointed, but I realize now how much they add the gasoline to the fire already burning out of control. I find that people don’t know how to take us when we identify the mania and we aren’t so “wild and the life of the party” so to speak.

I also get out your book, I remember when I swing from mania to dep-ression and suicidal thoughts (like last week when a doctor yelled at me) I need to treat Bipolar first.