What exactly is bipolar 1?
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What exactly is bipolar 1?
My daughter was diagnosed as bipolar 1 disorder. Can anyone relate to that.
Does anyone who has it experience any paranoia? Does a bad episode leave you feeling really worn out after the episode subsides?
My daughter doesn't like to talk to me about it and I don't know what she is experiencing. Why doesn't she want to talk to me? She did tell me that she hates having to take medication to keep her head on straight and she doesn't like to talk about it.
Help...........Lo
Does anyone who has it experience any paranoia? Does a bad episode leave you feeling really worn out after the episode subsides?
My daughter doesn't like to talk to me about it and I don't know what she is experiencing. Why doesn't she want to talk to me? She did tell me that she hates having to take medication to keep her head on straight and she doesn't like to talk about it.
Help...........Lo
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Does she allow for you to come in the room during therapy??
Bipolar type 1 is when the person has experienced more manic episodes with or without having depression.
I have bipolar 2 which is depression, with or without mania, the opposite.
You just have to give her time to open up to you if she chooses to and I know it has to be frustrating because you want to understand.
Bipolar type 1 is when the person has experienced more manic episodes with or without having depression.
I have bipolar 2 which is depression, with or without mania, the opposite.
You just have to give her time to open up to you if she chooses to and I know it has to be frustrating because you want to understand.
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 9,293
Lobo, here's some helpful information:
NIMH · Bipolar Disorder · Complete Publication
and
Bipolar Disorder - Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment of Bipolar Disorder - NY Times Health Information
Finally, please read Shutterbug's journals. She has generously shared her experiences with us over the years. I'm sure she'll be around to answer your questions too.
Please remember to take care of yourself. That's just as important at this time.
Shalom!
NIMH · Bipolar Disorder · Complete Publication
and
Bipolar Disorder - Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment of Bipolar Disorder - NY Times Health Information
Finally, please read Shutterbug's journals. She has generously shared her experiences with us over the years. I'm sure she'll be around to answer your questions too.
Please remember to take care of yourself. That's just as important at this time.
Shalom!
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: With any luck, I'm lost in a view finder
Posts: 2,954
TiredMama is sort of correct, but not entirely.
A bipolar person has BOTH mania and depression - regardless of if they are bipolar I or II. The difference is in the intensity of the manias or depressions. That's why it's called "bipolar" : "bi" as in two and "polar" as in opposites. So literally it means "two opposites."
bipolar I - is MOSTLY mania related...and those manias can include full-blown manic episodes, which can be really scary because some can even turn into psychotic episodes. And yes, after a manic episode the body and mind can be quite spent (especially since a manic person usually doesn't sleep much, if any at all) and it is quite typical for the person to become tired as they start "coming down" and they can even switch into the depression side of things.
Depression is just as typical a symptom in bipolar I people.....it's just not as much a problem as the mania so the mania is usually what is focused on controlling.
The good thing is that bipolar I is MUCH easier to treat successfully with meds than bipolar II.
A tell-tell sign that mania is coming on or is already in progress is lack of sleep. The more manic a person gets, the less sleep they typically require.
bipolar II - the person deals MOSTLY with depressions, but also can have manic episodes...tho most have what are known as hypo-manias (much less severe than full-blown mania). I believe I was in a state of mostly hypo-mania for about 6 months before my depression ever started.
This person often suffers deep depressions for years unless proper treatment/meds can be found and often is accompanined by major depressive episodes. The M.D.E.s usually bring the person to a place where they are mostly unable to function or care for themselves....and it can last for years unfortunatly (I'm currently fighting my 3rd).
Rapid Cycling - can be a part of either bipolar I or bipolar II. And can make diagnosis and treatment a little more difficult. What it is...is just as it sounds...it is a cycling back and forth from depression to mania in a short amount of time. Non-rapid cyclers only flip sides about 2-3 times a year (i could be wrong on that part tho as it's been a while since refreshing my memory on the time), but rapid cyclers such as myself can switch several times a month, week, day, hour or (believe it or not) even several times minute.
I, myself, typically switch several times a week or if my mood stabalizers are working a little better then perhaps only a couple times a month or so. But, the first time i was hospitalized, the day my family checked me out, i cycled about 20 times in an hour and that basically continued for a day. That was the worst time i've ever experienced rapid cycling and i literally went from being manic and talking a mile-a-minute, to switching mid-sentence to the depressive side and being so slowed down that i couldn't finish the sentence at all. All i could do was studder b/c my mind would simply not think fast enough to remember what i was even trying to say.....then all of the sudden i'd switch back again and finish the sentence and continue talking at warp speed.
It was quite exhausting emotionally and mentally and the only time in my life i've had issues with studdering either.
And yes....paranoia is a part of bipolar disorder, but the level of it is different for different people.
And yes....it is VERY typical for a personal newly diagnosed with a mental illness to fight with themselves and others about not wanting to take their meds. You also have to remember that....most of the time....her manias feel good and that the meds are going to make her feel "flat" compared to what she's use to. It's going to take time and you are going to also have to understand that this is a lot for a person to take in about themselves.
When I figured out that i was bipolar...the first person i tried explaining it to was my mom (even tho i knew very little about it at the time). And you know what i said to her to try to get across to her what i was feeling about it all and how scared i was? "Mom! Do you realize what this means?! This means that i am literally and legally insane!" I was very wrong of course, but at 27-28 years old, with a college degree in journalism, i still hadn't yet figured out there was a giant difference between mental illness and insanity.
So perhaps that may help you understand that your daughter is going through a WHOLE mess of thoughts and emotions that even SHE doesn't understand right now.....so that's probably a big part of why she's not talking to you...she's scared, she's confused, she's angry, she's hurt, she's ashamed, she's also dealing with the illness itself at the same time.
It really is a lot for a person to bare.
Lov and hugs,
Jenna
A bipolar person has BOTH mania and depression - regardless of if they are bipolar I or II. The difference is in the intensity of the manias or depressions. That's why it's called "bipolar" : "bi" as in two and "polar" as in opposites. So literally it means "two opposites."
bipolar I - is MOSTLY mania related...and those manias can include full-blown manic episodes, which can be really scary because some can even turn into psychotic episodes. And yes, after a manic episode the body and mind can be quite spent (especially since a manic person usually doesn't sleep much, if any at all) and it is quite typical for the person to become tired as they start "coming down" and they can even switch into the depression side of things.
Depression is just as typical a symptom in bipolar I people.....it's just not as much a problem as the mania so the mania is usually what is focused on controlling.
The good thing is that bipolar I is MUCH easier to treat successfully with meds than bipolar II.
A tell-tell sign that mania is coming on or is already in progress is lack of sleep. The more manic a person gets, the less sleep they typically require.
bipolar II - the person deals MOSTLY with depressions, but also can have manic episodes...tho most have what are known as hypo-manias (much less severe than full-blown mania). I believe I was in a state of mostly hypo-mania for about 6 months before my depression ever started.
This person often suffers deep depressions for years unless proper treatment/meds can be found and often is accompanined by major depressive episodes. The M.D.E.s usually bring the person to a place where they are mostly unable to function or care for themselves....and it can last for years unfortunatly (I'm currently fighting my 3rd).
Rapid Cycling - can be a part of either bipolar I or bipolar II. And can make diagnosis and treatment a little more difficult. What it is...is just as it sounds...it is a cycling back and forth from depression to mania in a short amount of time. Non-rapid cyclers only flip sides about 2-3 times a year (i could be wrong on that part tho as it's been a while since refreshing my memory on the time), but rapid cyclers such as myself can switch several times a month, week, day, hour or (believe it or not) even several times minute.
I, myself, typically switch several times a week or if my mood stabalizers are working a little better then perhaps only a couple times a month or so. But, the first time i was hospitalized, the day my family checked me out, i cycled about 20 times in an hour and that basically continued for a day. That was the worst time i've ever experienced rapid cycling and i literally went from being manic and talking a mile-a-minute, to switching mid-sentence to the depressive side and being so slowed down that i couldn't finish the sentence at all. All i could do was studder b/c my mind would simply not think fast enough to remember what i was even trying to say.....then all of the sudden i'd switch back again and finish the sentence and continue talking at warp speed.
It was quite exhausting emotionally and mentally and the only time in my life i've had issues with studdering either.
And yes....paranoia is a part of bipolar disorder, but the level of it is different for different people.
And yes....it is VERY typical for a personal newly diagnosed with a mental illness to fight with themselves and others about not wanting to take their meds. You also have to remember that....most of the time....her manias feel good and that the meds are going to make her feel "flat" compared to what she's use to. It's going to take time and you are going to also have to understand that this is a lot for a person to take in about themselves.
When I figured out that i was bipolar...the first person i tried explaining it to was my mom (even tho i knew very little about it at the time). And you know what i said to her to try to get across to her what i was feeling about it all and how scared i was? "Mom! Do you realize what this means?! This means that i am literally and legally insane!" I was very wrong of course, but at 27-28 years old, with a college degree in journalism, i still hadn't yet figured out there was a giant difference between mental illness and insanity.
So perhaps that may help you understand that your daughter is going through a WHOLE mess of thoughts and emotions that even SHE doesn't understand right now.....so that's probably a big part of why she's not talking to you...she's scared, she's confused, she's angry, she's hurt, she's ashamed, she's also dealing with the illness itself at the same time.
It really is a lot for a person to bare.
Lov and hugs,
Jenna
I am glad shutterbug came through with more info for you.
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Shutterbug,
This is really the first time I really seem to understand that is happening here. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You explained it on laymens terms and I am able to understand a little better.
Because of this I will be more sensitive to what she is going through. I'm going to print this out for her brothers.
My heart goes out to you sweetheart............Lo
This is really the first time I really seem to understand that is happening here. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You explained it on laymens terms and I am able to understand a little better.
Because of this I will be more sensitive to what she is going through. I'm going to print this out for her brothers.
My heart goes out to you sweetheart............Lo
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Originally Posted by Lobo 
Tired,
You have been helpful. Please don't sell yourself short. Every little bit of support and kindness is a really big help to me. Thank you sweetie.
Hugs............Lo
You have been helpful. Please don't sell yourself short. Every little bit of support and kindness is a really big help to me. Thank you sweetie.
Hugs............Lo
Those are each hugs to you dear. I am sooooooo very sorry for making you feel bad sweetie. That wasn't my intent at all. i'm sooo, sooo, sincerly sorry. Really. Please know that there are a TON of bipolars running around in the world who have been diagnosed and taking meds for years and don't even know themselves if they are bipolar I or II or even that there is a difference! So your knowledge is definetly above par and i'm not just saying that!
My personal car thief (ex-bf) is 42 and in the hospital again right now and he called last night. While talking i asked him if he was bp I or bip II....and i honestly didn't expect him to know. I was actually quite shocked when he told me without hesitation he was bp II because i've been in several group therapy sessions where bipolars don't have a clue. (btw....i'd had that conversation with him just before logging onto SR and finding this thread....so i thought it was an interesting coincidence.
ALSO.....I finally figured out today that am in the one other kind of bipolar episode that i forgot to even mention at all last night:
MIXED EPISODE: sorry, but i completely forgot to mention this last night, but it also is possible with both kinds of bipolar disorders and it is just that....a mixture of some manic symptoms and some depressive symptoms.
I've already started trying to set up an appointment to see my psychiatrist as soon as possible and i will discuss my need for a change in my mood stabalizer b/c it's not working right for me and i can't remember to take the darn thing 2 times a day.
Anyway....a mixed bipolar episode is hard to pinpoint so I'm just going to describe a little of what i'm going through. Basically, i haven't been sleeping much the past couple of weeks. I sleep a little more on the weekend to sort of catch up a bit, but can't really sleep even when i try during the week. I think i was laying down a total of 4-5 hours last night and maybe slept for about 2-3 hours of that time.
Yet I put in a 12-hour day at work.
I had/have mental energy, but no physical energy.
however, i can't seem to stay focused on anything very long
my mind keeps switching from one thing to another
it made trying to finish my work very hard this evening
some moments i giggle too much and talk too much
i was driving my editors bonkers this evening
I got depressed and tears fell in some moments
yet some moments i'm VERY irritable and......
i possibly caused a teenager to get fired from his job today
(b/c i was't about to put up with being treated like a child)
Anyway...basically i'm going through a bit of it all right now and never know which kind of moment will come next. The way it finally dawned on me tho that i'm dealing with a mixed episode tho is when i thought about the lack of sleep (a manic symptom) coupled with the tears (a depressive symptom). Basically, i'm all over the map and driving my own self nuts.
I also want to say that i am no liscensed anything so take anything i say as just that....just something Jenna said she thinks she remembers from readings or thinks she understands from having been through some things. But i'm no doc and I'd recommend putting your faith in those who truely have degrees in this field and have published finished works on it.
TIRED, again....i can't appologize enough. I didn't mean to insult or hurt or belittle or anything. My own neurosis is pretty twisted and banged up at the moment and it seems i was being a giant butthead. I hope you can forgive me.
lov and hugs,
Jenna
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Shutterbug,
Sorry your having a mixed bag of emotion right now. I have had some experience with that myself with my daughter. I can remember her telling me or warning me that her emotions are all over the place. I think that is exactly what she must have been experiencing at the time. At first I thought she meant that she was a sad emtional, but then I would hear her laughing and I thought I guess she isn't depressed. I was confused, because when I am depressed, I am really down. Nothing could make me laugh. I think she was having the mixed bag.
This is interesting Shutter, thank you.
Hugs..........Lo
Sorry your having a mixed bag of emotion right now. I have had some experience with that myself with my daughter. I can remember her telling me or warning me that her emotions are all over the place. I think that is exactly what she must have been experiencing at the time. At first I thought she meant that she was a sad emtional, but then I would hear her laughing and I thought I guess she isn't depressed. I was confused, because when I am depressed, I am really down. Nothing could make me laugh. I think she was having the mixed bag.
This is interesting Shutter, thank you.
Hugs..........Lo
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