am i mad or what?

In about 1990, I was diagnosed with bipolar...it took many years to get the right meds, and then they got that cleared up only to decide I then either had ADHD or a mild, but rare, form of Autism. The good new is, I overcame them BOTH, despite at one time being labelled "severely mentally ill"...but I had a lot of help...about 18 years of overcoming to do.

I then underwent special training, and worked to help others understand how to get well, and worked as a coach in a clinic, where I was able to ask a LOT of clients about thier symptoms, their meds, their doctors.

In 100% of the people I talked to who self-mutilated, they reported that it was the only way they knew how to get release from things like anxiety or anger. Since I was not their doctor or therapist, just someone to listen, some people said that smoking marijiuana helped them, while others reported that the Klonopin helped them. In fact, I know a LOT of other people with bipolar on Klonopin, and I know I'll have to be on Klonopin the rest of my life, because without it, I cannot even make it through the grocery store long enough to buy food...in fact, for several years when they took me off it, I could only run into a convenience store to get food. When I was on Lithium, it seemed to make my anxiety even worse. Klonopin is in the same family as Valium, but it]'w longer acting, and I used to have a really good psychiatrist who prescribed Prozac along with the Klonopin, because he told me it helps it stay in the body longer, so you don't develop a tolerance to it. Just about everybody I know with bipolar has to be on both something to help them calm down, plus something to alleviate depression. If you have bipolar and take an anti-depressant without something for anxiety, it can make the bipolar worse, meaning, it can make you more hyper or even spin into a mania. If you have bipolar, you probably also have a history of having times you have lots of energy, can't sleep, or periods of hyper-activity, although I did have a friend who had five years of depression before she had her first mania, at which time they KNEW she had bipolar. But some people have manias that are NOT psychotic, just hyper, like increased agitation or anger.

In a meeting, I once heard our therapists discussing BPD...All of them agreed it is said to result from a person having a bad or rejected relationship with their mother usually, like verbal or physical abuse, or just not getting approval for anything they do.....and they've found the most effective treatment for this is therapy, with lots of reassurance, as this can cause worse problems than bipolar.

However, it's not unusual for people with an underlying illness to have abuse, because the parents sometimes think if they browbeat their kids, they can make them conform....which is what my ex did with my son, who ended up getting so upset he killed himself.

Another thing I noticed at the clinic, it that it was very easy for some of us who had it to tell when somebody else had ADHD, which can seem very much like bipolar. People who have it also report a lot of irritability, frustration, anxiety, etc.

For so long, I thought I JUST had bipolar, and yet felt I didn't fit in at bipolar groups. I also didn't feel like I fit into NA groups when I was doing drugs. But finally I found an ADHD group, where I felt like I fit perfectly. That was a HUGE clue to me...so you might just want to try to go to some different groups, see where you FEEL right...because in the long run, my own feelings were right LONG before I got the diagnosis.

Your mind is part of your body. I hate that they call it "mental" illness, as trauma almost always results in the body getting sick somewhere. My best friend has schizophrenia and bipolar, but she reports she didn't have any problems until she was 28, pregnant, and her husband left her for another woman. I had similar trauma before I had any symptoms of bipolar illness...and my own doctor has worked with me to reduce the stress in my life, saying that first, they have to get people to realize they need medicine, and then second, they have to get people to realize it's not all medicine and the underlying trauma and stress has to be dealt with as well.

Medicine DOES take weeks to months to work, and a psych ward is mostly if you're getting into a dangerous state...for example, if you're manic and nothing at all scares you, or if you are hallucinating, that could make you in danger. At the other end of the spectrum is if you think you might seriously hurt yourself or others....either accidentallly or on purpose.

You're not mad. you seem to have been quite muddled over the treatment and that is the NHS's fault not yours. Giving you different tags when you have an illness is not HELPFUL! I think there is so much going on you need a good therapist. Now I don't know what services are available in your area but someone like the Samaritans will have access or MIND of good free counsellors. The whole thing behind mental illnesses is some physical problem in the body. I think you might have depression or even something similar but it all stems from a chemical problemnot some hocus pocus victorian thing or "mad person" and the "lets lock them up" mentality. Behind everything there could be a contributing causing factor that has aggrevated the mental illness and a therapist who is good should beable to help you work out the problem.It concerns me that the therapist says she cant help you coz the whole role is that they should help YOU sort out whats going on.

Secondly I was on a psyche ward voluntarily when I had depression. I lasted 1 hour. It was dreadfully scary. If ytou are confused it may just contribute to the confusion.

I would suggest looking on net at some charity like MIND and getting a phone call in for some help for a good counsellor that can help you in the interim and then go back to the GP. Maybe with someone you trust and be forceful and say what you are doing to me is getting me down and making the situation worse.

I can't say anything which will help much really but that is my advice and I hope if you decide to follow it it may help in the short term.

Good luck and please don't call yourself mad. Mental problems are just as an important illness as say a broken leg.

Take care

whoa..first of all can i just say that ur not mad

this happens loads of people and its really common

you have to see someone proffesional about the self harming or talk to your parents because its not healthy like!!

your therapist is a heap of bull $*** if you dont mind me saying so...she should realise that you need some sort of help...try looking for another one and ask the doctor who he could recommend.

being bipolar is horrible..my friend suffers from it too. its not your fault tho. when you are like this the best thing to do is to talk to a variety of people..

i know this prob isnt very helpful but i hope it is

hope you are ok

Initially, are you aware for a indisputable fact that he is pointed out you in a foul means, and is your source utterly dependable??? You recognize that a pair of lips will say whatever and might be, simply possibly anybody informed you some thing for the reason that they understand that you like this person and so they need to mess that up for you. Provide him the advantage, and speak to him on a personal stage to clear this mess up and move on with what could very likely be your dream man. Good luck

I think you're asking the wrong place mate.

Go see a different doctor and get some proffesional help. Yahoo answers can't really help this kind of problem.

The best advice anyone can give you here is to go see a therapist/doctor.

somthign has made you feel really upset about this. try talking to someone family or friend or simply just a person you dont know. just tell them everything and it will make you feel a little better.

if you tell family or friends you know they will be there for you.

just get out and do activities to get your mind of self harming. find a enjoyable hobby or somthing.

good luck <3

at the beginning, do you already know for a actuality that he's declared you in a foul way, and is your source completely stable??? you already know that a pair of lips will say something and doubtless, in basic terms possibly somebody advised you something because of the fact they understand which you like this individual and that they decide for to clutter that up for you. supply him the income, and confer with him on a private point to sparkling this shrink to rubble and pass on with what ought to probable be your dream guy. stable luck

hi for anxiety i wudnt take anti depressants.but for psychiatris illness u need medication.ive self harmed but got me nowere.its best too get rite help and be strong.talk talk talk...it helps.dont keep it in,ok.sometimes u have too be on diffirent meds till u get rite one.tc okpls.

i find writing down all you feelings and thoughts always helps me then take them along to the doctor and councellor when you see them next.

it toke me about 6 weeks untill the sertiline worked for me i asked for valium to chill me out as well but it very difficult to get on nhs but there are other ways.

just keep your chin up buddy

Check yourself into a mental hospital for the rest of your f**king life!