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Mental Health  (Expert Forum)
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Anxiety, OCD, Depression, insomnia. schitzophrenia? bipolar?
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
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MedHelp Member's Question

Anxiety, OCD, Depression, insomnia. schitzophrenia? bipolar?

by A.D.M, Mar 12, 2001 12:00AM
Im 17 male

I was diagnosed with agoraphobia at the age of 8

i also had very mild ocd at the age of 10 and it got worse after i left boarding school wich i attended in year 7 and half of year 8. now its gradually getting better

i became very anti-social last year but i got alot of help from my friends and family and im back on track recovering from depression (no meds and proud)



i am fully against prescription drugs.



i was wondering what are the side effects of anafranil (my mum slipped them to me afew times as a one of thing when i was 10, with a docs prescription for me)



and also what are the early signs of bi-polar and schitzophrenia.



sometimes _just_ before im falling asleep i may have convasations in my head wich last for 5 seconds then i fall asleep, im afraid this may be schitzophrenia.

i have an outstanding general knowledge and intelect and creativity wich i dont really want because it comes with all this ****.

i also have mood swings everyday where i am depressed and anxious for 2 hours and then be happy for 2 hours.



Doctor's Answer

by Roger Gould, M.D., Mar 12, 2001 12:00AM
You certainly have been struggling with these symptoms for a long time and should be proud of your accomplishments. Nothing you described sounds like schizophrenia or bipolar.



You are also going through an important life transition, and it is inherently an anxious time.  You might benefit from talking to a professional, and having a more complete evaluation than we can do here in this format.
Member Comments (5)

by bex, Mar 30, 2001 12:00AM
I also suffer with chronic OCD, but im coming to terms with it. I have questioned my sanity on a number of occasions, however i am trying to get the appropriate treatment. I was on antidepressants for 2 years which helped controlled my anxiety. I vow never to go on medication again as it blured my mind and i lost a lot of confidence, However medication is an integral part in treating and managing conditions, it is not the only way to deal with certain issues. I fully understand the anxiety and stigma that is attatched to mental health sufferers, yet i endeavour to try and feel good about myself even though i am often plagued with intrusive thoughts.

by witch, May 07, 2001 12:00AM
I think people with mental disorder should talk to me I will make them sane.

by ZER-0, May 20, 2001 12:00AM
I ain't very old for sumone wit some kinda mental disorder, I think I was about 13-14 years old when I began to get the idea that there was sumfin really wrong wit myself... I'm 15 now.



I began to recognize that I was beginning to no-longer think as I do things, I felt as though I lost all self-consciousness, as though I absolutely lost myself- no sense of judgement,and such. I tried to remember how my mind used to work, and I remembered that I used to have a good think about everything, recall events, and think bout all the good things that I knew of, and at that time... I was no longer doing that, my mind was absolutely blank, and I could never concentrate, I felt as though I couldn't control my mind. everything seemed abysmal, I seemed so damn miserable, and all I wanted to do was regain my sanity...



These days I think I'm feeling better, but I still havin a little trouble trying to find my former-self. Ever since then, my concept of thinking has been absolutely changed.

by Jaimiedeez, Jul 18, 2001 12:00AM
I suffer from Bipolar II( Recurrent depression with Hypomania).  I just wanted to bring my oppinion and feeling to everyones attention.

When I was Sixteen I was happy everyday for no reason. Everynight before I went to bed the thought in my head would scream at me to the point where I'd tell them to shut-up out loud. It didn't work.  One time at school after going to the bathroom I was going to flush the toilet, and my mind screamed it-Outloud I said Shut-up...WOW! I felt a little crazy then.  This happened for two years.  I had downs, but most of this time was elated mood along with irritation-not all good stuff. Then It all came tumbling down. I couldn't sleep, or I slept too much, food was disgusting.  My body felt numb, and people annoyed me.  I thought everyone was dumb.

This went on for a while 'till my mom took me to the doctor.  They quickly called me depressed and prescribed Prozac.  Prozac helped to an extent, it made me feel pretty irritated and it was hard to sleep.  I also did alot of bad things. But I wasn't AS depressed.

I took Prozac for about six months, then I ran out while on the road selling magazines.  I had a break-down and almost jumped out of a moving car because my brain was spinning.  I got back on Prozac and then I got pregnant so I stopped.

I did just fine throughout my pregnancy.  I breastfed for ten months so I continued without being medicated.  Then I started getting Panic attacks for no reason.  At first I thought I was having a Heart attack.  These happened while diving on the freeway.  I was so scared I pulled over where there was no shoulder crying, thinking I was going to die.  I had to leave work twice because they would happen and I couldn't think or talk, and I'd twich and shake uncontrollably.

The story goes on.

I started Lithium.  But I only took it for three weeks because I was scared of the things that could happen to my body.

I now take Paxil. It's been nine days now.  We'll see if that helps me.

Don't be affraid or think that your weak.  Less than 1% of the population suffers from Bipolar.  It's a fluke of nature.  You have done nothing wrong.  Your not crying out for attention, it's a medical condition. You don't shy away from harmony, your brain is just incapable of it.  Be stong!

by inter~BARK_, Jul 22, 2001 12:00AM
ARe we THE ONLY FISH IN The "sea"              

that is not my world in a sentence by any means, but why do people pull ideas and quirks and try to develop them into "mental illnesses"           or maybe were all just off a bit...or maybe all right on...

there is no center to our mental/spiritual universe because the borders are still yet to be defined...

by inter~BARK_, Jul 23, 2001 12:00AM
how can one tell they've crossed the gone too far when the borders can't truly be defined...

there is no insanity because there is no sanity for it too be in opposition of...

by Phaedore, Jul 23, 2001 12:00AM
I was helped by a therapist in high school for bi-polar disorder stage 2, discharged from the Navy for dysthymia, and now I am suffering from extreme anxiety caused by my present fear of emotional pain caused by people.  I just came to terms with that recently due to an experience I had on LSD.  My problem is that any time anyone so much as raises their voice to me I snap and start reliving every emotionally painful experience I have ever had as a nightmare with my eyes open.  I also have an inability to even attempt to communicate with a room full of people or even a person in a room full of people.  I constantly talk to myself and have several different answers, one much stronger than the rest.  I can be driving down the road and have some of the worst visual imagery you could imagine and that is caused by no stimulus at all.  Mostly dealing with my wife and her old boyfriends.  I constantly think that everyone is going to hurt me, giving me a complete inability to let anyone get close to me.  I have an appointment set with a psychiatrist very soon to get some medication.  I was wondering if there is any types of medication or therapy that will help me remove or at least mute these problems without making me feel like a zombie all the time.  If you could tell me anything that could help it would be greatly appreciated.

by Michelina, Sep 26, 2001 12:00AM
I have been suffering from Anxiety attacks since I was nine years old.  I started getting them the night my father died.  My attacks were always passed off as "growing pains" or "mood swings" and were never treated medicaly.  I suffered through many years as a teenager with bouts of depression.  There were days and even weeks when I could not get out of bed. I would try to diagnose myself, because no one else around me really noticed what was going on with me.  I began to think that I was going crazy.  As an adult, my depression would fade away and then reoccur, but with a vengence.  I would try and control it, but as I later learned it is not a controlable thing and eventually would control me to the point I was not functionable.  I eventually developed a severe case of Insomnia which I did seek medical attention for.  I would not sleep for days at a time to the point my face would hurt.  Eventually my anxiety attacks got so bad that I had no choice but to go to a doctor.  He first put me on Paxil....which he might as well have given me a razor blade.  Then I tried Celexa............this time it would have easier if he had just given me a gun.  The side effects to both of them were so bad......that I felt worse than when I started taking either one of then.  Now he has me on Effexor and Xanex........:)  I am smiling once again and no more anxiety attacks.  Hopefully this will work.

by nothing, Nov 14, 2001 12:00AM
Ev=eRy night when im trying the best i can to sleep, my head twitches unc o n  t r olab  ly  side to  sIde. like sayIng  N0 for brief moments.  

For a period of time last year i would wake up and not be able to move for about 10  Minutes  just open my eyes and look around,, it felt as if i was sinking into mY bed,and it was hard to breatH  as  I f  I  WErE   being  S U F F O C A T E D(suffocation),

                        +  +

                        ====             >:(

~~~after it stopped i WAs afraid to sleep EVERY night  beCause i would  eXperience DreAms of being TOurtured ,.. .  .

theres  So much  More ,but THey are ~insignificant` ,to have an effect on my personal life,.. .  . but everythinG  that I have

been eXPeriencing has caused problems With MY social life..



i dont know if i  can ever be the same.. . .  .       .  .

i dont KNow   whats wrong with me .. .   .



by marty-boy, Nov 17, 2001 12:00AM
i was diagnosed with bi-polar and prescribed lithium carbonate.my opinion of bi polar medication is not good. after doing my own research on possible alternatives to the harsh prescription medications i tried gamma amino butyric acid. if you are really serious about finding an alternative to your meds, you'll have nothing to lose by trying what worked for me. all the best.
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