Do opiates quiet bipolar/manic depression

[iwantmylifebacknow]

I have to say that even though I tend to withdraw when I was on opiates from social settings, I was superwoman when it came to my job and house stuff etc. The last time I came off the hydros I was a month clean and had many highs and lows. I was not making good decisions and even cheated on my fiance. Right now day 3 clean, the depression is so bad but my tummy issues and rls are gone. Have a bad cold etc but dont even want to think about work. I just want to stay in bed. next week the mania may kick in and thats what scares me. I am on cymbalta for my neck/spine issues and for depression but i honestly think i need to be treated for bipolar. Can any of you relate? Advice? I am making an appt tomorrow to see a psychologist. I believe those who suffer from mental issues turn to a substance. At least I know it is the case for me. I just want to win this time and beat the addiction. please share if you can!! Thanks

[weaver71]

I want to point out that addiction nor bipolar go away, but I have seen both go into remission indefinitely. I have one friend who was medicated for 10 years and has been in remission and off meds for 12 now. She is BP2, so she never had the psychotic mania consequences that I have, but she is living proof that the right diet, supplements, and meditation CAN put someone in remission, at least one, because I am her friend. I think that the feAr of symptoms is a major reason I couldn't recover from drugs and bipolar. I mean, I was so afraid to detox, it took for ever to accept it and push through. My fear of psychosis was crippling me in the same way. When I reached a point of Intrudive thoughts of suicide, I almost jumped on the med train to never looked back. I'm glad I didn't. Like I told my therapist, who worries about an Un-medicated bipolar 1 on the loose, "If I can manage las my God given self, just a little while, it will be worth it, meds are always available, but feeling okay and med free is not."

Anyway, I stopped caring if I get depressed or manic, psychotic mania and mixed states being by far the scariest. I kept telling myself I was gonna lose it. I'd obsess on how this will never go away, cursed God for making me this wAy, absolutely flipped out, and then I surrendered, just accepted it for what it is and nothing more. Again, like obsessing on withdrawal symptoms manifest worse symptoms, I believe bilolAr does the same thing. Don't get me wrong, I have friends who need lithium, Abilify, etc..., I've actually come to know quite a few local bipolar in my recovery. I am simply saying that one must try to be as healthy as one can, before going to the last resort of meds.imo.

Now, I am fully expecting the majority of the world to disagree with me, I am bipolar, after all. I have delusions of grandeur and believe the whole world could be changed by a single thought. For example, energy equals the speed of light squared, E=mc2. That one idea has changed physics, war, science fiction, energy distribution, food production, and inspired a generation of star treck culture. Descartes', "I think, therefore I am," is another one that changed the views of modern Christianity even, which is not easy to do, ask Martin Luther, but it is possible. If a single idea can change civilization, how the whole world believes and does things, it seems simple logic that thiughts would have the power to change an individual in unimaginable ways.

So, I agree with waiting on meds, but don't do what I did and ignore the issue the first year. I wanted to be clean 2 years before confronting bipolar. I went psychotic and landed in jail at 14 months, still worth it, but I coukd hav avoid that break, I believe. I should have treated bipolar and addiction at once and I encourage you to do that. Keep in mind, my therapist mentions a new med every visit, and I research it and say I'm not ready to take meds. I do research them all though, in case I ever need them again someday. bipolar is something I no longer fear, but I take it VERY seriously nowadays. If by feeding my mind negativity, I can end up blacking out and not even knowing what I did, then feeding my mind positivity can have an equally powerful affect. I have been testing this theory for 4 1/2 months now, so far so good.

Message anytime, I am getting busy already, being that spring in this mountains starts in February the last few years. I know the state you are in, detox, cycling, wanting to remember what normal even is, I relate. Hang in there, fist things first, get off the drugs long enough to find the base you, then you can start fine tuning that.

[gnarly_1]

Hi  good to see you post  Weaver has been managing his bipolar for a long time and does well for me it takes medication  I still get the highs and lows but I refuse to be over medicated just know for a wile your emotions will be all over the place this is normal bipolar or otherwise I would not seak med until at least 90 days has past  my doctor wouldent medicate me until that time had pasted you got to give your brain a chance to get threw the detox process and that can take a wile you will see improvements every 90 days up to a year out so hang in there keep posting for support and get plugged into aftercare as soon as you can  N/A has a great program it is free and it is the only program that has treated the addict inside my head you can and will loose the very desire to use.........Gnarly

[iwantmylifebacknow]

I realize it doesn't go into remission. I have never been violent nor have I ever hurt anyone physically. Just can be up one moment and down a moment later. I used to have a lot more highs then lows. Spending money, sponatenous trips, fun crazy nights. Yes a little crazy but I never got in any kind of trouble. The depression seemed to set in during my 30's and obviously after abusing opiates the depression is crippling. I will see a therapist and an addiction specialist. Medicine is on the back burner.

[iwantmylifebacknow]

I cannot thank you enough for sharing your story!  I don't want to be numb, I want to be me. i kinda enjoy my mania sometimes as crazy as it may sound. My friends and fam always enjoy being around me when I have the highs because I am happy, fun and animated. My lows scare me because The depression can be severe. I am def not jumping to meds right now. I will start with therapy and take baby steps. I want to focus on my sobriety and allow my brain to heal. I will just go thru the motions as I know the opiates did aa number on me.  I eat healthy and exercise so I will be taking care of my body. I will try meditating as well. You are an inspiration weaver. So nice of you to take the time to reach out to me and share your thoughts and experiences. I hope to stay connected. You rock and made my night! Huge thank you! Michele

[Krissy_123]

And both my sisters are bipolar and it didn't make it go into submission when they used. The one became violent on any substance and the other one would go days without sleep....but everyone is different. So I'd talk your doctor.

[Krissy_123]

Well if you know you're bipolar and you have In fact been diagnosed with it,then ya you should probably be meds to help it. It doesn't go away. If you had it 15 years ago,you'll still have it now.

[iwantmylifebacknow]

Thank you all so much. I was diagnosed years back with bipolar and hypomania. I was on meds but then when I got pregnant 15 years ago, I came off meds. Since then I either drank wine when I could and I started the pills when I was diagnosed with cervical stenois/ disc herniations etc. That was back in 2006. Took a pill a day for 2 years, then I started taking more. Here I am now in detox again and like you have all mentioned my emotions woke up. Let me tell you, I am all over the place. I can sleep tho, in fact I am sleeping alot!!!! I know many wish they could but I have to get back to reality and get to work. I have parties all weekend that I have to attend, ugh how I am going to do this?!!!! Thanks for the advice!

[jifmoc]

Hey there. One thing I've heard and noticed is that, like w/ physical pain post opiates, you don't really know what your emotional issues are since you've been numbing for so long. Being "high and low" during the month you were clean was still detox. So since you are unsure, you really don't know what you authentically have, yet. Detox makes us feel totally insane. You are only on day 3, that is the acute part of detox, I wouldn't worry about what diagnosis you have rt now. Just getting thru the next hour clean is enough. And please do not even THINK about next week's possible issue. You will just bury yourself in anxiety over something that may never come.

You already know that aftercare is an absolute must, right? Aside from netflix, that's all I would concern myself w/ right now:) If you see the shrink, make sure you tell him/her what day you are on detoxing:)

[gnarly_1]

Hi  well im both a addict and bipolar and it is a double edge sward you just got to roll with it but it is also important to get help for the bipolar  for me I tell my phyic doctor if I feel any thing more then a baby asprin I will not take it so there are good meds out there that wont fog your judgment  it can take a wile some time to get the right ones so dont get discouraged on the first try  just let your doctor know how you feel and if it is not working or getting better  sometime all they need to do is change up the doseage  just know you can live with both  you will also need to treat the addict that still lives in your head long after the drugs are gone  the only progam I found that does this is N/A  I recamend it highly to all those new to recovery  keep posting for support.......Gnarly

[lolaragdoll28]

Hello there. I was on cymbalta but my psychiatrist at the time stopped me because he knew the crazy amounts of pain killers I was on and said it would destroy my liver so he put me on Effexor. That was before my heart condition. Now I'm on paxil. Now...in my opinion u need go b treated for bipolar which is by taking different types of drugs (antipsychotics OR an antidepressant with another mood stabilising antipsychotic such as abilify. OR a drug for bipolar such as lithium bicarbonate. There are prob other newer ones out there that are better so don't take my word for the lithium - I was proposed that and turned it down as it's quite a weird drug and salt levels in body must b closely monitored - in short it's a mission but great for those who need it! Antidepressants can actually exasperate manic episodes by the way) be careful and good luck. I read about pharmaceuticals 24/7 so that's why I leart this stuff in my personal time (bit sad I know haha) wishing u well... Drugs like this r powerful so pls b careful on what u decide to take - do much much research because the regular docs don't always know much about these drugs. Mine (not the psychiatrist) almost got me on some dangerous ones purely because he wasn't well informed/researched well enough about them. I'm not trying to knock doctors as some are good BUT u have to b very careful wat they prescribe u xxx