Common Chemical Ingredients\Effects

[Steven60938]

I was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder when i was 10. I am now 27 and have spent the past 17 years finding better ways to cope with this disorder than medication use.I have been most successful in my endeavors; I have mastered becoming aware of the signs that a mood swing is coming and have found ways to counteract the symptoms in means of activities or meditation even some things as simple as changing the room I am in. I am now looking for reasons that some things work. For example, From the moment i take that first sip of beer I am immediately happier. This of coarse being the exact opposite of what alcohol is meant to do. Even the next day I wake up in a good mood even if I have a hangover. I share these examples with narcotic pain killers as well as marijuana. (no there is none in my system now this is from years ago before I had children). My thought is there must be something in common with these depressants that would work in the exact opposite fashion than they should.  So my question is could I maybe get some help from the community in researching why this would be the case. My goal in my pursuits of mastering bi-polar disorder is to help others with this disorder to cope better and understand that life can go on through understanding.

[paranoid_cataclysm]

Alcohol effects you and me both the same way, except it takes longer to take effect for me but then I found out I have an inhibition towards being happy so maybe that's why because alcohol lowers inhibitions.

[Xila31]

Here's what I know.

As a teen I smoked m-j socially with some friends. The first time I did I must have been manic because I remember telling my friend, "My brain is slow enough for me to hear my own thoughts." It would slow me down. I don't do those things any more, have not for many years, but my husband and I were researching on it to see if there was a link.

I don't drink, never have. I can't stand it, it tastes disgusting to me so I just don't do it.

This is what else I know. Each year, I was getting worse. I continue to get worse. I continue to practice all of the "feel better" techniques I used to such as meditation and such. But now I have new and worse problems with confusion, like very bad confusion, to the point that it scares me. I was first diagnosed only last year, despite obvious signs that ten years ago I had some sort of psychoitc episode. I am still under treated at this point.

I know about the movement for mad pride, and it is everyone's choice, but I know that I am getting worse. My ability to function at work and such takes all of my strength, for example. It exhausts me completely. I'm only 30. I want to stay high functioning for as long as possible. I personally do no see my bipolar as a doom. But I do see it as something that I need to be treated for.