Does BiPolar get worse with age?

[cowgirlnerd]

I have seemed to get worse through the years, even though, I was just diagnosed (20 years as depression before now at BP1), it does seem that the episodes got worse and worse through the years.

As my father got older, he seemed to get worse, and worse (he wasn't diagnosed or medicated), and I just wonder what it's going to be like as I get older.  What does my family and friends have to "look forward to"?

I know we can get "stable", but does it continue to get worse?  Also, I have a history of dimentia in my family - I wonder if it's linked?

Thoughts???

[Gayleggg]

I have been diagnosed with BP and have struggling with impulse control, even though I am not manic right now. A therapist recently told me that he thinks I'm in a mixed state, however, I'm having trouble understanding what exactly is a mixed state. I know that you show both symptoms of depression and mania. I am having trouble identifying the symptoms. Everytime I decide how I'm feeling it seems to change. I do have an appointment with my pdoc today and hope I can explain it to him. I'm taking Cymbalta and Abilify and thought it was working pretty well but then started doing things impulsively that I know I shouldn't but do anyway. I just want to know if anyone else suffers from mixed states and how they know that that is what is going on and how they deal with it.

[4ubreal]

I am so happy to have found this thread - so many nice and well-informed people.  I just returned from a trip to see a relative and had a major episode. I left the home, drove around a large city - in dangerous places of the city for 11 hours.  Then, I was at LAX for 7 hours waiting to get a plane at 6:00 a.m. It was also a dangerous place to be.  This episode was caused by my guilt over my treatment of a close family member who I continue to disappoint. I take Lamictal.  I am 60 years and seem to be getting worse. I have run up debt again - $80,000 7 years ago and then, bankruptcy. Now, about $15,000 and I am becoming successful in paying it down. I haven't told my husband.  I am so tired of being mentally ill. I don't feel suicidal - just tired and like I am not worth anything to anyone. I feel so sorry for my family. I have no more friends. I will read this thread, hoping for new posts and will make every effort to be of support to others. This is a very lonely disease.

[58300]

Lithium settles my mind down so I can sleep. You chould look in to that. Anti-depressents and bipolar proceed with caution!

[babygirl101197]

im  bipholar and adhd  and i have tiny bit, of skitzafrania this is something you don't just make up everday as a just a disease  it's  through  not  just through what we've been through but also trying to remember or move on to the future not what happend in the past i was diagnosed from birth to 3days old  with bipohlar adhd alpesia  and amenisia  disease called short term long term memory loss  and  asthma  and adhd  and bipohlar and    a lil bit of autism and skitz afrania speech probs since  birth to age 14 in a half which is how old i am now  and people think it's just a made up believe or myth were making up  and they act it out on television it's making not just our lifes or feelings but those diseases worses  think  about the people who have it and what they must be feeling in  their everyday  schedule and life proposales with these type of disabilaties and functional diseases they may go away and sometimes they never do so its not funny at all.  you have to take risks and alot of  things in your life serious  theirs time for the happy sad emotional moments and then theirs    times to worry about what's going to happen to us  when wer'e older and how much more time do we have before it can be healed  coming from someone like not just me angelrayejohnson but alot of people in your everyday night and life  and your surroundings with the same not just issues but who live with  some  of the same symphtoms  or  diseases  or diff  more far  uncontrollable  diseases and   are afraid to face whats  infront of them  in their lives  ik i still am  trying to face whats in store for me and everyone else day to day i'm yea i;m overprotective sure but   if u  saw  how much a family or firend ro someone close to you goes through  nm what symphtom or disease or disabilaty might be  maybe  you see our gifts inside our out of our  everday and nighteveryday*  lives and maybe you wont  hate or critize. everything or anyone  with diff or   higher disaabilaty confirmation   u seen in rl maybe u won't  take advantage of us anymore   look outside the box even if you dont see one  at   livestakes or if isa broken or stuck lockt o open your heart please look  healing comes and goes to heal some uf but does it heal us all  love angelrayejohson123   with all of most of the symphtoms   since birth aand 3 days old with friends with diff ones looking for hope jsutt like evryone us and   do they heal us all or treryt o even if it can or cant be done im  14 ina half  since  3 days old and  birth iv'e deal t with no  just biohlar short term longtermmeory loss h

[ilina]

Exercise, especially running/jogging during daytime increases serotonin naturally. Running/jogging/brisk walk in a park with greenery and trees has the same calming effect as meditation. Don't worry about gear, just do it in a relaxed, non-stress way.

Run to lower BP! Run for your life! Run for your health and peace of mind!

[ilina]

Please try running/jogging for 15 minutes to half an hour every day in a park with trees. If possible find a jogging companion. Don't worry about getting jogging gear. Just run for the fun of it. do it today, now!

It will help more than you realize.