Unexpected moods and changes- HELP!!!!

[Elinah]

Im very concerned on my recent change in behaviour that has been seen by my best friend whos sister is bipolar. I personally dont understand why it feels so dark, low and depressed then im feeling high, elated and manic. Sonetimes i experience these at the same time. Im happy and sad at the same time. I feel agitation and irritation, frequent thoughts about death and how it may feel. Ive spent so much money, wear bright clothes, changed career that turned out for the worst, people dont understand me because i talk to fast and trail off topic. I get very anxious and dont feel tired and loss of apetite. Ive experienced these over the last couple of months but didnt take any notice of it.I wrote about how i feel everyday in the jounal entries in my profile for over 2 weeks to see whats happening but i dont seem to get the jist. Ive noticed that things like this have happened months before i began tracking myself. Im a 17 year old female and im scared and worried that something could be wrong with me. Please help me out. If you want to read my diary entries i'd be more than happy to post them to you. Please help me to find out what may be wrong with me before it becomes the death of me.

[lindahand]

I am so glad that you got a referral to a psychiatrist. You are brave and on the right path. It takes a LOT of guts to get help.

[littlebit667]

I am so glad you made that step!  Let us know how things go.

[Elinah]

my appointment went okay, i told her everything, and she suggested a case of bipolar, but she has reffered me to a  Psychiatrist and we shall head on from there.

[lindahand]

How did your appointment go?

[lindahand]

If you are not comfortable bringing your Mom - talk to her about it. You can always bring a friend with you. At 17 you are old enough to go with whomever you choose. You know best, but if your mom is someone you can talk to - let her in. It may really help you out. We need our family as support. Now she will not understand. No one except other people with Mental Ilness understand. Hoping that they will can only cause frustration and disappointment. But that doesn't mean she can't support you, love you, and you can't teach her the best ways to help. If you can during the appointment try to get a referal to a talk therapist (Psychologist, Social Worker, Psychiatric nurse) they can help you wade through this and teach people how to treat you.


It is probably best to go into the doctor alone. You will need to talk about some things which may be embarrassing or you may not want others to hear. To get a proper diagnosis you are going to need to be brutally honest. For example one of the questions they may ask you is if you are having a lot of sex or masturbating frequently. This isn't to embarass you, but hyper sexuality is a symptom of bipolar so it may come up. I could be wrong but if your Mom is sitting beside you - I know I would by LYING, and turning 16 shades of red. Me - well I've never masturbated. lol.

If you are seeing a general doctor you probably won't get a diagnosis unless it is 100% obvious what is going on. You will probably get referred to a psychiatrist. That will be another interview. At least that is how it is in Canada and I know the Canadian system and Brittish system are both public systems. You may get put on medication.

So in a nutshell. Take a list of your symptoms, go in alone, and be brutally honest. Then hopefully you should get some answers.

[littlebit667]

Well, there is that who is gonna pay for it thing!  I see you are from the UK so that may be a different thing than in US.  If you have a GP you could start there.  I imagine you are old enough to go alone.  If you do be sure to make a list of those things that are worrying you the most so they know you are serious and want help.  My doctor really likes that I bring a list that we go over together. They can then help you decide what to do or who to see next.  

Are you sure your mom does not understand??  What have you said to her about it??

[Elinah]

Could i go to the doctor myself? My mum does nt understand whats happening to me, because i dont. Could i go with a friend instead?

[littlebit667]

There is no magical pill or test.  It will take a few visits/tests to determine what it is.   glad you are seeing a doctor.  Lindahand gave you good info to take with you.

[Elinah]

Thank you for helping me out. Got an appointment for this friday. Do you know how long it takes to get diagnosed?

[lindahand]

You will be able to cope with the diagnosis. It may take a while but you'll get there. A diagnosis is important because then you can get on some medications that will help you if you do have bipolar and can start researching the disorder to help educate yourself on how to best help you.

There are other things like a thyroid imbalance that can cause bipolar like symptoms so it is important you go and get a physical from a general doctor.

The most important thing right now is to keep track of how you are feeling. The diary is a great idea. When you go see a professional try to do a more limited outline of what is going on (They won't have time to read your diary). So listing your symptoms and how they practically affect you. Day 1 anxiety couldn't leave the house. Day 14 on a high, spent $300 I couldn't afford. If you can do this for one month then they will get the general gist of how you are doing.

Bipolar doesn't have to be that scary. It is a medical condition that you will have to monitor. Things will need to change such as maybe being on medications for the rest of your life. That can be hard. But there are billions of people out there with chronic health conditions that learn how to best cope. Perhaps the best comparison would be diabetes. If you don't take care of your diabetes it can cause serious complications and maybe death. If you don't take care of your bipolar (or whatever mental illness you have) it can cause serious complications and maybe death.

If you are feeling suicidal make sure you tell someone. Don't be embarrased as it is part of the disorder and not your fault. Suicidal thoughts are normal for people with bipolar disorder. It is important to reach out though because when things get too bad - you may lose control of yourself. 15% of people with bipolar die of suicide. One thing that has kept me safe is to repeat to myself "This will not last forever" and it never lasts for forever. It does end.

Hope you can find a good professional. It may change your life for the better.

[littlebit667]

You need a definite diagnoses..as there are several types of bipolar.  How it will play for you depends on what happens next after that.  A good doctor who understands the condition with the appropriate meds and probably good cognitive therapy will make all the difference.  

[Elinah]

So it could be possible that i may have bipolar? I dont know if i can cope with that? My head feels like its going to explode. What does this mean for me in the long run?

[ILADVOCATE]

   Yes having been through the experience and family members as well, during episodes of bipolar a person can have extreme and unexpected changes in mood, changes in sleep and appetite, and can have difficulty focusing and concentrating on things. However, only a psychiatrist would be able to explain diagnose and treat specifically what was going on and it would be worth seeing one. In the meantime keep a mood tracker and print out the results for when you see a psychiatrist so they can further understand what might be happening and how to best help you. As well these are some links with information that can be of help for educational purposes that you can then discuss with your psychiatrist:
http://www.medhelp.org/tags/health_page/34/Mental-Health/Useful-Bipolar--Depression-Webisites?hp_id=523

[Elinah]

Thanks. Do you have any idea what it could be that im experiencing?

[Loving101]

Im very sorry for what you're going through...it's very important you get some professional help. I've suffered many years before getting some & I know it would have helped me more if I would have gotten help sooner. Be kind to yourself.