Posted by crepuscular on July 14, 2002, at 11:05:47
In reply to Just dx bipolar--some questions, posted by Mandy on July 12, 2002, at 16:44:45
the answer, Mandy, is an unqualified "yes." the terrible part is that it's going to take some time, and when you're in severe emotional pain, time seems to pass s-l-o-w-l-y. i missed a year of my life to a mental state that i am at pains to even describe. but after months of feeling suicidal, i finally got the medication thing worked out, started exercising, and begain to repair my self-esteem, understand what happened & why.
most major depressive episodes fade after about a year - even if left untreated. bipolar is a different animal, but early onset "unipolar" depression seems to be similar and may have a genetic overlap. i personally believe bipolar II is both overdiagnosed and underdiagnosed, so you may want to really iron the Dx out with your doc/therapist. i have found some of the mood stabilizers to be depression-inducing if i'm in a low part of the bipolar cycle. but if you're depressed, this would make it harder to recover from a unipolar state.
anyway, i ramble. what seems to really help me is to do things *beyond* the prescribed meds to help myself. i'm a fan of fish oil (omegabrite) and exercise. somehow - and there a complex physiological reasons for this - these two extra things go great with whatever medications i'm on. they synergize, make me feel like a participant in my own recovery. if can afford or withstand either of these, i think the research is solid in terms of an antidepressant effect.
i wish you luck. you sound like you're hurting and almost everyone on this board has been there. you will make it. your brain wants to return to a place of healthy, invigorated calmness.
crepuscular.
poster:crepuscular
thread:112136
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020709/msgs/112315.html