Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Schizophrenia

  • Syck

    Syck (200)

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    Science has proven that bipolar disorder, unipolar disorder (depression), and schizophrenia - in all its types - are interconnected in numerous and unique ways. What's your experience with any of these? Have you been diagnosed with one or more? Are you worried you may have one of these illnesses? How about your friends? Your family? Your neighbor? Do they struggle with depression or bipolar disorder? How about schizoaffective disorder, an illness which combines schizophrenia and bipolar disorder or depression?

    How have any one of these mental illnesses touched your life?

    ____________________________________________________

    My psychiatrist was very frank with me and said that I have either bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder. He's been good and true to me for the year I've been working with him, but it’s hard for me to understand what he is trying to tell me. For all he is doing, he's practically writing it out in big, bold black words, saying "You're crazy". I'm now very afraid of whatever diagnosis they'll give me, because it will follow me for life. My psychiatrist is leaning more towards bipolar disorder, but my psychotherapist is leaning towards the schizoaffective diagnosis. I can almost imagine them sitting in either of their offices, playing rock-paper-scissors or flipping a coin just to pick a label for me. I pray it's only bipolar disorder.
    My psychotherapist, whilst saying that I'm schizo, says that they won't diagnose any patient with schizophrenia until that patient reaches the age of eighteen, and I'm only fifteen now. I just want to get a diagnosis and get it done and over with. That in and of itself would take a great deal of stress off of my shoulders.
    May 5th, 2008 at 10:19pm
  • Robbie Williams

    Robbie Williams (100)

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    What's Bipolar disorder, if you don't mind me asking?

    I was diagnosed with acute depression a year ago.
    It was after my nan died, and I cut myself off from everyone.
    I got over it, but I thought it had come back a couple of months ago. I don't think it has.
    May 5th, 2008 at 10:24pm
  • Syck

    Syck (200)

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    Here's a link to an article which explains what bipolar disorder is: Bipolar Disorder Article
    May 5th, 2008 at 10:28pm
  • Robbie Williams

    Robbie Williams (100)

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    That sounds freakishly like me...
    :shifty
    May 5th, 2008 at 10:37pm
  • folie a dru.

    folie a dru. (1270)

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    I have Bipolar II. My mom has Bipolar II. My sister has Bipolar I. I was misdiagnosed as schizophrenic in eighth grade. I've been the the mental institution seven times. It sucks.

    And it really annoys me when kids with mood swings immediately assume they have Bipolar. It's not like that at all.
    May 5th, 2008 at 11:11pm
  • angus young

    angus young (355)

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    Lou-Fische:
    That sounds freakishly like me...
    :shifty
    Sounds like me too! But I'm sure that I don't have it. My friends call it mood swings...
    May 5th, 2008 at 11:28pm
  • ChemicallyImbalanced

    ChemicallyImbalanced (1365)

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    I was diagnosed with depression when I was 13. There was really terrible stuff going on in my life and I couldn't handle it.
    I've been in a psyciatric ward twice after mum found me cutting.
    My brother has schizophrenia and that's really hard to deal with as well.

    I hate it when people in my grade say they are depressed when they are very obviously not. They are just upset about something. There's a difference.
    May 6th, 2008 at 03:34am
  • kafka.

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    My views on psychology are ... controversial. It's a rather personal opinion but I don't believe in mental health the way most people do.
    Thus I refuse to see or talk to anyone about it. However for my own sadistic pleasure I've research enough to know that I have high risks of developing Bi-polar disorder, and/or Schizophrenia [because of mum's ''genetic package''] and/or depression and insomnia [from my father's part, we're a happy family like that]. I'd rather just say that I have a unique view on the world. I'd actually say anything as long as it's not associated with the term ''metal illness'' [since I have a grudge of that one].
    I think sometimes people are over-reacting. I'm not giving names but in some parts of the world people are way too eager to diagnose and medicate the heck out of teens.

    My advice? Research on it. Read about your ''illness'' and ask the doctor. I read books on mental health-care and essays and essays on brain chemistry, it'll teach you to take care of yourself and you'll stop feeling like Bi-polar disorder is some kind of plague. That if you're crazy enough to go through [and learn] hundreds and hundreds of pages of medical textbooks. I hope you and everyone actually, gets better.
    May 6th, 2008 at 04:43pm
  • faster.

    faster. (300)

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    My views on psychology are ... controversial. It's a rather personal opinion but I don't believe in mental health the way most people do.
    Thus I refuse to see or talk to anyone about it. However for my own sadistic pleasure I've research enough to know that I have high risks of developing Bi-polar disorder, and/or Schizophrenia [because of mum's ''genetic package''] and/or depression and insomnia [from my father's part, we're a happy family like that]. I'd rather just say that I have a unique view on the world. I'd actually say anything as long as it's not associated with the term ''metal illness'' [since I have a grudge of that one].
    I think sometimes people are over-reacting. I'm not giving names but in some parts of the world people are way too eager to diagnose and medicate the heck out of teens.

    My advice? Research on it. Read about your ''illness'' and ask the doctor. I read books on mental health-care and essays and essays on brain chemistry, it'll teach you to take care of yourself and you'll stop feeling like Bi-polar disorder is some kind of plague. That if you're crazy enough to go through [and learn] hundreds and hundreds of pages of medical textbooks. I hope you and everyone actually, gets better.
    I think about things in a similar manner to that. I think people and doctors are too quick to call a lot of things diseases and jump to regulate them. It's ridiculous.
    May 6th, 2008 at 07:42pm
  • folie a dru.

    folie a dru. (1270)

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    The two types of Bipolar are categorized differently.

    Bipolar I disorder is a mood disorder that is characterized by at least one manic or mixed episode.

    Bipolar II Disorder is a bipolar spectrum disorder that is characterized by at least one hypomanic episode and at least one major depressive episode; with this disorder, depressive episodes are more frequent and more intense than manic episodes.

    Not just mood swings.
    May 6th, 2008 at 07:44pm
  • kafka.

    kafka. (150)

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    druscilla; secrets.:
    The two types of Bipolar are categorized differently.

    Bipolar I disorder is a mood disorder that is characterized by at least one manic or mixed episode.

    Bipolar II Disorder is a bipolar spectrum disorder that is characterized by at least one hypomanic episode and at least one major depressive episode; with this disorder, depressive episodes are more frequent and more intense than manic episodes.

    Not just mood swings.
    I know the symptomes, love. :cute:

    The question really to pose [well the question I ask myself] is whether it is an illness in the true sense of the word or just an abnormality [with all the implications of the word]. It's highly controversial but a large number of artists and geniuses are said to have been bipolar [and just generally mentally ill]. Studies suggest that there's a direct link between the disorder and creativity. Genius is an abnormality.

    We all can't wait to take as many drugs as possible as fast as possible.
    And now I'm going to sound extremely cold hearted and mean, but I think it's an abnormality not a disease. I'm not saying that everyone should, Bipolar Disorder is by all means not a nice thing to live with and it should be 100% your choice whether you want to take your medication/go to therapy or not. I just think it's different not necessarily harming and I sound like a jackass for it . >_>
    I'm not saying that it's easy or that it's cool, it's just different from what we regard as ''normal''. Not saying that it's a good thing either, just different.
    Generally, my trust in mental health care is close to zero.
    May 6th, 2008 at 08:37pm
  • folie a dru.

    folie a dru. (1270)

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    druscilla; secrets.:
    The two types of Bipolar are categorized differently.

    Bipolar I disorder is a mood disorder that is characterized by at least one manic or mixed episode.

    Bipolar II Disorder is a bipolar spectrum disorder that is characterized by at least one hypomanic episode and at least one major depressive episode; with this disorder, depressive episodes are more frequent and more intense than manic episodes.

    Not just mood swings.
    I know the symptomes, love. :cute:
    That wasn't necessarily directed at you.
    More to the people who think mood swings are Bipolar.
    May 6th, 2008 at 09:07pm
  • maybe i'm a king

    maybe i'm a king (150)

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    druscilla; rooftop.:
    More to the people who think mood swings are Bipolar.
    And most "mood swings" these people talk about occur within a few minutes or hours.
    When you have bipolar disorder, your moods do not change that fast. One week you can be in a manic state, and the next week you're in a depressive state. It's not fast, your moods can change through a period of a day to a few wees.
    That's what I was told by someone who has it, and I trust that they would know so...:shifty
    May 6th, 2008 at 09:14pm
  • Mitchell.

    Mitchell. (100)

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    To me it makes sense that they are related.
    I think I may have Depression and/or Schizophrenia.
    I'm seeing a physiologist sometime this month though ,for a Initial assessment so we'll see once I have that.

    ohh and whats the exact definition of schizophrenia
    May 6th, 2008 at 09:15pm
  • maybe i'm a king

    maybe i'm a king (150)

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    Hope you choke:
    To me it makes sense that they are related.
    I think I may have Depression and/or Schizophrenia.
    I'm seeing a physiologist sometime this month though ,for a Initial assessment so we'll see once I have that.

    ohh and whats the exact definition of schizophrenia
    Schizophrenia
    May 6th, 2008 at 09:17pm
  • folie a dru.

    folie a dru. (1270)

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    druscilla; rooftop.:
    More to the people who think mood swings are Bipolar.
    And most "mood swings" these people talk about occur within a few minutes or hours.
    When you have bipolar disorder, your moods do not change that fast. One week you can be in a manic state, and the next week you're in a depressive state. It's not fast, your moods can change through a period of a day to a few wees.
    That's what I was told by someone who has it, and I trust that they would know so...:shifty
    It's like falling off a roller coaster. You're completely fine and then completely down. Or you're down and then manic. Usually it's brought on by nothing. Just a sudden fall. It sucks.

    And people who are Bipolar tend to take themselves off medication when they feel better. So says one of my old therapists. She says it's a symptom of the disease.
    May 6th, 2008 at 10:14pm
  • Syck

    Syck (200)

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    druscilla; infinity.:
    And people who are Bipolar tend to take themselves off medication when they feel better. So says one of my old therapists. She says it's a symptom of the disease.
    Really, it's a symptom of mania or hypomania, particularly - but not restricted to - when the patient is psychotic within their manic state. Hypomania does not contain psychotic episodes. With psychosis, a symptom of it is "lack of insight" when the patient does not understand or accept that they are ill at the time. Lack of insight is a specific characteristic psychologists and psychiatrists look for in bipolar and schizophrenic patients.
    May 7th, 2008 at 02:34am
  • dead poet

    dead poet (100)

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    I've been thinking about it for a few months...I don't know. I've read up on Bipolar disorder a lot and I'm still hesitant to think that I might have it. I'll look down the list of sypmtoms for mania, mixed states, and depression and think 'I get just about all of that.' I've been contemplating talking to this teacher at school, she's the health teacher and she used to be a nurse, about everything. The thought is a little weird, that I think I might have bipolar disorder. I can't talk about that kind of stuff with my parents without getting really irritated and enraged or crying like a freaking baby.

    Some kids are lucky that they can say stuff like that to their parents...
    May 8th, 2008 at 05:57am
  • inspire.

    inspire. (100)

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    I constantly think I may be bipolar. I read up on this stuff a lot so I don't kid myself into thinking there's something wrong with me when I'm just PMSing or some shit. But all the symptoms are very familiar to me, and I know people who are and they think I should get tested for it.

    Here's the thing though. I'm better at hiding shit than I should be. I bottle all of my feelings. No one honestly knows me, knows what goes on in my head. That includes my parents; they have absolutely no idea about how fucked up I am. I'm hesistant to talk to them about it because of what they know of me, they won't believe that there's nothing off about me.
    May 9th, 2008 at 03:04am
  • dead poet

    dead poet (100)

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    showmethestars:
    I constantly think I may be bipolar. I read up on this stuff a lot so I don't kid myself into thinking there's something wrong with me when I'm just PMSing or some shit. But all the symptoms are very familiar to me, and I know people who are and they think I should get tested for it.

    Here's the thing though. I'm better at hiding shit than I should be. I bottle all of my feelings. No one honestly knows me, knows what goes on in my head. That includes my parents; they have absolutely no idea about how fucked up I am. I'm hesistant to talk to them about it because of what they know of me, they won't believe that there's nothing off about me.
    I'm am the same way with bottling stuff up...no one in my life knows who I am. If I were to let any of the real person inside me out, the hostility, rage, frustration, conufsion, sadness,hate and so on, people wouldn't know who I am and they would surely be confused. I am completely fucked up...

    I know how you feel...
    May 9th, 2008 at 08:23am