Posted by Don on August 9, 1999, at 2:51:36
I have been reading through nearly all threads this evening for the first time and have been enjoying all the insights and what not. I would like to ask whoever will answer for some information from experience.
I believe I am bipolar. I have very fast cycles (monthly, weekly, and even daily) in between one or two major cycles (yearly). My "up" times are not quite as significant as my "down" times. In other words, I don't get psychotic, seeing visions, etc. On my "up" days, I sleep about half as much as normal, experience a very optimistic feeling, feel as though nothing at all can get me down...generally, I feel energized and tell myself, "Well, you're finally going to get things organized in your life and become productive and live up to your potential." These times usually give way to a semi-depressed period of time, which gives way to a fairly deep depression, in which I cannot seem to get out of my mind such things as conversations I'd had in the past (even years past), past failures, etc., all with intense feelings of regret and total failure. I probably don't need to go into great detail with many of you who know well what I am saying.
I'm now 22 (almost 23) and, since these problems don't seem to be getting any better, and my attempts at "strong-arming" my way through the depression and related physical problems are failing miserably, I am going to seek some professional help. Can any of you give me advice on how to initiate the visit with the doctor? What to say at first to get him to look in the right direction at first? I've spent hours and hours researching this problem and am nearly 100% sure I am suffering from bipolar disorder...and am sure I am very tired of suffering from it...and I especially want the trip from point A to point B to be as strait as possible. Thanks for any input.
poster:Don
thread:9790
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990814/msgs/9790.html