You CAN Get Through This
“Broken” wrote about his experience in the middle of the night, when he described finding himself unable to sleep and have rationale thoughts.
I wanted to share this post because of three things that “Broken” did for himself that probably saved his life:
1. He recognized something wasn’t right, and saw a “danger” signal.
2. He gave himself a change of scenery; in this case, he got himself out of the house.
3. He asked for help, continuously.
Having personally experienced that “bottomless abyss”, I can say that asking for help (#3) was most difficult for me, yet it’s probably the most critical. When the illness disrupts your connection to yourself, sometimes connecting with other people is a round-about way of reconnecting with yourself again. This is why it’s so important to have people who are willing to just listen to you as you purge that tangled mess in your mind.
You CAN get through this. I believe it is just like any skill that we learn and become better with practice; at least, that is what I’ve found true for myself.
Once you’ve pulled yourself through an episode, no matter how dark how frightening how long it seems to last - you realize that you CAN pull through, that you HAVE pulled through, and that you WILL be able to pull through if darkness calls again.
Type 2 Bipolar Disorder, Emotional Resilience, Science, and Humor
Welcome to the October 2, 2007 edition of carnival of depression, bipolar disorder, and mental health journeys.
Deborah’s Bipolar II Misdiagnosis Problem offered me a flash back to the past; she was diagnosed with depression but she suspects that she is suffering from type 2 bipolar disorder. Therefore she has been taking antidepressants but doesn’t seem to have gotten relief for her symptoms. I was misdiagnosed with type 2 bipolar disorder when I actually had depression. Therefore I was prescribed mood stabilizers that offered me no relief. With most mental illnesses, half the battle is a correct diagnosis because the treatment plan that ensues is directly based on the diagnosis. Read more
How This Shrink Picks Antidepressants
Dinah at Shrink Rap wrote an article about how she chooses antidepressants for patients who come and see her. The factors, which Dinah’s full article elaborates, include: Past history of response, Family history of response, Patient preference, Other Medical Issues, My Best Guess at What Will Help the Target Symptoms, My Best Guess at the Side Effect Profile, and The Patient’s Financial Concerns and What I have Samples of. Dinah also talks about concerns with weight gain on antidepressants, and how this is often a very individual side effect even if the drug “class” itself has been associated (statistically) with weight gain in patients.