#abipolarblog

[abipolarblog]

Married!

[abipolarblog]

I'm diagnosed with depression, general and anxiety which may be PTSD. I'm having trouble feeling tired like I can go almost 24hrs w/o feeling the need to sleep and my thoughts are constant and rapid. I have paranoid delusions like i'm being monitored and there's a conspiracy against me. I feel like I HAVE to keep myself preoccupied with hobbies (colouring, games, music, etc) and I want to do everything at once??? I'm really confused and my psychiatrist is a bitch :-( Can you help me?

That sounds really awful. I’ve experienced a persecutory delusion before and it’s really unsettling. If I’m understanding this correctly, based on your current mental state, you are wondering if you have bipolar disorder. I’m sorry but I can’t offer advice on diagnoses. The symptoms you described could very well mean you are experiencing a manic episode with psychosis, but it could also be trauma related, amoung other things, so you need to discuss this with your psychiatrist to get to the bottom of what’s going on. I can’t help you there.

I don’t know what you mean when you say that your psychiatrist is a “bitch”, but I have a hunch that it could be that they aren’t taking your concerns seriously and they aren’t being collaborative. Your symptoms sound severe however, and need immediate attention. If you don’t feel safe, please go to the emergency wing of your local hospital. Try to get in to see your psychiatrist as soon as possible. If being assertive isn’t working for you, maybe bring a friend or family member that you trust to your next appointment to be an advocate for you. You can always ask to get a referral to someone else to get a second opinion. If your psychiatrist is still unhelpful and uncooperative, and your symptoms are not getting better, or they are getting worse. GO TO THE HOSPITAL. You’ll be safe, and able to get assessed by another doctor there.

[abipolarblog]

Seeing the new psychiatrist today. This will be my second appointment with them. I anticipate new meds since the last change didn’t go so well. I did some research and found that a rare side effect of Seroquel is chronic pain, so I wanted to come off the Seroquel to see if that is what’s causing the pain and not fibromyalgia. That was a disaster so I have to fill them in on that fiasco. I will probably have to stay on the Seroquel, but I’m still wondering if something can be done.

I have a screening interview on Wednesday to get counselling since that is something my psychiatrist doesn’t provide. I guess they are screening referrals because they don’t take folks with mental health conditions–just those looking for assistance with short term problems. They don’t need to know about the bipolar since that’s not the reason I’m seeking counselling. I’m dealing with a lot right now and it’s recommended that counsellors have their own counsellors anyway (although I will eventually need to find a more permanent solution). It has taken me several months to find anyone willing to talk to me. I need a sliding scale because I work at a non-profit and therefore don’t get paid much, and I don’t make much money in my private practice because I only have a few clients right now and they are all sliding scale clients. I’ve contacted every counsellor in the city that offers a sliding scale I can afford and they all have wait lists that are months long. I think I might be the only counsellor that offers sliding scale in the city that doesn’t have a full caseload. I offer a very generous sliding scale because I believe that good mental health care should be accessible to those who need it. I’m thinking I need to up my advertising game. I need to figure out how to advertise broadly that I’m available and have no wait list!

[mentalillnessmouse]

On confidentiality: it's not illegal in Canada as far as I know, but keeping confidentiality is written in the code of ethics of each counsellor/therapist certifying body. If a counsellor or therapist breaks confidentiality in the sense of what you have been talking about, they would lose their licence - possibly forever. We can only break confidentiality in the case of child abuse, harm to self or others, court purposes or insurance purposes.

[rebeltoddler]

abipolarblog replied to your post “why has my tattoo caused so much drama jfc”

Fuck everyone, your tattoo is awesome. Your body.

Thank you, my lovely and I have to remind myself more to ignore others opinions.

[rebeltoddler]

abipolarblog replied to your post “also turned anon back on for the timebeing.”

are people being awful again? :(

Yeah :/ It's better now but people get so argumentative over fandoms. More argumentative over that than social justice so what does that tell you? 

Sorry to not get to this till now. It's been one of those days.

[rebeltoddler]

abipolarblog replied to your post “I’m at this point where just every good thing I do when it comes to...”

Please no, I love your blog :)

I was just in a bad place, I wouldn't. I'm sorry for worrying you. I LOVE YOUR BLOG TOO MY LOVELY<3

[rebeltoddler]

Hi. I followed you after you followed me so I wasn't sure if I had to introduce myself. You can call me E. As you can tell from my blog, I have BD, I am pansexual, and I work in the mental health and anti-violence field. I have two cats, I sing and play guitar and I like reading science fiction.

You don't have to introduce yourself as I followed you first but you have no idea how much I appreciate it. I'm Raven, also have bipolar and am pansexual (so that's cool). I like the guitar but cannot play it (but I want to learn), I can sing... but can I sing well?? And yes, reading science fiction is also awesome.

I also really love and appreciate your blog, you have no idea.

Lovely to meet you<3