Dealing with problems
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 851
Likes: 1
From: ....I could be anywhere....
Originally posted by Peacemaker
^^^^zap
Lmao! Beer is the strongest thing I can take to remedy that.
^^^^zap
Lmao! Beer is the strongest thing I can take to remedy that.
...zap!
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 891
Likes: 1
From: Lost some where in the middle of the Ozark Mountains!
First of all don't be ashamed... 7 out of 10 americans suffer from some form of disorder or another. Only two out of those seven are lucky enough to be diagnosed.
Since disorders are normal then if you don't have a disorder of some kind then you are abnormal. So it's perfectly normal to be abnormal and abnormal to be normal. Everyone follow that? LOL
About three years ago there was several things going on in my life at teh same time that I was having a really hard time dealing with. I still can't talk about any of them to anybody in very much detail. Because I'm not fully prepared to deal with all of the details myself... But while I was going through this I ended up calling on my family doctor. He refered me to a medical physhiatrist and a phsycologist. Both agreed that I displayed symptoms of Bi-Polar Manic Depressive Disorder. The MP prescribed some meds... "Didn't help, made things worse" so gave some samples of other meds, "might as well of been taking candy". After several months of trying different things I was getting frustrated. I spent many hours of research on Bi-Polar manic Depressive disorder and it's really not as bad as it sounds.
I ussally don't share much of anything with anyone either "except my wife, but still not all of my feeling with her either, and she couldn't help with any of these". Sometimes I'll drop tid bits here and there to people and thats it. I was at my wits end when I decided to share a large portion with some of the men from my church at a mans prayer meeting. "would probably be equivelent to group therapy" I found the support very helpful and also found that I wasn't the only one to go through any of it. Actually most of them had too. So I got some advice on how they dealt "much the same way I was" and I got to feeling better about everything. Maybe it was just knowing that I wasn't alone. I was still seeing the doctors when the MP noticed things were better he thought he found the right prescription. When I told him I wasn't taking anything and shared what had happened with him. Then was decided that they were wrong and that I have Adult ADD and was actually in a circumstance induced chronic depression. Which the ADD was keeping me on an occasional high making it look like Bi-Polar.
I say all of that to say this. Group therapy is the best thing that happened to me too. It seems that it is hard for us men in general to open up. But in order to survive we as men have to learn to open up a little more and not carry the whole world and everyones problems on our own shoulders.
I aplogize that I can't find any of the old links in my favorites to the sites I searched Bi-polar info on... But if you'll do a search on google for Bi-Polar Manic Depressive Disorder you will get 100's of 1000's of links with great info on them for it.
If you do have any questions then feel free to ask. Psychology has always been an intrest of mine, "I have gotten several friends through thier Physc. classes"... I'm not qualified for any diagnosis nor would it be posiable over the internet... But I might beable give you something to ask your doctor about. If you don't want to post your questions thats understandable feel free to drop me an E-mail anytime.
Since disorders are normal then if you don't have a disorder of some kind then you are abnormal. So it's perfectly normal to be abnormal and abnormal to be normal. Everyone follow that? LOL
About three years ago there was several things going on in my life at teh same time that I was having a really hard time dealing with. I still can't talk about any of them to anybody in very much detail. Because I'm not fully prepared to deal with all of the details myself... But while I was going through this I ended up calling on my family doctor. He refered me to a medical physhiatrist and a phsycologist. Both agreed that I displayed symptoms of Bi-Polar Manic Depressive Disorder. The MP prescribed some meds... "Didn't help, made things worse" so gave some samples of other meds, "might as well of been taking candy". After several months of trying different things I was getting frustrated. I spent many hours of research on Bi-Polar manic Depressive disorder and it's really not as bad as it sounds.
I ussally don't share much of anything with anyone either "except my wife, but still not all of my feeling with her either, and she couldn't help with any of these". Sometimes I'll drop tid bits here and there to people and thats it. I was at my wits end when I decided to share a large portion with some of the men from my church at a mans prayer meeting. "would probably be equivelent to group therapy" I found the support very helpful and also found that I wasn't the only one to go through any of it. Actually most of them had too. So I got some advice on how they dealt "much the same way I was" and I got to feeling better about everything. Maybe it was just knowing that I wasn't alone. I was still seeing the doctors when the MP noticed things were better he thought he found the right prescription. When I told him I wasn't taking anything and shared what had happened with him. Then was decided that they were wrong and that I have Adult ADD and was actually in a circumstance induced chronic depression. Which the ADD was keeping me on an occasional high making it look like Bi-Polar.
I say all of that to say this. Group therapy is the best thing that happened to me too. It seems that it is hard for us men in general to open up. But in order to survive we as men have to learn to open up a little more and not carry the whole world and everyones problems on our own shoulders.
I aplogize that I can't find any of the old links in my favorites to the sites I searched Bi-polar info on... But if you'll do a search on google for Bi-Polar Manic Depressive Disorder you will get 100's of 1000's of links with great info on them for it.
If you do have any questions then feel free to ask. Psychology has always been an intrest of mine, "I have gotten several friends through thier Physc. classes"... I'm not qualified for any diagnosis nor would it be posiable over the internet... But I might beable give you something to ask your doctor about. If you don't want to post your questions thats understandable feel free to drop me an E-mail anytime.
Re: Dealing with problems
Well,
I'm always late to post, but I wanted to give you my prayers & well wishes.
It sounds like everyone is pulling for you & recommending the same kind of tx. There are many new meds on the market, & therapy is a wonderful & effective treatment. the hardest part is getting over the stigma & getting someone to start therapy.
I know both sides of that fence...as a patient & HCP.
Hang tough
I'm always late to post, but I wanted to give you my prayers & well wishes.
It sounds like everyone is pulling for you & recommending the same kind of tx. There are many new meds on the market, & therapy is a wonderful & effective treatment. the hardest part is getting over the stigma & getting someone to start therapy.
I know both sides of that fence...as a patient & HCP.
Hang tough
Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 74
Likes: 0
From: knoxville, tn
I'm screwed up, too; and have a hard time talking to people about **** a lot of the time.
One thing that I found kind of helps is if I just write in a journal or something whenever something's bothering me. It may look crazy if it's out on paper or on the screen, but it helps unload your head for a while and it's not like you have to show it to anybody.
Go see a doctor, even if it's not a psychiatrist (that can prescribe meds that you may not need), a psychologist (that is kinda like a chiropractor for your grey matter) can do a lot by just helping you give voice to **** in your head (like the journal idea, but it's not, you know, written down; and it costs more).
One thing that I found kind of helps is if I just write in a journal or something whenever something's bothering me. It may look crazy if it's out on paper or on the screen, but it helps unload your head for a while and it's not like you have to show it to anybody.
Go see a doctor, even if it's not a psychiatrist (that can prescribe meds that you may not need), a psychologist (that is kinda like a chiropractor for your grey matter) can do a lot by just helping you give voice to **** in your head (like the journal idea, but it's not, you know, written down; and it costs more).
Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 74
Likes: 0
From: knoxville, tn
Originally posted by Peacemaker
Thanks, I never thought of that. Is that sort of like creative writing? A way to unleash bad/good feelings?
Thanks, I never thought of that. Is that sort of like creative writing? A way to unleash bad/good feelings?
Senior Member
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 873
Likes: 1
From: Somewhere in the EU
Peacemaker -
First, let me say I am not a doctor and I am not making or offering any type of diagnosis, nor am I advising you on what actions you should, or should not take...I'm just offering a generalized opinion.
I tried to email you to make this private, but your user profile sez you would prefer not to receive email.
In your initial post you state you were diagnosed with a "chemical imbalance of the brain" which is rather vague as the DSM-IV diagnoses are more specific, but be that as it may, you described a number of criteria that could result in such a similar diagnosis. However, you then state that these symptoms started by a major blow to the head, which is at odds with something organic such as a "chemical imbalance", unless maybe your doctor is of the belief that the "chemical imbalance" is a result of the accident, if so, I'd be curious as to how he arrived at that conclusion.
You state that you think you may be bi-polar, and some of the symptoms you describe meet that criteria, but some of your symptoms meet other criteria for other diagnoses as well . . ., any number of subtypes of depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, etc.
First and foremost you must always rule out any medical condition, whether organic or a result form accident (such as your blow to the head).
A diagnosis, be it for general medical or psychiatric, are not something one should do on their own, and in fact a good number of doctors get them wrong, whether through their own incompetence, or not receiving proper or all information from the patient, or any number of reasons.
It is essential that you see a specialist. Any psychiatrist or psychologist worth anything will send you to general practitioner for a complete checkup and also any specialist deemed necessary (especially in your case with what appears to be some form of head trauma) If all medical conditions are ruled out, then you start trying to come up with a diagnosis of some sort of psych condition.
11 years on meds and no change leads me to believe you aren't addressing whatever problem is causing your symptoms. You might consider getting a new doctor. Find a psychiatrist or psychologist with excellent credentials and referrals. Your local psych board or state psychiatric board can help. Go over with them in complete detail of what you have been going thru/experiencing and for how long. Before you meet, take a few days to write a list of all your symptoms, when they started, when they occur, for how long, what, if anything that you might be aware of might trigger them. All the meds you've ever (prescribed or not) taken and what the effects of those meds were. I suggest you take a few days to compile this list as we often forget such things, and things we remember after some time thinking about such stuff usually turns out to be important yet does not come to mind immediately.
Like I said, your psychiatrist or psychologist will undoubtedly call for a general medical exam to rule out any medical conditions. If they slap a diagnosis on you right away and just prescribe psychotropics right then and there, walk away and get a different doctor.
Good luck. It could be a long process, especially if it turns out not to a med condition but rather a psych one (or a combination of both) because psychotropics are a hit and miss proposition at best, and takes time.
Good luck.
First, let me say I am not a doctor and I am not making or offering any type of diagnosis, nor am I advising you on what actions you should, or should not take...I'm just offering a generalized opinion.
I tried to email you to make this private, but your user profile sez you would prefer not to receive email.
In your initial post you state you were diagnosed with a "chemical imbalance of the brain" which is rather vague as the DSM-IV diagnoses are more specific, but be that as it may, you described a number of criteria that could result in such a similar diagnosis. However, you then state that these symptoms started by a major blow to the head, which is at odds with something organic such as a "chemical imbalance", unless maybe your doctor is of the belief that the "chemical imbalance" is a result of the accident, if so, I'd be curious as to how he arrived at that conclusion.
You state that you think you may be bi-polar, and some of the symptoms you describe meet that criteria, but some of your symptoms meet other criteria for other diagnoses as well . . ., any number of subtypes of depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, etc.
First and foremost you must always rule out any medical condition, whether organic or a result form accident (such as your blow to the head).
A diagnosis, be it for general medical or psychiatric, are not something one should do on their own, and in fact a good number of doctors get them wrong, whether through their own incompetence, or not receiving proper or all information from the patient, or any number of reasons.
It is essential that you see a specialist. Any psychiatrist or psychologist worth anything will send you to general practitioner for a complete checkup and also any specialist deemed necessary (especially in your case with what appears to be some form of head trauma) If all medical conditions are ruled out, then you start trying to come up with a diagnosis of some sort of psych condition.
11 years on meds and no change leads me to believe you aren't addressing whatever problem is causing your symptoms. You might consider getting a new doctor. Find a psychiatrist or psychologist with excellent credentials and referrals. Your local psych board or state psychiatric board can help. Go over with them in complete detail of what you have been going thru/experiencing and for how long. Before you meet, take a few days to write a list of all your symptoms, when they started, when they occur, for how long, what, if anything that you might be aware of might trigger them. All the meds you've ever (prescribed or not) taken and what the effects of those meds were. I suggest you take a few days to compile this list as we often forget such things, and things we remember after some time thinking about such stuff usually turns out to be important yet does not come to mind immediately.
Like I said, your psychiatrist or psychologist will undoubtedly call for a general medical exam to rule out any medical conditions. If they slap a diagnosis on you right away and just prescribe psychotropics right then and there, walk away and get a different doctor.
Good luck. It could be a long process, especially if it turns out not to a med condition but rather a psych one (or a combination of both) because psychotropics are a hit and miss proposition at best, and takes time.
Good luck.
Last edited by kobiashi; May 4, 2005 at 12:01 AM.