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VickiesPath · Sep 15, 2009, 03:11 PM

Hi, I'm so sorry you are having a rough time right now. I would put any thoughts of leaving on hold for now. Do you have a psychiatrist that prescribes medicine for you? I am bipolar. I'm going to go on the assumption that you are bipolar and tell you what I think you should do.

First, mental illness is very hard on the family, too. They do not understand why their loved one is acting the way they are acting. I've been married for ten years to a basically wonderful guy. But the first time I went through a depression after marrying him, he thought I was being lazy and got angry. Since that time, he's read a lot and learned a lot about my illness. He is very supportive now.

What makes you think you are bipolar? Have you had periods of highs where your behavior has been extremely "up"? If you are taking antidepressants (especially an SSRI) and you are actually bipolar, then that is not a good thing because the meds can make you worse. What you need to do is get a psychiatrist if you don't already have one. Don't let your regular doctor prescribe psychiatric meds for you. Get a good, detailed evaluation and diagnosis. Sometimes, you need to keep a mood chart for a period of time to track the ups and downs. Then if they show that you are truly bipolar, you will be treated with a mood stabilizer and perhaps a small dose of antidepressant, but not always. The mood stabilizer will make the biggest difference.

Most people who have mental health illnesses do also see a therapist. On this website, you will see them referred to as "T". You can get some good support from a therapist. Sounds like you could use it.

Please try to get a good psychiatrist and an accurate diagnosis as soon as possible. Also, you might want to have your husband read up on depression and bipolar illness. Both can be found on this same website.

Keep us informed of your progress. We all care about you.