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Originally Posted by spikes
First off, I'm in my early 20's and diagnosed by my pdoc with schizoaffective bipolar type, but I'm going to an IOP where I'm diagnosed bipolar 1 with psychotic features. Either way I'm struggling with mood swings and psychosis.
So the IOP pdoc says bipolar is worse in the early 20's and thinks I won't have an issue with my disorder in just a few years. Now I've been on enough forums and in enough hospitals to know that mood disorders and psychotic disorders aren't just a young person thing. I'm not sure if he actually thinks that or if he thinks he's giving me hope or what.
I want to know if he's right that late teens/early 20's are the worst. I've also heard of kindling theory where it gets worse as time goes on so... idk.
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I personally think it is foolish for any doctor to be making predictions about how a patient will turn out. There is so much variability and a big factor is how a person responds to medication and how compliant they are with taking them, in addition to doing all the other things that make for mental wellness.
I believe I have had a loss of cognitive functioning as a result of each manic episode. Or maybe I just have chemo brain. But this cognitive fog has not impacted my mental health bipolar-wise. I just make more mistakes doing simple things and cannot do anything complicated.
I don't think though that my bipolar is going to get any worse than it has been in the past. I hit 'rock bottom' in my last episode and have avoided getting psychotic symptoms since then by taking an AP and by making sure to get enough sleep. I have a fitbit to help me keep track of that. If I am not getting at least 7 hours then I take an extra olanzapine until my sleep is ok again. Maybe this is the 'special sauce' that will keep me sane.