Quote:
Originally Posted by BethRags
I am sitting here with my eyes tearing up...no one has ever explained baseline and stable to me in a way that I truly understood the meanings of those words. Thank you, Christina  and thank you Pookyl
I'm saving what both of you have written so I can refer to it. You know...it's such a confusing feeling when people keep telling me to recognize my baseline, then work hard to be stable. And those people are mental health professionals who I know mean well. They care. They want me to do what they're urging me to do for my own good.
And I sit there and I struggle to understand what on earth it is that they want me to do and I feel like I am working so hard, I'm working hard to be this word they keep telling me - but I have absolutely no clue as to what that word means, or how to grab it and hold onto it when I feel it!
Maybe it just takes others with bipolar disorder to explain the whole concept in a way I can understand. Christina, you explained the sensation of hypomania so perfectly it's delightfully excruciating for me to read! Exactly that, yes- you have given me a great gift with your explanation.
Thank you both, immensely!
Christina, how do you do this without meds? Is there a point at which you do use meds ( for example, when a particularly intense episode occurs), or do you make it through some other way?
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I’m glad my explanation has helped and so grateful Pookyl
came along and helped explain what I simply couldn’t get into words.
How do I manage med free. Well it’s complicated.
In the past I was Med free for 18 months. I did really well, I had a lot of white knuckle moments. But I had a huge tool box of coping skills and knew how to use them , many lifestyle changes. But eventually I started to crumble so back on meds I went.
This last February or March I had seen my GP we sat and went over my meds between psych and physical was on like 14-15 meds a day !! So I felt the need to just detox off as many meds as I could. I still need my Asthma meds, PsA and Fibro, cholesterol stuff but I felt driven to do whatever I could.
I’ve had some really tough situational stuff happen this year but somehow I have muddled along ... not easy sometimes but I have.
Will I need to go back on meds again? Oh I’m sure. What will be my tipping point ? If I fall into a nasty angry manic hell, depression or become suicidal.
I deal with a ridiculous amount of chronic pain which of course effect my moods and stability. I have had a week or two here and there where I start thinking well ...,, maybe it’s time ..... but I find my balance again.
If my husband were to say ... okay I think it’s time for meds again I would listen to him. Numerous close friends from here on PC agreed to quickly point out if they see something I don’t.
I am NOT anti Med. Although I bloody hate Big Pharma.
I think everyone needs to be very proactive about what meds they will take, what side effects will be tolerated. I personally won’t take those meds that are big weight gainers , my ED will come back with a vengeance and I was about a week away from a feeding tube last go around. Recovery from that took almost a year.
There is hundreds of Med cocktails that can be tried.
Meds or no meds managing your life when you have Bipolar is a balancing act. Right now ? Its a circus .... I have all my plates in the air spinning and none are wobbling so I’m good for now.
Next week ??? Everything could change....
I find so many people think that medication X is going to “ fix everything” Bipolar has to be addressed from all sides, sure meds, sleep hygiene, healthy diet, exercise, mindfulness , making sure physically everything is ok.. Thyroid and Hormones can be a huge problem yet can easily be overlooked etc etc
This is what I think Pdoc’s and T’s need to stress... major lifestyle changes have to be made to find the best baseline stability possible.