I have never experienced this is my 23+ year bipolar career. I think I just experienced a three-day (moderately severe) depressive phase. In the past, it's always been months before even an antidepressant would snap me out of it.

Just yesterday, I had such bad psychomotor slowing. Just couldn't think straight, and everything was such an effort. I didn't even want to read a book or watch t.v. or be with my husband. Just wanted to hide in bed. Hell on earth, as we all know.

Today, things seem brighter and I have no interest (so far) in being in bed. In fact, I do have some motivation to do things (e.g., cleaned up the kitchen this morning, whereas yesterday my attitude was "Who cares?")

I hope this isn't a brief "normal" phase to be followed by another crazy hypomanic/manic phase. Thank God I go up to 100 mg lamictal in just 5 days, and then to 200 a week after that. If my brain can just hold onto some semblance of normalcy (not too high, not too low) until the 200 mark, I'll be very grateful! I feel like at 200, I'll be better "insured."

[Piraeus]

Hi Newgal2. I'm glad you are feeling a little better. Depression is hard to deal with. Maybe you would benefit from getting out of the house today. Do something just for you. Go get your nails done, or buy a new outfit for yourself. Get well soon.

Piraeus

Originally Posted by Piraeus

Hi Newgal2. I'm glad you are feeling a little better. Depression is hard to deal with. Maybe you would benefit from getting out of the house today. Do something just for you. Go get your nails done, or buy a new outfit for yourself. Get well soon.

Piraeus

Thanks Piraeus. :-) Despite my depression, I have been getting out each day: daily walks, grocery store, pharmacy, pdoc appointment. I think today I feel compelled to go do some deadheading of the tons of flowers we have outside. It is one of my favorite things to do, and the sunshine feels great.

I also have the opportunity to co-facilitate a Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance support group meeting for women inmates at the local county jail this afternoon. Normally I facilitate alone, but I told another facilitator that, if anything, it would be best for me to just sit in on the meeting today.

[~Christina]

I think that Bipolar can do just about anything. Yes there is all the criteria nonsense but... everyone is unique so I think shifts like you are dealing with can certainly happen.

Seems like you are using coping skills and doing well .. Good for you for

Hi newgal2! I just had the same experience. Tuesday and Wednesday I was SO depressed. I mostly just laid in bed contemplating/planning suicide. I really believed a lot of weird stuff. Then came thursday and I felt all good again. So good I wanted to get into trouble. Confusing. I think maybe that, for me, when I get too depressed, it switches and I go into hypomania.

Originally Posted by Mandrec

Hi newgal2! I just had the same experience. Tuesday and Wednesday I was SO depressed. I mostly just laid in bed contemplating/planning suicide. I really believed a lot of weird stuff. Then came thursday and I felt all good again. So good I wanted to get into trouble. Confusing. I think maybe that, for me, when I get too depressed, it switches and I go into hypomania.

Hi Mandrec, glad you were feeling better yesterday. Hope today is just as good for you!

Woke up feeling a little more down today. At least not suicidal. It may be another day where I need to force myself to stuff I really don't want to do. Lying in bed just feels the worst - - although sometimes my energy gets so low I need to do that. It's at those times that I try not to beat myself up so much and tell myself it's an episode that will resolve and I'm not a bad person because of it.