I know I don't post here often, but I have schizoaffective bipolar 2. For months I've been in a severe depression and psychosis. The last couple of months I feel constantly bored, restless and listless. Like I want to do something, but I lack the energy and motivation to do anything. Normally when I get really agitated and mixed I pace and feel like crawling out of my skin despite feeling depressed and suicidal. Now I'm wondering if I'm mixed and the depression is stopping the full blown agitation appear, like I have internal restlessness but the physical fatigue to not want to move.

Does this make sense to anyone? Could chronic boredom be a symptom of agitation, whether mild? Does this sound mixed? It's not my typical mixed symptoms so I'm unsure if I'm headed that way, which would be very bad right now.

Thanks for any insight

*Willow*

[naejannej]

Originally Posted by WeepingWillow23

I know I don't post here often, but I have schizoaffective bipolar 2. For months I've been in a severe depression and psychosis. The last couple of months I feel constantly bored, restless and listless. Like I want to do something, but I lack the energy and motivation to do anything. Normally when I get really agitated and mixed I pace and feel like crawling out of my skin despite feeling depressed and suicidal. Now I'm wondering if I'm mixed and the depression is stopping the full blown agitation appear, like I have internal restlessness but the physical fatigue to not want to move.

Does this make sense to anyone? Could chronic boredom be a symptom of agitation, whether mild? Does this sound mixed? It's not my typical mixed symptoms so I'm unsure if I'm headed that way, which would be very bad right now.

Thanks for any insight

*Willow*

i got like this while on on risperdal, almost exactly like you describe. that's been my only experience like it though. hope you find your way out soon. hugs.

Thanks for your reply Naejannej

Was it when you started the risperidone or at a dose increase, or just appeared out of nowhere?

I increased my aripiprazole/Abilify 2 weeks ago but it started about 2 months ago. I can't tell if it's gotten worse really. I've had akathisia on lower doses of aripiprazole/Abilify but it felt worse than this and I had to pace about. Now I don't have the energy to pace so I don't know what to do to relieve these feelings.

*Willow*

Wondering if it's mild akathisia so I took a benzo today, which helped and am reducing my aripiprazole/Abilify back down to 10mg, what it was before. The problem does predate the increase but I figure it's worth a shot. I'm between pdocs at the moment so I have no one else to ask right now.

*Willow*

[AnxietyGirl916]

I hate that feeling. Mixed episodes are the worst in my opinion. I hope the med adjustment helps.

I've had what you described but for me its not a mixed episode. More restless agitation than mad or aggrivated agitation or energy. It happened really bad on edronax and when I was coming off effexor but it also has happened occasionally on a variety of meds. Have you tried doing some exercise? I found running up and down stairs or going on the bike to help the most. I wouldnt give medication advice, Im not a doctor, but see if it does get better when you mess with the meds cos it could be related.

[naejannej]

Originally Posted by WeepingWillow23

Thanks for your reply Naejannej

Was it when you started the risperidone or at a dose increase, or just appeared out of nowhere?

I increased my aripiprazole/Abilify 2 weeks ago but it started about 2 months ago. I can't tell if it's gotten worse really. I've had akathisia on lower doses of aripiprazole/Abilify but it felt worse than this and I had to pace about. Now I don't have the energy to pace so I don't know what to do to relieve these feelings.

*Willow*

i had it when i started the risperidone, i paced and paced and paced and teared at my skin and tugged my hair out and paced and paced and paced. it was terrible. i was hospitalized over it. ive had some mixed episodes with some pent up energy but nothing so severe. really hope the benzos worked a little for ya.

[junkDNA]

Originally Posted by naejannej

i had it when i started the risperidone, i paced and paced and paced and teared at my skin and tugged my hair out and paced and paced and paced. it was terrible. i was hospitalized over it. ive had some mixed episodes with some pent up energy but nothing so severe. really hope the benzos worked a little for ya.

thats so weird. im on risperidone and it helps me the most of any med ive ever been on. its so weird how drugs affect others differently. like i cannot sleep on a benzo.

[henrydavidtherobot]

I get bored agitation all of the time. I'm not a T, but I think its just depression. You want things to be better but lack the insight to feel like it will make you feel better and don't have the ability to like things you used to enjoy as much.

Thanks for the responses guys

Originally Posted by Supanova

I've had what you described but for me its not a mixed episode. More restless agitation than mad or aggrivated agitation or energy. It happened really bad on edronax and when I was coming off effexor but it also has happened occasionally on a variety of meds. Have you tried doing some exercise? I found running up and down stairs or going on the bike to help the most. I wouldnt give medication advice, Im not a doctor, but see if it does get better when you mess with the meds cos it could be related.

Yeah I'm wondering if it's the meds. Mainly because I would hate it to be the start of a mixed episode. I find moving about helps but I don't have the energy to exercise properly or to pace for hours like I feel like doing. I'm too exhausted to do that and at the moment the exhaustion wins over the boredom/restlessness.

Originally Posted by naejannej

i had it when i started the risperidone, i paced and paced and paced and teared at my skin and tugged my hair out and paced and paced and paced. it was terrible. i was hospitalized over it. ive had some mixed episodes with some pent up energy but nothing so severe. really hope the benzos worked a little for ya.

That's sounds terrible Naejannej but sounds like my mixed episodes and akathisia episodes. I haven't been hospitalised though cos I'm terrified of the hospital and so refuse to leave my room at these times and I'll just pace for hours in secret so I won't be hospitalised.

The benzos helped yesterday and I've been ok today too without benzos. Don't know if it's too early for the 5mg decrease yesterday to have taken effect though?? But fingers crossed it's helping!

Originally Posted by henrydavidtherobot

I get bored agitation all of the time. I'm not a T, but I think its just depression. You want things to be better but lack the insight to feel like it will make you feel better and don't have the ability to like things you used to enjoy as much.

I'm sorry that you feel this way all the time I know there is agitated depression, but I've been mostly depressed for 6 years now and only occasionally feel like this, so I wouldn't say it's the depression per se for me. When I see my new pdoc though I will ask.

*Willow*