Based on my casual observations of this forum, it seems like most people with bp also suffer from anxiety. I am wondering what role it plays in your life? And how you see anxiety in relation to bp symptoms or cycles?

For me, anxiety manifests in 2 primary ways - somatic/panic and obsession (oh, and a VERY major fear of flying...). My intuition tells me that anxiety develops as a sort of faulty defense mechanism in bipolar people - as an attempt to hold on to oneself/gain control in a world or body that often feels so chaotic or on the verge of destruction.

At least for me, my anxiety is one of the few things that keeps me 'in check' in terms of counteracting impulsivity and recklessness (not that I enjoy it!)...I wonder if it developed as a result of these traits somehow.

what about you?

[BioAdoptMom3]

It is our 14 y/o daughter who has bipolar. She was originally diagnosed with depression and anxiety at the age of 11. For her we have also seen what SEEMS TO BE somatic pain (lots of hypochondria type stuff), social anxiety, nervousness about school (nothing to do with academics as she is gifted, but social difficulties), some OCD resulting in over organization of everything, separation anxiety so intense that she was unable to spend the night away from home until the age of 13 and constantly texting me from school just about this and that. She has also had panic attacks. They have added Abilify to her Lithium and she already seems much better on the anxiety front! I hope it continues to work. Are you on anything to help with the anxiety?

Nancy

Good questions. Apparently BP is often accompanied by anxiety. For me, the anxiety showed up when I was a child...about 8 years of age. I worried about being diagnosed with a severe illness/about being kidnapped to the point of becoming physically sick . At the same time I developed moderate OCD symptoms. Early teen years were hell. During my middle teen years I was very busy and socially active and, interestingly, my anxiety lessened some. In my late teens-early 20's the anxiety seemed connected with extreme stress and that was also when the BP seemed to become really apparent.

Nowadays (I'm 51) the BP has taken on a form of mixed-state depression/agitation/anxiety/"negative" hypomania. These days the anxiety manifests as crippling fear, dread, worry. I worry obsessively about loved ones getting sick - family, friends, pets. I connect the severity of my anxiety with mid-life issues, including hormonal changes. For me, the anxiety is completely purposeless. It wants to ruin my life and I battle it constantly.

wow, both of your descriptions are very similar to my personal experience...

I was also really anxious as a child (and kinda hypomanic, actually, or whatever the childhood equivalent of that would be) - also about illness and being kidnapped, though I was afraid of throwing up and stuff, not of life-threatening illness - those fears came later (heart disease, MS, brain tumor, you name it!) My OCD symptoms also developed and were centered around health/catastrophe.

I was depressed during early teen years (diagnosed with depression/anxiety at 13), then became extremely rebellious and impulsive - I had lots of grand plans, schemes, and fantasies that left my 'boring' friends in the dust (I ended up leaving high school actually). Looking back, it's hard to believe I escaped this era without a drug addiction, an STD, or a felony...I was diagnosed bp when I was 15. Based on my utterly reckless behavior, it's hard to imagine I was feeling anxious about my health, but I honestly can't remember.

late teens I fell into a very deep depression with severe anxiety - and this is also when I started to get heart palpitations, which brought up all the past health-related fears. I developed panic disorder (and my flying phobia) during this time. This would happen again about 2 years later. Many days I could barely move because I was so dizzy and paranoid. I had to leave school for awhile.

My anxiety in general is very physical - I don't have social anxiety at all really, it's more 'existential,' if that makes sense...I would say it is not worry but DREAD. Somehow I see this as separate from my stress-induced obsessive worrying that is about something specific (an idea, some upcoming deadline, etc.). I also feel like I'm in a constant battle with anxiety - it is definitely a force to be reckoned with (I'm pretty sure I have no idea what feeling calm is)

I recently tried Gabapentin, but I can't tell if it's working...

The brain is so magnificent, isn't it!

[r010159]

Originally Posted by thepterodactyl

Based on my casual observations of this forum, it seems like most people with bp also suffer from anxiety. I am wondering what role it plays in your life? And how you see anxiety in relation to bp symptoms or cycles?

For me, anxiety manifests in 2 primary ways - somatic/panic and obsession (oh, and a VERY major fear of flying...). My intuition tells me that anxiety develops as a sort of faulty defense mechanism in bipolar people - as an attempt to hold on to oneself/gain control in a world or body that often feels so chaotic or on the verge of destruction.

At least for me, my anxiety is one of the few things that keeps me 'in check' in terms of counteracting impulsivity and recklessness (not that I enjoy it!)...I wonder if it developed as a result of these traits somehow.

what about you?

Quite impressive turning a disability into a positive coping mechanism.

Anxiety affects me in a couple ways. I can be restless, and it comes with my agitation. I also find its comorbid with my OCD. This is a very good observatupiin on your part. Anxiety does come with my mixed states. I can see it as a faulty defense mechanism. But I think it did not start this way, I think over the years I became to rely on it.

Depression plus high anxiety is a terrible combination for me. I experience it as a different type of depression when the two mix. This is more debilitating to me then straight depression.

[venusss]

For me anxiety is worse than bipolar itself. I can deal with depressed or (hypo)mania, but anxiety....... it just sucks. I don't see any upside to it, I feel it sometimes hinders me and it's plain scary.

I do get a lot of psychosomatic pains too.

[Curiosity77]

I have had periods of intense anxiety, where i worry about everything, don't sleep, etc. Recently i mostly have social anxiety. I'm ok when i'm working, but spending time with most people outside of work makes me anxious and then i just get really quiet. I get bad anxiety during depression and hypomania, it's one of the worst symptoms. But it really never goes away. Saphris helps a bit, but i still feel anxious a lot of the time and i worry that i've said or done the wrong thing.

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