I am newly diagnosed

Good evening,
I'm Joe. This past Tuesday I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I have known that something wasn't right with me the last 20 years. But the diagnosis was a little bit stunning to me. I went home after the diagnosis and just sat in a chair, staring out the window. So many thoughts came to my mind. I'll be honest, I'm a little bit frightened. It feels as though a new page has turned in my life.

Is it normal to be a bit frightened of the diagnosis?

Thank you,
Joe

Welcome, Joe.

I think being diagnosed with any illness is scary. So yes, I think it's normal to be frightened.

What are you afraid of?

(((travelbug2015)))



Sure, we can feel all sorts of things after a diagnosis.

Feeling frightened is not an uncommon reaction.

This is okay.

My best advice would be for you to educate yourself as much as possible regarding your diagnosis.

Education is power.

Power is liberating.

The truth shall set you free.

Thank you for responding.
I think I'm afraid of the medication. Also, I'm afraid about what lies ahead. I guess the initial shock will wear away soon. But the last few days have been full of anxiety. How will people I know react to me and my illness?...that crosses my mind a lot. of course, it's irrational to fear what others think of my illness. It is what it is.

I was diagnosed late myself age 43 ! but going back I was first showing Bipolar signs at age 6.. But hell no one diagnosed a kid way back when..

Honestly most everyone that gets diagnosed has had Bipolar long long before getting the Label.. Sure its shocking, I wasn't thrilled but looking back ,,I could certainly see when Bipolar was taking the reins ( I can laugh now)

If digesting " Bipolar" is just too big to handle right now, Focus on dealing with the issues its causing, learning coping skills and its really a lifestyle change, you need to attack Bipolar from all sides , exercise, healthy diet, Good sleep hygiene Mindfulness, Meditation, breath exercises, the list is long and basically never ending , you just have to learn what works best for you. Start researching medications , don't blindly accept a pill and not know the basics, there are many medications that can help, But it takes time to find the right ones, I have yet to hear of a single person that found there perfect medication(s) first go around. I was on and off many, eventually I had learned enough coping skills that I decided to go med free, its working okay for me so far.

As for telling people , You don't have to disclose, take your time... Some people will freak out, some will treat you differently.. so just give yourself time to deal with now knowing there is a name to what has been a part of your life for 20 years. Certainly no need to rush to tell people.

Welcome to PC , you will find people at all stages of dealing with all kinds of diagnosis's. Loads of support and stories to share.

I agree. Being diagnosed with any illness is worrying. It's normal to be frightened, particularly a mental health issue which most of the public have no interest in.

In my experience you mention mental health and people disengage.

yeah you dont have to tell anyone about your diagnosis, especially while you're trying to get the car back on the road so to speak

for me the confusion still hasn't lifted, i often wonder if its accurate diagnosis or not... but im medicated now and feel stable so maybe its just the meds doing their job

with meds you have to just try them out till you get something that works, maybe you will be lucky and respond well to the first medication
dont be afraid of the medicine though, remember you are in control and dont have to take anything, you're just trying it out

You can check around your area for support groups like Depression and Bipolor Support Alliance (DBSA) people there are in all stages of dealing with their diganois. There may be other groups too if you are in USA and have a 211 number. You needn't go though this alone if you don't want to and feel those close to you might not understand the impact this has on you.

Thank you for your responses. Everything you mentioned I will take to heart. I'm finally coming around to accepting the diagnosis. It looks like it'll be a long process to recovery. But I am ready to deal with it. I've spent almost 20 years wrestling with this disorder. I'm just glad I have a diagnosis. I meet with my case worker on Tuesday. I have to wait for three weeks until I get medication from the psychiatrist. I guess there is a long wait at the mental health clinic I visited.
Things will look better soon!

Thank you,
Joe

I was afraid of my dx as well.

Welcome to the forum by the way!

I also fear the diagnosis. I think it's a very, very normal feeling. Probably more normal than abnormal.

I was diagnosed last month and I am still scrared and apprehensive. This is totally normal. Just keep your eye on the goal. T visits, doc visits, and meds. As well as healthy routine and something to look forward to. I'm sure this isnt the end of the road for us. We can do it!

Thank you for responding. Well, I do like to travel. I was a US Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines. I liked to travel around the country when I wasn't busy at my site. I also enjoy travel stateside. I particularly enjoy historical sites.

I have my first meeting with my case worker on Tuesday. I'm hoping that it goes well. My appointment with the psychiatrist is on April 15th. I'm supposed to be prescribed medication at that point.

Honestly, the signs of bipolar have been present since my days in high school. 20 years is a long time to suffer. I had a very severe depression while in college. I was hallucinating at that time. It was the scariest part of the depression. After the depression I had a year or two of normal behavior. Then the cycle really began. I'll spare you the details. Let's just say it was a rollercoaster of a ride.

But like I said earlier, I'm thankful that I now have a diagnosis. I'm coming out of a long depression in February. I'm more lucid now. This cooling off period has allowed me to study more about the disorder. I guess education is a vital part of recovery.