[pirilin]

Hi friends,

I was diagnosed bipolar, I or II, (depending on pdocs) at the tender age of 62.
I'm guessing the difference is if you have been to the hospital, which I haven't.

My mood has been 90% manic (not hospital manic, but close) for many years, so I basically never paid attention to it.
The bouts of depression never lasted more than a day or two. Until now. I've been depressed for 10 months and counting. I've read the call it kindling.
I'll leave the tech stuff to the doctors. But I know I need all the help I can get.

Is anybody happy with talk therapy? If so, what to look for in a therapist.

Your input will be highly appreciated. Thank you for reading.

[seoultous]

I believe seeing a therapist is essential.

I would look for someone who can teach you the skills you will need to handle the ups and downs that having bipolar can throw at you. So, in terms of modality I am a big fan of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). A good therapist will also educate you about your disease so having someone with experience dealing with chronic mental illness (bipolar disorder for example) is also a good idea.

Most important, you will want to find a therapist who you can feel comfortable talking with. It's hard to tell after just one session so you may spend some time having to shop around, trying each therapist a couple of sessions. If you like your pdoc, you could ask for a referral. I believe good providers recommend good providers - if you know what I mean.

I wish you well on your adventure in finding a therapist.

[gina_re]

I don't think you have to look specifically for a "bipolar therapist". Any therapist that can help you using CBT and DBT should work fine if you are comfortable with him or her.

[Nammu]

Whats essential is that you "click" with the therapist. That's different for everyone. You might also want to consider a T who treats older patients. I find as I get older I want a T who understands these things as well as their general fit.

[DesigningWoman]

Definitely you want at least a couple sessions to see if it is a good fit. The first appointment is mostly getting the basics in. Some therapists can be kinda officious at this point because to them it is completely routine and old hat as they check off boxes. In my experience the second session is more telling. Although I can never open up immediately, I can get an idea about the future.

Personally as a bipolar 2 person, I finally after almost two decades in therapy ended up with a very good match. Someone else choose her for me. Telling.

Anyway, J is very blunt and will tell it exactly like it is. She doesn't care if it pisses me off. Her sight is on the long range goal of a healthier me. Letting me wallow in self pity isn't getting me there any faster. It is slowing me down. The thing is because she is like this I began to really trust her. When she said I had hypomania, I took her very seriously. When she said I was manic and needed to go inpatient, I trusted her even though I had no idea I was manic.

For me with bipolar, I need that honesty. I don't want a therapist to soft pedal a concern. If there is something to worry about in my behavior, I want it out there and straight forward. So I can see it and we can make a plan for me to work on it. She isn't cruel and doesn't mean to ever hurt me. But she is very honest. The truth can hurt at times.

All that said. There is truly not one therapist or type of therapist for everyone. Try and keep an open mind and see who is out there.

I've only had two therapists and the first one I had was crap. After that crappy therapist, I learned how to do a better job at finding a good therapist. Maybe my story will help you out--

My crap therapist was literally convinced that I didn't suffer from depression, no matter how much I told her I felt depressed. "I don't believe you're depressed, nor do I believe you're bipolar. You don't seem bipolar to me at all." She literally said that to me.

The problem is, sometimes I get a melancholic depression. I basically get every symptom of depression except sadness. Well, my crap therapist assumed I wasn't depressed because I didn't feel sad... which is stupid because I was miserable!

Turns out that she "specialized" in ADHD and anxiety disorders. She had no obvious experience with mood disorders, despite having "30 years of well-rounded experience".

My new therapist has a PhD and he specializes in mood disorders. He's younger than she is and he already knows a lot more than she ever will. I think he's so much more understanding because he's genuinely interested in mood disorders. Does that make sense?

So from my experience, I'd say it'd be helpful to find someone who specializes in mood disorders. Find someone who's interested in mood disorders. If you do that, you'll start off on the right foot.

[pirilin]

Wow!!!. So many replies. So much love. Thank you all.

I'm reading all your comments with the attention they deserve.

One thing is clear for now. I need a T specialized in mood disorders.

[DesigningWoman]

Pirilin

Glad we could all help.

You hopefully will find a large number of therapists in your area specializing in mood disorders. I know I have a fair number in my area. A method you might use to cull it down or pick the first to try is look at their additional specialities too. Most therapists will list them on their practice websites online. You might want to consider additional issues in your life that you might need to work on. Ex substance abuse, PTSD, marriage, abuse as a child. There are lots of specialities.
I think of those as what kind of issues the therapist is most interested/perhaps even considers himself or herself best in working with in addition to mood disorders. Don't be afraid to poke around the practice website. My therapist has a professional email address where prospective clients can directly email her for more info or with questions.

I hope you find someone great right out of gate. Even if you don't click with the first one, though keep trying. It will be worth it when you do.