Questions: Bipolar Version 2

Dirty Dancing "nobody puts baby in the corner"
It just makes me feel good, Johnny comes back and Baby gets her guy

What do you like to do that gives you a feeling of peace, calm and serenity?

Listen to music.

If you read the Bible, is it "religiously"?

I actually need to get myself a bible.

thanks to my parents, I don't actually have one (which is sad really, because I do sort of believe)

for now, I read the daily scriptures online.

until I can get a copy of my own..

hard to find somewhere that does it though in england. I ordered one from america, but they said they didn't deliver outside the USA.
on average, how much money do you spend a month?

I couldn't possibly answer as I am not very careful with money and I am never too careful with how much money I am spending as long as I don't over spend a day I am fine.

Question: Have you ever been told by a professional that your never going to be rid of your anxieties but they can be managed?

yes and we've worked very hard on doing that. Sometimes I'm more successful at it than others.

Are you able to eat a well-balanced diet?

Yes. Your body does the balancing if you eat just any normal, healthy meal containing all nutrients. It's easy. If it does not, eating more of anything might not be enough. And you might not be hungry or too hungry. That's part of the hormonal imbalance of mania and depression. Hunger dysregulation. So when manic, I might sometimes forget but I still try to force myself to eat. It's easier when not hungry and depressed. At least something that's evidently worth doing. I never eat too much. I do sometimes have other problems where I force myself to eat less than I should. Nothing too serious. But still it is easy to eat a well-balanced diet. So maybe, no. But what I eat is well-balanced, so maybe yes.

Do you drink lots of water?

I try to stay hydrated, especially during the summer months.

I take Lithium and Nuvigil and my hands shake like crazy if I haven't eaten or drank enough for the day.

How many medications have you tried before finding one that "works" for you?

I am getting better. Too bad coffee doesn't count as water. I also drink lots of tea.

Which do you like more? Salty or sweet?

I have been on meds for 7 years and out of 3 original meds I'm on 1 (Depakote). I have stopped the Quetiapine but added Aririprazole. So I'm currently on just 2 meds and a PRN and they are working for me.

I'm a sweet kinda person

Question: Do you ever feel like your intelligence has suffered due to being ill/out of work/in service designed for mentally ill people?

My last episode certainly dropped my IQ at least 20 points. It is taking me some time to recover my mental faculties. I feel like my mind is coated in glue. My doctor says it can take up to six months for the brain and body to recover from a severe episode.

How long does it take for you to recover after a severe episode?

Last bad episode was Dec-April this year and still recovering.

What can be expected at a first pdoc appointment?

Lots of questions about your life/symptoms/childhood/etc

What time do you usually go to sleep/wake up?

Sleep 11, wake 7 (though weekends I can quite successfully extend that to 9)

Does napping make you energetic or feel crappy?

A bit of both sometimes I wake up and I get the hangover effect (if only) It makes me feel iffy!! Other times I feel energised.

Question: For those working on CBT do you ever forget some of the earlier stuff you learnt? Or the earlier stuff you talked about? If so can you recover and remember it now?

I've never succeeded with CBT. I don't know if it is me or that is just not the right therapy for me but it doesn't work well for me and I have a very hard time applying it to worksheets or discussion.

Have you done any group therapy outside of the hospital/IOP?

Nah, but I have done 3 years (on and off) of IOP which is a lot of group time. They've been the most helpful program I've ever been through.

Q: how bothered by stigma are you?

Not so much generally but admittedly there's still a handful of people in my life I'd still rather not know. Just don't think they'd understand.

Q. Anyone have their AD make them more depressed?

Not that I can remember. Most of them made me mixed.

Have you ever had the opposite reaction to a med than was expected (like benadryl makes me agitated)?

So apparently I'm the only one with the last question..........moving on.......

How do you handle social gatherings like reunions with people you don't want to know you are mentally ill?

When feeling low I avoid them like the plague when feeling good I'm the social butterfly. It's the inbetween that's hard. Then I feel like I'm being assessed and it's my job to reassure everyone I'm fine. I don't think anyone has figured me out without my telling them. I've had a lot of years of hiding it.

Ok so tomorrow is my first ever pdoc appointment. Is it normal that I think he's going to think I'm a total fake, that I'm making it all up? Is this a common fear/paranoia?

It would be for me. I've been with the same pdoc for nearly 15 years and I still feel that way sometimes. But she doesn't and I do know it, unless I'm in bad shape. Good luck with the appointment.

Do you cook real meals most days (nutritional, varied, etc)?

No. I eat out. Always the same meal. It is nutritional. And I eat nuts. Peanuts mostly.

Do you have a tremor (only) when you are not on any/some meds (maybe antipsychotics; not due to withdrawal and not when manic/psychotic; as if you were manic/psychotic)?

I don't know; I don't go off my meds to find out.

Do you have a pet (or pets) that help you cope?

No though I've often thought it might be a good thing.

Q. Do you listen to music and if so, do you listen more when up, down or even? And do you listen to it loud or quiet?

I don't listen to music often. I can't stand it when I'm up and want it quiet all the time. I listen to books on CD in the car more than I do music and the car is the primary place I listen to music.

Are you sensitive to sounds?