[Sometimes psychotic]

So for those of you who don't know me I have bipolar I with psychotic features. I tend to focus on the psychosis and don't pay much attention to moods but I've been noticing that my energy level has been much lower over the last year, like I don't even cook anymore and that's something I used to enjoy. I see the pdoc in a month or so but I'm trying to figure out if I might have been depressed all this time. She gives me a depression questionnaire each time and I never score too highly but I'm wonder can you just experience depression as a type of low energy where you just don't get things done but you feel mostly OK. I never though about it this way before and I'm wondering if I might need a med adjustment. Any insights?

[Wild Coyote]

Hi! Great question!

Since I have several fatiguing medical illnesses, in addition to Bipolar depression, my experiences have been those of very low energy, even when my mood is better.

On the other hand, some feel very low energy, even paralyzed, by depression. I know my energy level is even less when overtly feeling depressed.

I think the responses to this thread will be very interesting!
I hope the responses will be helpful to you!


WC

[Sometimes psychotic]

Originally Posted by Wild Coyote

Hi! Great question!

Since I have several fatiguing medical illnesses, in addition to Bipolar depression, my experiences have been those of very low energy, even when my mood is better.

On the other hand, some feel very low energy, even paralyzed, by depression. I know my energy level is even less when overtly feeling depressed.

I think the responses to this thread will be very interesting!
I hope the responses will be helpful to you!


WC

Hi WC, thanks for your reply Just wondering if you have developed any coping mechanisms for the low energy?

[Wild Coyote]

Originally Posted by Sometimes psychotic

Hi WC, thanks for your reply Just wondering if you have developed any coping mechanisms for the low energy?

I have needed stimulants, now specifically Adderall. It's not a cure-all, for sure. I still have to push myself to adhere to a schedule and even more so when my sleep is off. my sleep is off now (again) and my best shot at regaining my equilibrium is in pushing myself to adhere to my daily schedule.

I allow myself to have either a Saturday or a Sunday to goof off without feeling guilty.

Good quality sleep and a solid daily routine are most helpful to me.


WC

[mossanimal]

I've been going through something similar over the last several months. I work for myself and I've been laying down to sleep in the middle of the day. But that low energy was also accompanied by a sense of dread to do anything, no joy... and fleeing suicidal thoughs. So... I'm obviously depressed. Last week I was told to double my Wellbutrin (stimulant).. which has halted the sleeping... but not the lack of joy, dread and those fleeting thoughts. When this episode started I might explain it as you do.. just low energy.

[Sometimes psychotic]

Originally Posted by mossanimal

I've been going through something similar over the last several months. I work for myself and I've been laying down to sleep in the middle of the day. But that low energy was also accompanied by a sense of dread to do anything, no joy... and fleeing suicidal thoughs. So... I'm obviously depressed. Last week I was told to double my Wellbutrin (stimulant).. which has halted the sleeping... but not the lack of joy, dread and those fleeting thoughts. When this episode started I might explain it as you do.. just low energy.

Thanks mossanimal, I'm sorry the Wellbutrin hasn't really worked super well for you

I don't think stimulants are an option for me because of the psychosis but I might be able to reduce my AP to similar effect although I doubt my current pdoc would allow that either.....

[Cornucopia]

Have been asking myself the same question.
Only thing lacking is the depression (did have severe mania once), I am experiencing something new- more flat and lack of energy. Don't like it. I am not an emotional person. (To the extent that my former psychiatrist compared me to a robot)

My 'normal' state is energetic and happy, I don't like this change. I am not really sad, but this state feels a bit sad to be stuck in. Somehow still without 'normal' emotions. I do have emotions, to some degree- they just are different sometimes.

But yeah, I have asked myself the same question. I think you can be depressed without feelings, but I always imagined that would result in total lack of emotions. I am not in a total limbo either, and I try really hard to get out of this thing I'm stuck in.
(Also, it has started to add other things into my state of being, which I really don't like. Not sure if it is because I have been like this for too long and its getting worse, or if it is a coincidence)

Ps: writing on phone, that have a tendency to make me a bit unclear, I don't see all the text at once I always promise myself to check for spelling and understanding, but then never bother.

[BeyondtheRainbow]

Someone with expertise but I can't remember who (Dr. Phelps from psycheducation.org possibly) says bipolar is a disorder of mood and energy. I know for me this tends to be true. Maybe you're seeing more of a spike in one than the other?

Energy levels have been an issue for me off and on, especially during the last 13 years. Yes, obviously depression has affected them, and medications, too, but sometimes it's been hard to put my finger on the cause. I can be "stable" with very low energy. I can be stable and have low energy in the morning and high energy in the afternoon. It really varies. Though some docs may suggest using exercise to help, more often they have tried various medications.

Using medications to influence energy levels is sometimes risky, I've found. I've had psychiatrists try to give me meds like Provigil, only to make me seriously manic and have to stop. Antidepressants were added in the long ago past, only to find they made me manic, usually with mixed features and often rapid cycling. Even Lamictal and maybe Abilify were used to increase my energy. One or both were very successful, but then too successful. I do still take Lamictal, but only a small dose because larger doses have made me manic over time.

Nowadays my psychiatrist usually just manipulates my Seroquel XR dosage. Coincidentally, that's what he did just today since I, too, have had low energy lately, without depression. He lowered it a little 2 weeks ago, but the reduction didn't do enough. Hopefully the additional reduction will help. I told him that we should be careful because February and March are historically upswings for me. He said he doesn't mind if I have a mild upswing, as long as it is elated and not irritable or mixed. Of course if I do, my Seroquel XR can always be raised again. My psychiatrist has chosen not to increase my Lamictal these past number of years.

[Pookyl]

Originally Posted by Sometimes psychotic

So for those of you who don't know me I have bipolar I with psychotic features. I tend to focus on the psychosis and don't pay much attention to moods but I've been noticing that my energy level has been much lower over the last year, like I don't even cook anymore and that's something I used to enjoy. I see the pdoc in a month or so but I'm trying to figure out if I might have been depressed all this time. She gives me a depression questionnaire each time and I never score too highly but I'm wonder can you just experience depression as a type of low energy where you just don't get things done but you feel mostly OK. I never though about it this way before and I'm wondering if I might need a med adjustment. Any insights?

My head is like concrete when depressed. I always experience low energy when depressed. In fact I would go so far as to say that if I don’t have low energy I’m not depressed.

[Sometimes psychotic]

Originally Posted by BeyondtheRainbow

Someone with expertise but I can't remember who (Dr. Phelps from psycheducation.org possibly) says bipolar is a disorder of mood and energy. I know for me this tends to be true. Maybe you're seeing more of a spike in one than the other?

Oh that is an excellent point, I never considered it that way...

[sonjaward809]

I also have the same diagnosis and sometimes get caught up in the other aspects of my disorder. I was in IP recently for a severe depressive episode, and haven't quite "bounced" back yet. The thing I remember the most is how my energy was depleted .. like it just disappeared. I wasn't doing things I normally do and then the psychosis on top of that just took everything out of me. I'm still having some issues with my energy and such but it's coming back slowly. I feel fine though, like I'm not depressed or anything. This past year has been the roughest year I've had in a while so I'm sure that has something to do with it.

[Zigy]

Originally Posted by Sometimes psychotic

So for those of you who don't know me I have bipolar I with psychotic features. I tend to focus on the psychosis and don't pay much attention to moods but I've been noticing that my energy level has been much lower over the last year, like I don't even cook anymore and that's something I used to enjoy. I see the pdoc in a month or so but I'm trying to figure out if I might have been depressed all this time. She gives me a depression questionnaire each time and I never score too highly but I'm wonder can you just experience depression as a type of low energy where you just don't get things done but you feel mostly OK. I never though about it this way before and I'm wondering if I might need a med adjustment. Any insights?

Depression definitely comes with fatigue and even exhaustion. But you don't "feel mostly OK" when depressed.

Depression is when you feel helpless, hopeless, like you were in a very dark cage without a way out. You're likely to think about death a lot, like others or yourself dying. You see the world in gray instead of in colors. There are dark, thick clouds over your head and inside your head: your mind is also a dark, clouded place. You may feel empty, worthless, guilty, a loser, a failure. You lose interest in most, if not all, activities that you normally enjoyed. You find no pleasure in anything.

It may also come with anxiety-like symptoms: irritability, feeling frustrated, lack of focus, poor sleep or lack of sleep.