[Merlin]

I have bipolar 1 and few anxiety disorders: PTSD, Social Phobia, and anxiety due to perfection at college. I was curious whether other people had co-morbid anxiety with their bipolar, how they treat it and whether the treatment is effective.

[yellow_fleurs]

I have OCD, but the DSM no longer technically classifies it as an anxiety disorder from my understanding (but anxiety is a big component for me). I also was told I had GAD in the past. I have social anxiety and I have some specific fears as well, but not sure I'd go as far to call them phobias. Like I get flight anxiety, anxious in crowds, etc.

I am in therapy for my mental health issues, including the OCD and anxiety. Exposure response prevention therapy is known to work for OCD and we've talked about it, but haven't really implemented anything specific. I work on mindfulness and reducing anxiety through working through cognitive distortions and also healthy diet, exercise, enough sleep etc since it gets worse if my body is out of whack. I was told by my psychiatrist that patients with bipolar and comorbid anxiety disorders sometimes find the anxiety decreases if moods are treated and stabilized.

[Blue_Bird]

I have panic disorder and GAD along with my schizoaffective d/o bipolar type. I basically just use mindfulness and work things out in therapy. I take Inderal and do have klonopin to take prn but I limit that to only when I'm having a really bad panic attack. I do find these things effective

There is no anxiety-related disorder dx code in my records right now. At least not to my knowledge. I believe the only psych dx I have is bipolar disorder type 1, and my psychiatrist likes to emphasize that I am prone to mixed features. I do experience typical hypomanias and full blown manias, but it is true that they often turn mixed in the end.

I want to say that anxiety HAS been an issue off and on in my life. Whether it was secondary to depression, mixed states, or other elevated states, I'm not sure. I have been hospitalized many times in the past, and I recall during one GAD was also listed in addition to bipolar disorder type 1. However, the GAD dx disappeared.

I have definitely experienced short periods of agoraphobia and specific phobias. My therapist worked with me on combating these issues. Fortunately, we beat them fairly well. I was lucky that they were short-term issues with comparatively easy solutions. Again, I think they were reactions to the stress and trauma of past bipolar episodes, and their ramifications.

I still use prn Ativan and Seroquel for help with breakthrough anxiety issues. Even some of my base medications are meant to be helpful for anxiety (Seroquel XR, Klonopin, Propranolol). For me to say that I don't combat and safeguard myself from anxiety would be a lie.

[~Christina]

I have all kinds the anxiety and panic , ocd labels

But I think like my Doctor ... umbrella

Who with Bipolar doesn’t struggle with anxiety or panic ??!

Who doesn’t struggle with insomnia or just poor quality of sleep ???

Most everyone with Bipolar could have something that can be labeled OCD.

Bipolar is an umbrella and all kinds of junk fits under it ..

I do know a couple people with no mental illness that just deal with anxiety.

How do I deal ? I have Xanax that sometimes helps, other time I smash ugly old plates from the thrift store, usually in a bag because I get pissed if I have to clean up the mess and sometimes I just white knuckle it

Ain’t Bipolar grand

[Nammu]

I had PTSD it was my main disabilty more disabling than the bipolar but it's either gone or in remission depending on who you talk to. It was years of therapy and multiple hospitalizations with a focus on trauma work. Now the only thing on my psych diganois is bipolar 1 which is majorly stable without the co- morbid anxiety to trip me up.

Originally Posted by ~Christina

Who with Bipolar doesn’t struggle with anxiety or panic ??!

Yeah, I agree with that.

I'm not sure if this is what you're implying, but I have a "GAD" diagnosis and I don't feel that my anxiety fits in its own category. I think it's part of the bipolar itself, just like my persistent psychosis is part of the bipolar.

Some people may argue that bipolar is an "episodic" disorder, but I disagree. There are mood episodes for sure, but I think anxiety, poor concentration, psychosis, and/or generally feeling "off kilter" is common for people with bipolar who aren't in an episode.

[~Christina]

Originally Posted by bluebicycle

Yeah, I agree with that.


I'm not sure if this is what you're implying, but I have a "GAD" diagnosis and I don't feel that my anxiety fits in its own category. I think it's part of the bipolar itself, just like my persistent psychosis is part of the bipolar.


Some people may argue that bipolar is an "episodic" disorder, but I disagree. There are mood episodes for sure, but I think anxiety, poor concentration, psychosis, and/or generally feeling "off kilter" is common for people with bipolar who aren't in an episode.

Yes ! I have lots of stuff under my Bipolar umbrella !

[Pookyl]

I think I have continuose low grade background anxiety that falls under the bipolar umbrella.

In addition I get panic attacks and suffer from both agoraphobia and claustrophobia.

So I would say that in addition to bipolar and everything it entails (including low grade anxiety), that anxiety is a separate monster that I deal with.

[Victoria'smom]

Pdoc mentioned GAD today. This "anxiety" is worse I've ever had and it's 24/7.

generalised anxiety disorder, social anxiety, and certain phobias

[HALLIEBETH87]

I had anxiety even as a small child which the abuse also brought on ptsd. And as an adult I also have dx of generalized anxiety

[downandlonely]

Generalized anxiety disorder I guess. Although it is pretty much under control now.

[*Beth*]

First, I believe I was born with BP. There are several reasons why I believe that; basically, mood episodes as far back as I have memory.

Second...unfortunately, my mom had a severe (untreated) mental illness, which led to me growing up in...how to say...a freak show, and nothing less. A kid growing up in an insane asylum populated with all the usual suspects doesn't turn out normal.

As for anxiety? I would give a lot to have just 24 hours of my life without it. Unplug the plug and let me rest for a day.