[h0kie]

So yesterday I went shopping and out to dinner with one of my very best friends. She's wonderful. She knows how I feel...there are things she understands, that I don't have to explain to her, that I have to explain to my husband (he's boy...lol).

Anyway. I keep trying to get her to go to the clinic we (hubby and I) go to ( ), because her old pdoc decided to only see geriatric patients and our old doc doesn't accept her insurance.

She suffers from OCD and ADHD. She's not taking meds currently because she can't find a doc. She can control the OCD and ADHD because she's been coping with them for so long. Here is my concern.

We were discussing her "issues" and she was saying how she is ok right now. According to her, she has months at a time where she is fine, and then she'll have several weeks where things get really bad.

Now...with the little I know about mental illness, it sounds suspiciously like bipolar disorder. The clinic we go to takes a while to get into, so I am trying to get her to start the process now...so when a "bad time" comes around she'll either be in the clinic or close to being in the clinic.

What do you guys think?

[Rebound]

My opinion is that if the bad times are bad enough that she has difficulty functioning she should seek help asap regardless of how she feels right now. Otherwise I would just support her in coping as best she can. As to whether it is bp, I would think so only if the "fine" periods are actually much worse than she thinks from your perspective, i.e. she feels great but you can perceive her behaviour to be self-destructive. Are the "bad" periods depressive or mixed? Just my 2 cents but it sounds like depression without more info.

[h0kie]

Well, she's also said her former doc had discussed bipolar disorder with her. Which is what concerns me.

I don't think she dangerous to herself or others....they're somewhat depressive. All I know is she has panic attacks and has trouble getting out of bed...etc.

I HIGHLY doubt it is depression. She has no depressive symptons...maybe a couple when she is at a "low". She seems to fluctuate from high highs to low lows.

I keep mentioning it to her...its about all I can do. Cept be her friend and love her. Thanks for your reply.

[Rebound]

I'm sorry you are in this position. Frankly, I know what it is like.

Anyway, it is very unusual for manic symptoms to present on their own. All the more reason to seek help asap.