depression right now. The problem is I can’t get in to see my new psychiatrist until 2-13-08. What can I do until then to stop this from becoming a major episode( I had one over the summer and was in the hospital for it, a depression, and a mania 18 months ago). Thanks.
I do currently take several medications:
Seroquel, Topamax, Valium, and Ambien CR. The Ambien was new prescribed by a reg. doc in exchange for trazadone for sleep but trazadone has antidepressant properties as well as sedative ones. I may just have to go back on the trazadone until I see my new pdoc.

I gotta stop asking for help, but I didn’t get too much my last question, and I really need help.

I am Bipolar type 1. I am severely depressed, often (Especially now) suicidal.

I used to self injure but pretty much turned away from that out of laziness and a lack of interest in anything. Including SI.

A few people told me I am schizophrenic as I have chronic hallucinations and convulsions, but others told me that is my sever Bipolar.

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Well I was wondering if mental illness is hereditary or if it’s just My Family that has a problem? I have an Aunt, a cousin, and a Brother that have been diagnosed with skytzophrenia and another brother who has the characteristics! I have a Cousin who was diagnosed as bipolar! My Father and my Sister haven’t been diagnosed with anything, but they are definately ill. my Mother’s diagnosis was just Mental Illness! I have two Aunts and a Cousin with multiple personalities. I am agorophobic but thats not where the voices come from!

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I have spoken to a doctor…I just want other feedback.
Has anyone out there felt uncomfortable after being treated for bipolar disorder? Like being depressed was getting to be the “normal you” before treatment, and now that you’re being treated you don’t feel like “yourself”. I don’t want to go back to depression, but I noticed this feeling. Anyone out there have anything like this?

the social security is paying me disability money even though I’m schizoaffective bipolar type 1, I can work but only for a couple of weeks before I relapse and get irritated, have anxiety and mood swings and even suicidal thoughts.

I can only work so much before I relapse again and I guess that’s why I’m considered disabled?

I read that the word loony came from back then when the only source of light was the moon. Light sources at night apparently might have cause bipolar disorder in people. I wonder did it have the same effect on me.
My old parents have set up night-lights in every room since i could remember, and its sometime even bright enough to read at the lightsource. I dont know why exactly but it drives me insane. Its like i want to jump up and run into a wall, and hit myself with something hard. I move around so much in my bed, i can wake people up.
But then, it doesnt have the same effect on my parents…I hvae to sleep in total darkness but since light polution makes the sky light up a bright crimson or pink, i have lots of trouble falling asleep. I usually need to wake up early too. It seems my circadian rhythms are messed up, but my parents fear that if diaster happens at night, they cant get out if its dark. They sleep save, i go to bed insane…
Whats your assessment?

I am 25 years old and don’t like living on ssi + SSDI forever cuz the money is $890 a month and dont like this, I wanna work as a truck driver cuz they make $11 an hour or more and don’t have to depend on disability. I HATE living in a subsidized apartment and living on taxpayers money. I wanna know if I can work as a truck driver even with my mental condition as schizoaffective disorder bipolar type I, taking the Following MEDICATIONS:
-Seroquel 600MG at night,
-Lithium Carbonate 600MG in the morning 900MG at night.

After taking seroquel I CAN NOT stay awake cuz it works like a sleeping pill and causes a lot of drowsiness.
Will my mental condition allow me to drive a truck for long hours and go to truck driving school? thank u!!

Has anyone else made a similiar decision not to have children because they fear of passing on whatever illness they suffer?

I am also scared that if I was to become pregnant and keep the child, I would have to come of my meds which is my life line to staying mentally healthy…has anyone come off meds successfully and stayed healthy in the above situation?

I am also scared I’d suffer post partum depression and do something to harm myself…

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When you read a description of Bipolar Disorder, Type II, it reads remarkably like the human condition. It sounds more or less like a personality type, not a pathology. And what counts as a ‘hypomanic’ episode, anyway? A good day? It seems so arbitrary and subjective to me.
I once had a therapist who told me that mood swings and bipolar II are the same thing. I think too many shrinks are just overpaid hacks spouting unscientific garbage.