Let`s talk about Bipolar

Hi. I am new to this and I'm struggling with my mental health and how to use this platform

Hello @Spartacus1 and welcome. Well done on navigating your way to this thread.

We're all at different stages - and some are supporters rather than sufferers - and it's all OK.

You'll notice I tagged you with @ then your username - that's the way to ensure you got a notification that I replied.

Hope you're going OK this long weekend.

Thankyou. Yep struggling. I miss my family and home but I am trying to hang in there.

Hello @Spartacus1 sorry to hear you're struggling and you miss your home and family. Is it temporary or is this a more permanent change for you? Trying to get supports in place (meds and people) for the times things aren't so good can help take off some of the pressure.

What's happening for you? The forums are good but don't offer crisis support like eg Lifeline.

The fact sheet is very good!

I've been onto life line today. To cut a long story short I'm not likely to see any of my children soon. I had an episode and now I'm not allowed to go home. My children are grown up and I don't live with them. My moods are up and down and my meds are just taking the edge off. I'm ok now so that means I can type this. The yo-yo effect is making me really tired but I can only sleep with sleeping pills. I'm really on the edge atm.

@Spartacus1 @ I hear you. Life with bipolar 2 sucks. My partner of 30years left me because of my mood swings. My children are all adults and they choose to spend time with their mother. My moods change daily. Serious lows and pleasant hypomanic highs followed by mixed episodes of agitation etc. I count myself lucky if I don't think about suicide for a day. I'm on antipsychotics, mood stabilisers and antidepressants. I have a long list of activities to help me live with bipolar - exercise, sleep, social contact etc - but in bad times it all feels too difficult.

My children and birth family keep me safe. I am safe.

Sorry for the rant. My first time sharing my thoughts outside conversations with psychiatrist and psychologist.

@Doog that sounds the same as me. I feel for you. I get so low I worry when I'm high what I'm going to do and when I'm low I worry about what I've done when I'm high. Anxiety then seeps in. I'm on the same regime of meds you are on plus the ones for DOB related issues.

@Spartacus1 I was diagnosed with BP about 5 years ago in my late 50's after a traumatic incident and after a long period of wilder and wilder mood swings. I was prescribed many drugs, none of which seem to have worked except the antipsychotics. They made me feel slow and fuzzy. Before my partner left me I successfully weened myself of all prescribed drugs and felt a lot better. When my partner left I fell apart and was happy to go back on the medication to numb the pain. Now my moods seem to change more quickly and when I change moods I can't remember how I felt in the other mood. I think exercise in nature, exposing myself to sunlight and meditation are powerful tools, but they are hard to do when I'm low.

What tools help you in control of mood swings?