Ask Anything Monday!

Hi, a diagnosis can be a 'moveable feast' so to speak or moveable nightmare I would say, and it can be very frustrating/concerning to have different opinions/diagnoses.

Anxiety does seem to underpin many different mental health conditions, it's a fairly common feature across the board, I have worked with people who have schizophrenia, bpd, and many other disorders and all have varying degrees of anxiety that i could see.

When you see different drs you may be showing them how you are on that day as well, which can differ dramatically on what they would call 'presentation'. They only get to see a microscosm of how you function in the short time that a consulation takes place, not you over 24 hrs or a week, unless you are in hospital and even that would be a time where you are at a heightened state of unwellness and not being assessed as to what you are like when you are functioning at your best at home. so it is a tough call, assessments are made using a variety of tools such as the DSM manual and also as mentioned how you present at the time.

If you have a diagnosis now of bpd that suggests you are having some mania/elevation of mood as well as depression the balance of these two can be quite different, some experience more elevation and other more depression. There are two types of BPD 1 & 2 with differing severity, your first dr may not have observed this or you may have developed it later after your original diagnosis. Our mental health is not a static or fixed state I think, and even more so when we have an illness. I hope that helps, I have worked in mental health for several years and also have a lived experience.

I think it is important to ask your dr how they reached their current diagnosis and take a strong calm and assertive advocate with you if you do not feel confident or well enough to ask, some states have mental organisations that can assist with advocacy, a treatment plan is meant to be collaborative between patient and doctor and all possible side effects, treatment goals and plans and expectations discussed. Best of luck. Christina

Re Q2:

I don't think you need to be self-conscious. Most people have bad days, so if you are expecting people to 'know' that you feel depressed I think you'll find most would be surprised. If you have said specifically that you feel mental illness, this is something for people to deal with as you are.

I have put a lot of stuff on Facebook as my way of helping to get people to understand, but in the end there are better avenues for carer/friend education than Facebook (there is a carers forum on this site, for example). Hope this helps.

A great response to Q1 from Facebook:

The best thing to do is diagnose yourself. Look into the symptoms of both. Do you have high moments? Do you become irritable and frustrated while also thinking you are great and everyone else is a pain? Do you have bouts of promiscuity? Do you lose your inhibitions for periods of time and feel elated? Do you have periods of spending a lot of money frivolously or just making frivolous decisions in general? Do you have periods of having grand ideas or outlandish plans? Do you get into trouble with relationships because of having manic episodes?

If you're not sure, ask the people around you. You know yourself best. There are different variations of bipolar including rapid cycling bipolar, so get informed about these and the symptoms they show, then compare them to your "good" periods to assess whether you experience mild, moderate or extreme mania.

If you do, meds can help you stop bouncing up and down from bad to normal to great to bad to normal to great etc. Type 2 bipolar is difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are subtle compared to type 1. It can take time to notice that there are mild to moderate manic periods because they can only go on for short periods of time.

Q1 -- that is a very good comment @cg02020-

-I think it is important to ask your dr how they reached their current diagnosis and take a strong calm and assertive advocate with you if you do not feel confident or well enough to ask, some states have mental organisations that can assist with advocacy, a treatment plan is meant to be collaborative between patient and doctor and all possible side effects, treatment goals and plans and expectations discussed.

oh dear, I meant 'mental health organisations' not 'mental organisations' 🙂

good response, and I would add the people closest to you that you trust and have no other agenda can also be a great in helping you by drawing your attention to behaviours you might now be aware of, and a journal to document your moods/thoughts and feelings for a few weeks to get an overview. Self diagnosis can be unreliable if really unwell but otherwise yes.

This could be a long response so I apologise in advance. maybe I will separate it into a post for each question.

Q1. I have to ask, do both of those that made the diagnosis have the same information to base it on? It's very hard to get things right or get a diagnosis changed if the information you have isn't complete. It happened to me and it was a very rough ride for everyone.

I was diagnosed with major depression in 2000. Having the diagnosis and being internet savvy I decided to do a bit of research of my own and quickly figured out that it was more likely I was bipolar. The problem was I didn't get this across to those treating me. My bouts of depression were severe & long lived, so when I saw them I was always down & never really opened up about things. It took 11 years and countless upheavals in my life before things really went south & I finally broke down & told them everything that was going on. That changed my life totally - it's far from perfect now but much better than it used to be for both myself & those around me.

Do a little research of your own, but don't take everything you read as gospel. Consider what things you find truly relate to you. You may find that one or the other diagnosis fits you more, or maybe that neither do & there may be other options for diagnosis & treatment.

If you think that you may have trouble talking about your issues consider writing them down & giving them to the doctor. This is something I wish I had thought of doing 16 years ago, it might have made a big difference. Even if it's only every week or so try to write about whats been happening & how you were feeling. Not always easy to do, but it may help a lot.

Do as @Shaz51 does, write things down & ask lots of questions. Never be afraid to seek and use the information you need. Self-education & being able to pass your own story on to those treating you can make all the difference to getting things right. I remember finding out that there were some meds that while great for depression they could make BPD worse, and I had taken most of them over that 11 years!

Take care, I hope you can get it right soon.

Q2.

I don't know if I can give any advice on this one. I get the same at times too. I try to avoid it but some days things are just too overwhelming & I put it out there. I'm sure it does upset some people, especially 'online friends' that don't know my history.

Lately I've been trying to make 'happier' posts, but at times they have a double meaning for me. Sometimes I seem to do it on purpose just to upset myself a little. Music is a huge trigger for my emotions so I'll post a song that I know will bring me down some, despite the fact no-one else will know what it means.

One thing I have generally been able to avoid, but not totally, is using the little 'how are you feeling' tags. You know 'feeling broken' or 'feeling depressed'. But even if I do 99% don't respond anyway....

Maybe I need an answer to this one too.

Cheers

Q2

Dear @Drac0 I like your posts very much......

Also, @cg02020 brilliant posts here!

Q2

I think I agree with @Drac0 in that I just write how I am at that moment. Because I already know that most people know me in the posts I write into ....I get scared that they care about me though but Im trying to get through this.

The problems I have is the people I hang around with....they all take everything so.....seriously and negatively. And I get annoyed because everyone is always asking for a loan of money or telling me how broke they are. We are all broke.

I personally find the tags a little silly, but after a message, I often put a row of flowers or something because I LOVE embriodery.

I've been getting a lot of panic attacks, I feel that I need to just have to focus on getting through every day.

I thinnk I'm working out I need to do one good thing that makes me feel I've acheived something every day. I'm making up a folio of furniture and colours I'de colour my home for the secretary at the Community Centre I go to sometimes. She just bought a home and is doing it up so I'm photocopying pictures of colours and furniture I would choose to give to her. I printed out a gorgeous poem I LOVE by Jaques Prevert