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Dysthymia/chronic depression and Bipolar II

FishSenior Contributor

Dysthymia/chronic depression and Bipolar II

Hi all! Just looking for some insights from anyone who's experienced something similar.

For the last 10 months I've been on a combo of mood stabilisers and antidepressants, after a major acute depressive episode. The worst of the depression subsided after a few months of meds + talk therapy. I've been off work, focusing on treatment, and I've made great progress and have a much more stable life now.

However, for the past six months or so I've been dealing with a chronic low level depression. I sleep 10-12+ hours a night, sometimes waking up in the middle of the night. I rarely go out, except for the gym, appointments, and a bit of casual work. I don't feel confident or attractive anymore, though I still feel secure with my partner. I can concentrate ok for short to medium periods, but I have no motivation to try new things or do the things I did before the major episode. And I'm always holding back a constant generalised anger/frustration/irritability, mostly at my circumstances and at what I see as a generally ineffective public health and welfare system.

It feels like my progress has levelled out, and I'm stuck at this point where I'm surviving pretty well, but not much more. Has anyone else, especially anyone with bipolar spectrum disorders, experienced anything similar? Any suggestions?

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In response to: Dysthymia/chronic depression and Bipolar II

Unknown userMember

Re: Dysthymia/chronic depression and Bipolar II

I have bipolar too but have not been successful on medication yet. But I feel I can kind of understand what your talking about.

Because of not being medicated I have to be really careful of what I'm doing like you taking time to get balanced.

Through out those times I live in pjs and don't really socialise. I sleep and eat and work. I don't feel attractive, I feel blah. I have zero confidence. I find it hard to even socialise and can't handle ulesless winngy chit chat. I have no motivation to do new things even though I want to do them. I'm just a turtle.

What I put it to is ive been a turtle for to long. And yes we have to do that to get healthy but by doing that we kind of lose a part of our self I feel. So what I've been doing is putting on a nice lipstick or underware to make me feel attractive. I give myself little goal tasks to do. I'm also pushing myself to socialise with people which is giving me my confidence back. See the thing is we never really lost these things they just have been in hiding and we need to slowly find them and get back to world life.

I hope that makes sense and I'm not rambling on. Glad your feeling in a better space.

In response to: Dysthymia/chronic depression and Bipolar II

Unknown userMember

Re: Dysthymia/chronic depression and Bipolar II

Hello @Fish

Thanks so much for sharing with us, it seems like you have doe such an incredible job at trying different things but finding that at the moment you are struggling with feeling extremely low, have you had a change in your medication recently? Sometimes a review of your medication can be helpful, especially if you have been feeling this way for quite some time.

Also some other things that come to mind with depression symptoms, is self-care and looking forward to things that give you a bit of a dopamine hit, this could be doing something nice that you ejoy daily and maybe something even like a weekend away or a holiday to look forward to in the future.

I have also linked in another thread that is quite helpful. It is by a former member but stil you might find it interesting to read through here

Thinking of you,

Lunar 🙂

In response to: Dysthymia/chronic depression and Bipolar II

FishSenior Contributor

Re: Dysthymia/chronic depression and Bipolar II

Thanks guys 🙂 I know about the self-care stuff - it's really hard to do while living off just under half the minimum wage, but I work it in there. It just seems strange to still be depressed after so much treatment for so long. It's not severe - just enough to get it the way of daily living. And so damned persistent 😞
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