Posted by pullmarine on October 31, 2000, at 21:54:46
In reply to Am I bipolar - difficulty getting diagnosis, posted by Kingfish on October 31, 2000, at 8:48:56
Hi.
You really should not worry about psychiatric labels. they are very arbitrary (basically, the labels are a list of symptoms that are designated via consensus with little or no scientific validity.
If your doctor is not giving you a diagnosis. Then he's probably a very knowledgeable man. Patients usually seek and cling to labels and let them define their lives. Please avoid this trap. Refuse the labels, and accept taht the things that you go through are just normal variances in human temperament.
Personally, I have been on meds, and dealt with the labels for many years. I am currently off meds (except for dexadrine, but I'm working on that too). I have known people who were diagnosed with bi-polar, put on lithium and years later, are living med free and depression free (in no way am I suggesting that this is the right option for everyone.
In my experience, I have come to accept that everything has cycles, be it the economy, or the seasons of the year. I am no different, I have my seasons and my cycles, but overall, I am functional (but the journey has been long and hard and I'm not entirely through the woods yet).
Best of luck.
John
PS. if you want to know about some non med ways of dealing with depression, just ask.
poster:pullmarine
thread:47817
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20001022/msgs/47876.html