Posted by Ritch on November 4, 2004, at 10:20:39
In reply to Bipolars in real life, posted by cybercafe on November 3, 2004, at 16:36:45
> one thing i've noticed about bipolars i've met outside of support groups etc (i.e. those who are successful) is that they all seem to be manic whenever i meet them and none of them seem to have anything above even the mildest of anxiety disorders.
>
> I basically need at least 2 mg of clonazepam everytime I have to sit still (maybe this is an ADD thing who knows -- i also have ADD).
>
> can most bipolars function without taking large quantities of benzos on a consistent basis??
Just a thought.. but if I'm not manic nobody ever suspects that I'm bipolar (no evidence of it and no willingness on my part to talk about it), and if it is a euphoric mania I have no anxiety whastsoever. There is a feeling of complete control over everything and confidence that eliminates the anxiety. So, maybe some of those "successful" bipolars might not seem so anxiety-free should you happen to see them in a depressive cycle. There is "cyclicity" to my anxiety levels. I went for many years without any benzos-just lithium or antidepressants. When you talk about being "unable to sit still"-that may have something to do with something that you are *taking* causing the restlessness, IOW a med-induced restlessness (an AP or AD or stim). Akathisia can be tough to separate from generalized anxiety.
poster:Ritch
thread:411222
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041103/msgs/411608.html