Posted by Novelagent on August 22, 2012, at 16:14:06
In reply to Re: Disability » Novelagent, posted by brynb on August 22, 2012, at 13:29:01
I'm glad someone appreciates my advice. Sometimes I feel like I'm just wasting my time here. : )
Yeah, I got hypomania from aricept, so I know how it is. If you feel like your thoughts are faster than life, larger than life, it's hypomania. Speaking of which, Larger than Life is a great Clark Gable classic film about hypomania from Adrenaline pills. Watch it. : )
Consider upping your lithium, maybe adding in Latuda, I don't know, I'm not a doc... But I just know at a world famius hospital I went to, the docs put the bipolar patients on Lithium as they're "you're going to actually get your problem treated here" regimen. So at the right dose, it'll work.
I probably had mania, but I didn't want to go on lithium, so I diwnplayed my manic symptoms (laughing hysterically in the downpouribg rain I omitted, along with walking through 3 city burroughs all day thinking federal agents were following me in the rain). But whatever it was, Invega Sustenna has stopped it... I've never once had a relapse.
I'm glad you're taking some initiative and keeping positive. That's really important. The only thing I would really emphasize, besides being straight with your doc about wha appear to be residual symptoms, is to volunteer-- not for references, but for your sanity. Too much free time can be really unnerving and overwhelming.
> > If you think you've experienced depression before, just wait until finding out what it's like living off of $800/a month and having no remote hope of even trying to get a job again, because you've given up and checked out of life.
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> NA,
> I agree!
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> > The past doesn't always predict the future. If you commit to the notion you can't change, and you're unreliable forever because you use to be in the past, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, and becomes the reason you are unreliable. Cognitive Behavorial Therapy is all about this-- changing your response to automatic inclinations, so you can eventually alter your behavior and stop selling yourself so short.
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> Again, I totally agree. The more I think of it, disability seems like a big no-no. I completely believe that we can create our own realties (for better or worse), and have really committed to being positive, being mindful and using positive thinking. I work with an amazing life coach (I like her approach way better than my therapist's) and "re-wiring" my thinking helped me overcome drug addiction and has been helpful in dealing w/ my depression and anxiety.
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> > What are the symptoms of hypomania? Not being depressed alone isn't hypomania-- do you have forced speech? Engage in risky behavior? It's unlikely if you're on lithium that you have hypomania... If you do, it's just a matter of raising the dose. Lithium is a very effective drug.
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> Lithium has been a great addition for sure. I'm only on 300mg (so more for depression and to prevent episodes, though I'm sure it has some stabilizing ability at this dose, no?). It's been good for impulse control and pretty good w/ irritability, but I still feel a little speedy and racy at times, thought and speech-wise. I've always felt like I can't shut my brain off or quiet my mind. My pdoc is treating me as MDD w/ GAD at the moment (it's not a definitive diagnosis).
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> > I'm on disability right now, and trust me, it sucks. I'm going back to school.
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> Sorry to hear. It's awesome that you're going back to school, though. I'm so glad I got it over with when I did--I was able to enjoy it and fortunately was still competent. It gets harder as you get older :/.
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> >I use to go to work late and so can relate to feeling unreliable as an employee, but I have a part-time job now and show up on time now. I also show up on time for everything else now, by planning to be early and using reminders on my phone calendar. I use to always be late or not show up to things.
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> These are all good suggestions, and I'd like to think that I'm stable enough to show up as well. If I believe I'm predictable, then I will be.
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> > It's probably hard to get references if you've been an unreliable employee, but you can change that by full-time volunteering in your field for charities that teach english to kids or something else related to your field, and then use your references from supervisors there.
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> I've been somewhat fortunate in this area. I've maintained some relationships w/ former colleagues and employers, and also have family members who vouch for me (they own businesses and say I've freelanced for them).
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> > Be honest with your therapist you don't trust yourself to be reliable in the future, and need help practicing. Go to your committments early--plan on arriving early to things, and you won't be late.
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> Definitely, and all good suggestions.
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> > Also, be careful on this board. You can find people who will want to make you feel like a victim, rather than give you encouraging support to take things on and overcome your valud challenges.
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> Thanks, NA, all around. Your response helped to confirm how I began to feel about disability after some more thought today (that it's not the right option for me). I'm also a believer in mutual support and encouragement, and don't like the idea of being a victim. If you act like a victim or feel like a victim, then you become one.
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> If you have any thoughts about the hypomania part, I'd like to hear them.
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> Thanks again.
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> -b
poster:Novelagent
thread:1023820
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20120818/msgs/1023943.html