Posted by kyp on September 24, 2003, at 9:35:37
In reply to Just Diagnosed with Bipolar, posted by Michelle0202 on September 24, 2003, at 0:16:09
There is a ton of information on bipolar on the internet, you can do a search. Let me know if you need sites. There are some great books also. Some organizations for support are the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)www.nami.org and the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA)www.DBSAlliance.org . Both of these groups have local chapters all oover the USA with great information and support groups. The NAMI group even has a 12? session class for family members who have loved ones suffering from a mental illness to gain insight on the illness.
Be thankful you have been diagnosed and are getting the meds you need. Get therapy too and you will be on the road to recovery and health in a big way.
The dr. Bob psycho Babble site will give you info about meds. They all have side effects for different people differently. Personally, I have seen Depakote be useful yet cause one to be hungry and overeat which can be distressing.
The psycho Babble Books site can inform you about the various books on bipolar.
Kay Jamison has bipolar and is a psychiatirist/author/professor at John Hopkins University.
Patty Duke wrote an autobiograpy. Danille Steel wrote about living with her son who suffered from bipolar.
Joy Ikelman has a site that includes famous people suffering from bipolar www.frii.com/~parrot/bip.html
The Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation www.bpkids.org is helpful in examining when this started for you.
That should get you started on the road of information.
One piece of advice. Give the meds a chance. Don't go off even if you feel better, it is BECAUSE you are on the meds that you feel better. If not, work with your doctor to try a new med there are a lot of different ones that can be used. Bipolar is a brain chemical imbalance that can be treated with the proper meds.
KYP
poster:kyp
thread:262847
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20030905/msgs/262910.html