Posted by Mark H. on January 27, 2005, at 19:50:08
In reply to Re: Therapist's response to a medical diagnosis?, posted by pretty_paints on January 27, 2005, at 16:09:13
Hi PP,
Thank you for your detailed response to all of us. That was very kind of you, and reassuring. I think you're handling the situation very well. Don't let anything I write worry you. From reading your first post, I got the feeling that your therapist wasn't taking care of you, and I felt protective. It sounds now like you're helping her learn to be a better therapist for you.
I'm Bipolar II, which means I have cyclic periods of moderate to severe depression, usually bottoming out around the end of August and all of September and again in February and March. I take cytomel, methylphenidate, pindolol, Effexor, clonazepam and Zyprexa every day to remain functional. I work full-time and need to sleep about 11 hours a night to feel really good.
I had an otherwise wonderful therapist a few years ago who didn't understand bipolars, however, and he made a mistake in asking me to "practice expressing the minor irritations in your life," which quickly led to bizarre thoughts of rage that felt very crazy and out of control to me (that's when I first stared taking Zyprexa). When my psychiatrist said, "Yikes, you don't ask bipolars to 'practice' their anger," my therapist and I both said "Ooops!" and moved on.
My first wife was unusually intelligent (like you) and subject to "schizogenic breaks," basically bouts of schizophrenia-like symptoms that occurred when she was under extraordinary stress. I have often wondered if her intelligence and this underlying vulnerability to stress were linked somehow. She only had two such breakdowns during the six years we were together (hospitalized once), and otherwise has functioned completely normally as a highly competent professional (two masters degrees, fluency in several languages, lots of responsibility at work, etc.) for the past 30 years. So I know from experience that you don't have to be a bona fide schizophrenic to experience such symptoms.
I think you're doing great! It may be that you'll never have a definitive diagnosis, and that's OK. I'm just so glad that the meds and therapy are helping you.
Best wishes,
Mark H.
poster:Mark H.
thread:447985
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20050122/msgs/448875.html