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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Janice on May 25, 2000, at 14:43:26
•1 priest• - at 10 years old, which I consider the start of my bipolar, I'd make weekly visits to my neighbourhood Priest to tell him that somehow the Devil had gotten inside my head and I could no longer control everything that was going on in my head, that some of my thoughts were evil and that God would probably not be impressed.
•1 hospitalization• - for anorexia
•2 Psychologists•
•3 years of therapy with them•
•2 years of group therapy•
•1 Chinese medical doctor•
•2 Naturopathic doctors•
•3 psychics•
•1 more hospitalization• - for mania, where I finally introduced to psychiatry
•3 pdocs•
•6 years of seeing pdocs•
•25 different medications•
•1 year at psychobabble•
These were all the times that I remember asking for help.
On top of all this, I had 1 (short-term, of course, no man could handle me long-term) boyfriend who was a medical doctor, and I've had another longterm friendship with another medical doctor (although we were kids when we met).
I've had a great aunt who spent 10 years in mental institute for manic depression. My mother was diagnosed as hyperkinetic as a child.
I used to go to parties (hypomanic) and tell people I didn't need alcohol or drugs cause I had a 'serious natural high happening'.
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So after 24 years after the time of onset of my manic depression disorder, and 6 years after first trying medications, I've found my answer.
lithium (the most common treatment for bipolar)
Not to criticize any of the people that helped me, they all (except maybe 1) seemed to have my best interest at hand. Of course, as my bipolar got worse, I was minimizing my negative symptoms (anger and rage). For a longtime, I was the one who could not even image giving up anti-depressants because at least they gave me some good days, plus I couldn't really imagine life without them.I guess I'm trying to fathom how this has happened.When I showed this to my pdoc, he seemed to think my experience took longer, but not alot longer, than many bipolar patients.
Couldn't they teach this stuff in school. Once or twice through the 12 years, have someone come in to talk about mental illness, destigmatize it, shed some light around it. I could be wrong, but isn't it something like 25-40% of people have mental illness at one point in their lives.
I don't mean to complain, just point out something that really seems ridiculous, That so much time is wasted in ignorance, in denial, in time spent receiving not the right help.
Anyone have any ideas on how to get help faster and the right help, they'd like to share? Are there alot of people who have had this type of experience?
Janice
Posted by Ant-Rock on May 25, 2000, at 16:30:49
In reply to This is what it took to get better…, posted by Janice on May 25, 2000, at 14:43:26
Janice, all I can say is I can RELATE. I am not bipolar but I have lost a good part of 10 years trying to get the right help. I've had to drop out of college, stay stuck in a lousy job, and now my marriage is being slowly destroyed. I don't understand why it's so difficult to find a caring, passionate, doctor who really wants to help people.
Anyway, I am ranting but am glad to hear you have finally found the help that you certainly deserve. Long overdo.
Take care,
Anthony
Posted by harry b. on May 25, 2000, at 18:13:47
In reply to This is what it took to get better…, posted by Janice on May 25, 2000, at 14:43:26
> Couldn't they teach this stuff in school. Once or twice through the 12 years, have someone come in to talk about mental illness, destigmatize it, shed some light around it. I could be wrong, but isn't it something like 25-40% of people have mental illness at one point in their lives.
>Janice- I've had no contact with the public school
system since I was a student so I don't know if
mental health issues are addressed or not. If they
are, my guess is that they are limited to a short
chapter in a Soc or Health text book. Maybe some
of the teachers here have more info.Your idea is wonderful. Educate, destigmatize, empower,
enable, soothe the tortured spirit, save lives.An enlightened society should do no less, but ours
isn't very enlightened. Maybe one day?I remember my own 'Health' classes. They were taught
by the gym instructor, who was also my basketball
coach. I wasn't too much into team sports but I
loved basketball and made the team in my Junior
and Senior years, sat on the bench a lot, but what
the hay. He spent a LOT of time, and used lots of
inuendo, telling us about the birds & bees. I believe
he kinda got off on it. He spent about 15 minutes
telling us how evil and immoral homosexuality was.
The sad thing is that years later I found out that
his son was gay. I wonder if they ever reconciled.I hope things have changed.
Anyway, Janice, you've made a difficult journey. I'm
glad you had the strength and resolve to make it.
Posted by Noa on May 25, 2000, at 18:41:59
In reply to Re: This is what it took to get better…, posted by harry b. on May 25, 2000, at 18:13:47
Wow, Janice.
I imagine there is the best and worst out there in the schools--some doing it well, others doing the obligatory lip service, or perhaps worse than that.
It certainly evokes sadness in me when I look back and wonder "what if", what if someone had hooked me up with the right treatment early on? What if....
This is the end of the thread.
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