scared to ask for help

  Hi there and welcome. What you are describing sounds like classic bipolar symptons, but only a qualifed PDoc could tell you for sure. One things for certain, you cant be afraid to ask for help. The worst thing that could happen is that you are bipolar, however you allready suspect it so it wont come as a shock. I for one was relieved when  i was diagnosed, it explained so much and once i got help in the form of one pill a day i now lead a normal life.

   The truth can be scary, but i would rather know the truth and know who to fight than to hope it isnt and continue to make wrong descisions. I was originally diagnosed ADD a few years before and the ridilin almost caused me to have a psychoic break because it reved up my allready reved up body.

  Please go see a doc and get the right diagnosis. We are here if you find out its true and we are a nice group of very supportive people who actually know the ins and outs of living with this beastie.

   Hope this helps. Bill

If you feel you can handle it than i would wait a bit to get thru the funurel, if you feel out of control or sucidial than you need to address it right away.

Now you have to prepare yourself for the fact that they may not believe you have a problem at all. You didnt mention your age but if you are young, say in your teens, than they might say its just hormones or growing pains. I am 41, 38 when i was diagnosed and guess what, my family still didnt want to believe it and it took about a year and ahalf before they accepted it. People tend to view bipolar as mental illness of the worst degree and most often dont want to accept it. Many parents feel it is somehow their fault or there is something wrong with them that they produced a child that is "flawed". So just be prepared.

This isnt like cancer, there is a definete stygma attached to this desease.

That said, its not all doom and gloom. Just hang around here a few times a week and you will find a lot of support and help here.

Billl

Hi there,

I can say I know how you feel, I was only recently told by my doctor Im possibly suffering from this too and it is difficult to talk to your parents. Like Bill said you may have to be prepared for them to not believe you or be supportive. My mother is very unsupportive in this matter but I have an amazing husband to lean on. Do you have a really close friend you could confide in? Maybe they could help you when you want to talk to your parents? They wouldnt have to say anything but maybe you'll feel better knowing there is already someone on your side present. But definately talk to someone an start the process of getting help. I just thought I was a bit of a moody woman but it was becoming unbearable. Once Id spoken to my doctor I felt better knowing there was a problem that could be dealt with and that I wasnt just some horrible person lol.

Take care everyone here is really nice they have been great to me and they will to you too.
Good Luck *hugs*

  I know this is tough for you to bring this up but take strenght from the fact this isnt a death sentence. You might have to live with some meds the rest of your life but that is much preferable to making the miriad of mistakes we all have made. If we can help you avoid, shoplifting, booze, drugs, sexual misconduct, and spend issues to name a few than it is well worth the time to do it. 

   This wont be easy but it is encouraging to see that you  are taking the bull by the horns and addressing the issue straight up. How yoru family reacts is anybodys guess but you have to give them a chance to not only hear the idea, but to get used to the idea also.

   Good luck and we are here to help, no matter what they say.

    Bill 

quick edit to the above. yeah i am not in a normal mood ... schade (german for sad) actualy i think i be in a mild state of mania lol. oh well :) it is cool, the rest sill stands though :D

Hey Morpheuse, I'm new here but I was reading your post and actually cried just a little bit. I am 26 and was diagnosed less than a week ago. Your story reminds me a lot of the feelings I was feeling when I was 17, but I didn't tell a soul. There were family tragidies and communication barriers that made me think that my problem wasn't big enough to bother with, or that I should "just deal with it" like other people dealt with things. I felt like people would think I was making it up to get attention, and for a long time I really believed that mental illnesses were "all in the head".

Please don't make the same mistake! I found it easier to talk to the doctor before I talked much to my friends and family, but I did find one person before my appointment to confide in. Do you have any friends that take anti-depressents, have gone through really hard times, or ???, could be a good place to start. If you can't bring yourself to bring it up, at the very least come up with a reason to see the doctor, then tell him what you have been dealing with. You have nothing to fear because you are looking for the truth behind what is actually making you feel the way you do.

I think it actually turned out better that I was very average when I talked to my doctor. The doctor believed me because everything I told her was true, and I had a genuine desire to find a better life. I've only been here a day, but it seems like the kind of place I need to be. I've discovered that trying to learn about what is going on in my head and sharing with others who may understand has really empowered me, and I have more hope for the future than I have had in a long time. I hope the same for you :)

Tainted

Haha, if nobody ever made up a new word, language would be very boring. It sounds like your friend might be just the person to go to first, well second really (You ARE talking to us about it!). As for uncontrollable crying, I bet most everybody on this board can relate to you there. When I am nervous about something (not even a sad thing), my most common extreme reaction is to cry. You're doctor won't mind, it might be hard to get words out for a few minutes, but I have found that when I cry during a serious conversations, it usually makes me feal a lot better and after a relatively short period it enables me to get over my nerves and tackle the issue. It's almost like "I just cried in front of this person, whatever I have to say doesn't seem so emberrasing anymore".

Keep us updated! Like Bill said, we are all here for you!

I am just sorting out which of my own fealings are related to a brain disorder and which are normal, but I can definitely identify with you. I used to always think that "mania" was like crazy happiness, but my doctor told me that unjustified anger and irratibility are definitely signs of a manic episode.

That being said, the best thing to do is to go see a doctor!

Tainted

cool thank you :)

luckily i always relize it is not for real and am normaly quite mellow. i will  be sure to talk to the doc once i get around to telling someone