Bipolar and Social Phobia?

Does anyone know if the two are related?

In the last few weeks seems like I'm just getting worse and worse.  I've gone from having difficulty going out, to having panic attacks at the thought of going anywhere new.

My pdoc has me on Lamictal 100mg, Wellbutrin 300mg, Ativan 1mg as needed, Seroquel 50mg and Restoril 60mg at bedtime. 

When I saw her on Thursday she told me that I need to go on disability.  Since I started filling out the papers I'm just freaking out. 

Anyways, starting to panic.  Please advise.

Rosa

Hi Rosa,

Bp is associated with a lot of anxiety issues, and of course worry about being bp, and the routines you have to follow, could be adding to your sense of not wanting to deal with people, and over time that could have turned into a kind of social phobia. Is your therapy addressing this? -- Seems to me crucial that you do get help through therapy or CBT to work on the causes and the practical things you can do to help turn this around.

Did your pdoc relate going on disability to your anxiety about going out or to your bp in general? If it was only to the social anxiety, I wonder if it mightn't be more productive to work on this with you for a while and see where it gets you. Disability claims can take some time, and I'd like to think that by the time it came through you and your pdoc could have found a meds/therapy combo that helps you out of the social anxiety. That said, no reason why the claim shouldn't be in process while you do this -- and it may well be that your bp makes this necessary anyway. -- But being on disability should never mean that you just keep suffering with things if there's a chance you could get help in addressing them.

(((Rosa)))

Rosie x