Hi Shy,
Wow, it is nice to be able to give some support for a change! I wish it were not for your particular problem though. My daughter, bi-polar and anxiety disorders too, and my husband who died, was was also bi-polar. I read your situation and turned and asked my daughter why, why! why do they always seem to just go off the meds, and she gave a pretty good answer for your situation. Two things, they hate the fact that they do not have "control" without taking a stupid pill. My daughter who is going through hell because of my husbands death, has found grounding in her life by getting into her school work, and she is a straight A student, and does it all over the internet. She will be a psych major, and has always been able to figure things out about people, including herself, it is a true gift, One thing that does help her sometimes is the fact that Einstein was also bi-polar, and that is a fact that really nobody seems to care about. I think, and so does she that it does effect special people, who are like the other person said, artistic, or genius. Thier brains are wired differently. It also helps to know that based on the statistics, as far as just depression goes, in the US more that 70% of our population is on some form of medication for mental illness. Doctors, lawyers , judges, it effects a lot of people. Bi polar of course are the special ones. Not your common everyday boring clinically depressed person.
HOW LONG HAS HE BEEN ON THIS MED???? It actually may make him tired, and he may actually not like feeling tired all the time. My daughter and husband had to switch medications from time to time because they build up a tollerance. Plus I am suprised to hear he is on just 1 medication? My husband needed several, and same with my daughter. One medication for the depression, one for the ADHD that went undiagnosed for my husband his entire life until he met me, and when he had given up on all the meds when I had met him, (he was bi-polar 2) he even let himself be a guinea pig for some company before I met him,and still nothing worked. Then it was the combination of several that worked. So far I have named 2, (my daughter tested negative for add or adhd) then the anti psychicotic med, and finally lithum for the husband. It took all of those to be okay. My daughter is on anti-depressant, anti psychiotic, and xanax for the severe anxiety, which is really bad right now because of her step dad. My husband was never violent, he didnt have a violent bone in his body, but my daughter is.
Perhaps another med needs to be added like adderal or something. I only say adderall (sorry about all the spelling errors) but they give adderall to chronic fatigue patients. But as you know, you are working with a different kind of brain. They may have some other ideas to help him with his fatigue.
He needs to know that he is a normal human being, who has a disease, just like diabetes. He probably has it because he is very very smart or artistic, unlike the rest of us boring people. He is gifted, sometimes being gifted comes with some draw backs like what he is going through. If he is saying he is tired, find a new med, or add one so he isnt. Try not to dismiss how he is feeling. Dont be discouraged about college, he is not on his meds mom, so he isnt being rational.
It is such a hard road being a parent. My heart goes out to you honey, it is hard to be afraid of your own child. I know the impending doom stomach you have before he got there too. You walk on egg shells. You want so badly for him to listen, but dont forget to listen to what he is saying too. Tell him that you can always tell when he is off his meds, he is not the fun person, the talented or outgoing person he should be. The pills do not make him weak, they make him stronger as a person, just valididate his being tired and work WITH him, and not against.
I hope tonite went okay. I hope I was of some help to you, I am so very tired of feeling useless. Let me know how is goes sweets!
Many hugs to you, and thanks for letting me come back after going a little crazy myself!
Sophiabella