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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by PM80 on May 4, 2005, at 13:06:16
I have been diagnosed with bp, somewhere in the cyclothymic range. Let's call bouts of depression or mania or hypomania or mixed states "episodes" for the moment. What is the connection between stress (in my case loneliness) and the onset of an episode? I understand that episodes can occur for no apparent outside reason. I guess that I should comment that I have had episodes that were apparently for no outside reason. But if an episode occurs due to my feeling so alone because I live by myself in a small city far from friends and family, is the episode really from my bipolarness or is it a natural response to my circumstances? Another question : is hyper-sensitivity to one's surroundings and experiences a symptom of bp?
Posted by pinkeye on May 4, 2005, at 13:14:30
In reply to Cause of episodes?, posted by PM80 on May 4, 2005, at 13:06:16
Stress is almost always a trigger of many things. If you can help to curb the stress, do that first. Like migrating more closer to family and friends etc.
I have been through a long period of intense loneliness myself (when I first came to this country), and found my rheumatoid arthritis, mental health and every thing way worse.
People think that loneliness is not a major thing - that anybody can deal with it. But actually that is really an extreme stress. More than even marital conflicts.
Posted by Lydia on May 4, 2005, at 15:06:22
In reply to Cause of episodes?, posted by PM80 on May 4, 2005, at 13:06:16
you sound just exactly like me. sometimes theres a trigger, and sometimes there isn't a trigger. it keeps me on my toes. my nervous system is ultra sensitive,i've always considered myself too sensitive to slights in the environment.. i think there must be a link to bp- especially cyclothymia. they call us Mercurial or, less kindly, moody and Tempermental.
in retrospect, my first major mood episodes had external triggers, but gradually my mood started to switch on its own, without caring to warn me.
i've read things about this, "kindling"- is when mood episodes perpetuate themselves, and the more episodes you have, the more easily a switch can occur, the less the need for an external trigger.that's pretty discouraging, isn't it? the worst thing i did was go on paxil last year- that caused me to "become" cyclothymic, now my moods can oscillate from glee to despondancy for noo reason.--my episodes used to last months.
Posted by PM80 on May 4, 2005, at 15:20:06
In reply to Re: Cause of episodes?, posted by Lydia on May 4, 2005, at 15:06:22
I usually oscillate pretty quickly too, although how quickly varies. I guess this has been going on at least since college for me. I'm coming to realize that this is not how most people are. I just thought that they must deal with it so much better or that I was causing to my moods or something. That my brain chemistry might be off didn't really occur to me because I lead a basically active life and I don't have problems with functioning in my job. But I'm coming to think that my dx is correct and not making-a-mountain-out-of-a-molehill.
Posted by Lydia on May 4, 2005, at 15:20:37
In reply to Re: Cause of episodes?, posted by Lydia on May 4, 2005, at 15:06:22
to be honest- in a weird way it's comforting to know that no person or thing is the cause of many mood episodes...it isn't a result of FALSE APPRAISALS or OVERREACTING or even me being "TOO SENSITIVE"-- it's clearly, definitly biological. makes it easier to accept. easier to work with, rather than fight against--the knowing that i can't always control how i feel, but that the neurons in my brain arent doing their job --this makes me less self critical, and more self-nurturing.
Posted by Lydia on May 4, 2005, at 15:23:20
In reply to Re: Cause of episodes?, posted by PM80 on May 4, 2005, at 15:20:06
> But I'm coming to think that my dx is correct and not making-a-mountain-out-of-a-molehill.
Good, good, molehills should not be made into mountains.
Posted by PM80 on May 4, 2005, at 15:33:57
In reply to Re: Cause of episodes? » PM80, posted by Lydia on May 4, 2005, at 15:23:20
haha! Yea, at first I thought my therapist might be over-reacting. BUT I guess after seeing probably hundreds of clients he learned a thing or two about diagnosing :) Whodathought?!?! No really though, he is a good therapist and I like him.
Posted by Lydia on May 4, 2005, at 17:01:24
In reply to Re: Cause of episodes?, posted by PM80 on May 4, 2005, at 15:33:57
what can you tell me about Therapy..you know, with your Therapist? i know nothing. i see my pdoc about once a century, and each visit is about 5 minutes- enough time for her to write a prescription. how helpful, on a scale from 1 to 10 do you think therapy is for you? how does it help. these are many and dumb questions, but i've been thinking about this for a while. i think lamenting to someone about my problems may be just what i need .sometimes i think isolation and keeping my personal life too personal might be the cause of many of my problems. i guess i should start another thread for this...or better yet, read some old threads, but, your symptoms sound a lot like mine, so i'm curious as to what ways therapy helps you.
And if I may inquire- what meds, if any, are you on?>
Posted by PM80 on May 5, 2005, at 7:53:40
In reply to Re: Cause of episodes? » PM80, posted by Lydia on May 4, 2005, at 17:01:24
I see a psychologist rather than a psychiatrist so the focus really is therapy, and not medication. He works with my doc so that I'm on the right meds for my brain chemistry. But overall, psychologists tend to be better than psychiatrists for help with actual therapy because they aren't looking for a quick fix - ie give her some meds so she'll act normal. They want to help resolve the heart of the issue so that when flair-ups occur, the patient is able to deal with and manage them on their own. Obviously this is just a general statement and won't hold true all the time for every pdoc versus psychologist.
If you've been thinking about going to therapy for a while than you probably should. Therapy can give you the tools to recognize when you are starting to have an episode and give you tools to fight them. It can help you realize the power that you rightly have over your life, both related to your sickness and beyond that. You do not need to wait until you are in deep depression or extreme hypomanic/manic mood. In fact, you can probably be more objective when you are not, which is good in therapy. For example, if you got a bad cut, would you wait until it turned green and black with infection before you went to see a doctor - of course not! You'd go right away to get it cleaned and to get stitches. Same is true with therapy.
You asked what meds I was on: I am on 200-300mg Seroquel at night and 750mg/day Depakote.
This is the end of the thread.
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