Bipolar Bi polar or ptsd

[Jane.l]

I have been trying to work this out for ages and it seems to be getting more pronounced. I have periods of great creativity , sociability where I am buzzing - I feel I can achieve anything my mind and thoughts race - I write music, I paint, I can't stop thinking of want I want to do next - my sex drive is sky high - everything is a possibility ( even things that really aren't ) I am impulsive and regret some of things I do afterwards and it all feels manic but other than that it's a real 'up'

Followed by a major crashing down - suicidal - can't eat - reclusive - self harming - drinking - everything stops and becomes very dark.

I really need to work out where this is coming from because it's making me horribly unstable and massively effecting my life. I also feel that until I can get to a more level stage it's unsafe to work on trauma.

Any suggestions welcome it's making me feel totally crazed.

 

[Ari]

I experience the things you mentioned. One minute you feel like you are on top of the world then the next you are crashing, fast and hard. I was diagnosed four years ago with bipolar disorder. My bipolar disorder though was set off by my trauma. Are you in therapy? On any medications?

 

[Jane.l]

Yes I am in therapy but not on medication - I don't really like taking anything and I have trouble controlling my alcohol consumption - it's a bad coping mechanism .

I have been trying to explain how much this effects me to my T but I am not sure we are quite on the same page. I know there is some over lap with both these things - he just said that everyone has elements of bi polar it's just a matter of degree - which maybe true but doesn't help much!

 

[Friday]

That's to very helpful wih your T... That's the definition of all disorders: aspects that everyone has taken to extremes. Just to be clear, though, are you diagnosed Bipolar, suspect it, or just feel like it?

 

[Jane.l]

I am diagnosed with ptsd - nothing else. I do suspect it could be bi polar but I am equally excepting it could be part of ptsd - I just feel I would have a better chance of doing something about it if I knew what it was.

 

[Ghostybear73]

You know what it is or at least what you have been diagnosed with. It is pretty common to be extremely high and go to extreme lows real fast with PTSD. Anytime you get triggered and don't have control of it, you will go downhill fast or at least it does for me and most people I have spoken to.

However, there is nothing wrong with having a second opinion if you really feel that you are misdiagnosed

 

[Jane.l]

I don't feel I am misdiagnosed I know I have ptsd - I just wanted to know if these are ptsd symptoms or if there is something else going on too and if there is anything that makes it easier to live with. I can't get stable enough to even start to get back to trauma work at the moment and I just don't know where to begin to make it better.

 

[Ghostybear73]

Yeah, they are definitely symptoms of PTSD. I was originally diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, until we started really talking in therapy.

 

[Jane.l]

@ghostlybear73 thank you - is there anyway to get it under some sort of control ?

 

[Ghostybear73]

Hard damn work is what it takes and its painful and sucks. I had to get past my own barriers to start though. I have therapists and a psychiatrist but I have decided to step back and do it a piece at a time. I realized that I am in control of the healing and my biggest problem is people, so I go to group for the exposure and I am keeping the mental heath team (yeah I have a whole team it seems and not by choice) at arms length. If I am going to do it, I have to feel like I'm in control.

 

[BlueOrange]

I agree, it sounds like it could be dissociation coming out of the PTSD. I'm in a post-manic crash myself right now.

When overwhelmed, concentrate on short-term health and safety. Eat. Sleep if you can. Exercise if you can. Postpone what can be postponed (including dealing with any trauma that isn't directly in your face). Concentrate what energy you have into finding some safety and stability.

As you start to regain energy, you'll be tempted to put everything into your obsession. During that time, it's important to eat, sleep and exercise. Be kind to yourself what you're high, not just when the crash demands it of you.

If I succeed at all of that, I'll let you know what it's like. But that's the advice I try to follow, and it seems to produce improvements.

 

[Barberian]

I'm not diagnosed Bi-Polar, but as with several other things like OCD, I have tendencies of the condition without having the full blown condition. I just deal with it as best I can because I don't want any more meds, and I can get by as I am. Most shrinks throw the medicine cabinet at you hoping to cure you with a pharmacopoeia solution instead of really finding out what's wrong.