Mental Health Bipolar/Schizophrenia coping mechanisms?

[lovegluegunnin]

I suffer from both. the actual diagnosis I was given was Bipolar-Schizophrenia disorder. Because these probably add on to the effects of that diagnosis, I'll include that I also have anxiety as well as manic depression.

I have pretty much every symptom of both, besides the fact that my auditory hallucinations don't tell me to hurt other people. They tell me to hurt myself.

the symptoms or effects I struggle most with are the sense of urgency without reason, really low-low points in mood, and the feeling of hopelessness.


Can anyone give me some advice at how to keep this at bay? It would be GREATLY appreciated.

 

[The God]

Therapy could and in most cases should help. This being medication or seeing a therapist regularly.

When you got this diagnosis, were you put on any meds?

 

[lovegluegunnin]

Therapy could and in most cases should help. This being medication or seeing a therapist regularly.

When you got this diagnosis, were you put on any meds?

Yes, I'm currently on effexor, lexapro, and abilify for my bipolar-schizophrenia.

I have ADHD as well, so I don't know if that plays into this.

 

[jobe28]

I hate saying this because I dont like psychiatry meds (just because I think they have really bad side-effects). But Ive been on abilify before, and I can relate to your "sense of urgency without reason". And abilify didnt help. Have you heard of Clozapine before? I was eventually put on that and it did a LOT more. Its a serious drug, and you need to get regular (at lease monthly) blood tests to check to make sure its not affecting your heart (its dangerous and can kill you, so you need to be cautious). And the side-effects suck - like drooling all over yourself when your asleep at night, and waking up completely groggy. And it even kills my creativity and motivation to do stuff. But at the moment Im thankful because it is pretty useful. Maybe you want to give it a try. Im not saying you need it or it will work for you just something to think about.

As far really low points in mood and feelings of hopelessness.. You could try changing your diet. From what Ive read one of the best and easiest ways to boost your mood is to take fish oil capsules every day. Ive definitely noticed a difference since I've started using it. Less flucuations in my mood - im generally always in a decent mood now.

Also you could try cognitive behavioural thereapy for your feelings of hopelessness. cognitive behaviour therapy is just (as far as i can see it) "reframing" your thoughts. So when bad thoughts come in your head you learn to reevaluate them and try to focus on more a more optimistic perspective. I dont think you necessarily need to pay someone to help you do this, you could probably just google it to get started. Or even just try to be more positive.

Also, meditation has been proved to be as effective as prozac for making you happier. Just sit down and do nothing for 20 minutes a day. The idea is that youll lose your sense of attachment to external things. Therefore when something good happens for instance you wont be so thrilled about it, but also when something bad happens it wont make you so upset either.

 

[Survival0200]

I hate saying this because I dont like psychiatry meds (just because I think they have really bad side-effects). But Ive been on abilify before, and I can relate to your "sense of urgency without reason". And abilify didnt help. Have you heard of Clozapine before? I was eventually put on that and it did a LOT more. Its a serious drug, and you need to get regular (at lease monthly) blood tests to check to make sure its not affecting your heart (its dangerous and can kill you, so you need to be cautious). And the side-effects suck - like drooling all over yourself when your asleep at night, and waking up completely groggy. And it even kills my creativity and motivation to do stuff. But at the moment Im thankful because it is pretty useful. Maybe you want to give it a try. Im not saying you need it or it will work for you just something to think about.

I also second clozapine. I've been on it for years. It's the best, but it has the worst possible side-effects. Clozapine + citalopram makes me feel myself human again.

 

[lovegluegunnin]

I hate saying this because I dont like psychiatry meds (just because I think they have really bad side-effects). But Ive been on abilify before, and I can relate to your "sense of urgency without reason". And abilify didnt help. Have you heard of Clozapine before? I was eventually put on that and it did a LOT more. Its a serious drug, and you need to get regular (at lease monthly) blood tests to check to make sure its not affecting your heart (its dangerous and can kill you, so you need to be cautious). And the side-effects suck - like drooling all over yourself when your asleep at night, and waking up completely groggy. And it even kills my creativity and motivation to do stuff. But at the moment Im thankful because it is pretty useful. Maybe you want to give it a try. Im not saying you need it or it will work for you just something to think about.

As far really low points in mood and feelings of hopelessness.. You could try changing your diet. From what Ive read one of the best and easiest ways to boost your mood is to take fish oil capsules every day. Ive definitely noticed a difference since I've started using it. Less flucuations in my mood - im generally always in a decent mood now.

Also you could try cognitive behavioural thereapy for your feelings of hopelessness. cognitive behaviour therapy is just (as far as i can see it) "reframing" your thoughts. So when bad thoughts come in your head you learn to reevaluate them and try to focus on more a more optimistic perspective. I dont think you necessarily need to pay someone to help you do this, you could probably just google it to get started. Or even just try to be more positive.

Also, meditation has been proved to be as effective as prozac for making you happier. Just sit down and do nothing for 20 minutes a day. The idea is that youll lose your sense of attachment to external things. Therefore when something good happens for instance you wont be so thrilled about it, but also when something bad happens it wont make you so upset either.

I find all of this so helpful! Thank you so much. I'm a little gun shy about trying the Clozapine though, I don't really need help feeling groggy in the mornings and I already drool pretty bad because once I crash from Adderall (I'm prescribed it) I'm out like a light. As for the heart affects, I probably shouldn't take it because of my heart arrhythmia. However I do appreciate the suggestion!

I could see how diet would affect my mood of course, but I didn't think of that when I posted this thread. I have a loss of appetite because of my meds I'm already on, but when I do eat I eat pretty healthily and drink a fair amount of water (cotton mouth from amphetamines pretty much forced me to) but I have a weakness for sweets..so maybe that could be giving me some trouble. My dad buys fish oil in bulk because he takes 2 a day, and he said it makes him feel better as well. I'll start taking it along with my women's daily vitamins.

See, I have ADHD to go along with the Bipolar-Schizophrenia and Anxiety, so meditation is pretty hard for me. Do you think the use of marijuana could help me meditate? I know this is a common practice, but given my circumstances, it could be different.

 

[jobe28]

See, I have ADHD to go along with the Bipolar-Schizophrenia and Anxiety, so meditation is pretty hard for me. Do you think the use of marijuana could help me meditate? I know this is a common practice, but given my circumstances, it could be different.

I dunno. Ive heard using pot while doing yoga is fun.

But you could also try a "sensory deprivation / isolation tank". Google it. Youll probably find in your town. You just get in it and its cut off from all external simulation so it gives a very similar effect to meditation. But I think its probably its more powerful, hence you could probably get away with doing it a lot less frequently, as opposed to meditation which youd probably want to do every day.

Oh, also.. apparently (according to some experiments) CBD, one of the cannabinoids found in cannabis has almost as high of a success rate for treating schizophrenia. so if you live in america you could try getting your hands on that. I worked out that youd probably have to use 3.5 grams of weed a day to treat yourself effectively.

 

[lovegluegunnin]

I dunno. Ive heard using pot while doing yoga is fun.

But you could also try a "sensory deprivation / isolation tank". Google it. Youll probably find in your town. You just get in it and its cut off from all external simulation so it gives a very similar effect to meditation. But I think its probably its more powerful, hence you could probably get away with doing it a lot less frequently, as opposed to meditation which youd probably want to do every day.

Oh, also.. apparently (according to some experiments) CBD, one of the cannabinoids found in cannabis has almost as high of a success rate for treating schizophrenia. so if you live in america you could try getting your hands on that. I worked out that youd probably have to use 3.5 grams of weed a day to treat yourself effectively.

I know what that is, but I feel as though that would probably be pretty expensive or insurance wouldn't cover it even if you could use insurance for it. Even if I did it every once and a while, my family doesn't really have the money for that and I'm looking for a job myself while attending school and applying for colleges, scholarships and grants and on top of that, I'm about to start doing volunteer work.

Do you think that BHO (Butane Hash Oil, not insulting your intelligence, just clarifying) could be as affective as that? I live in a state where marijuana is illegal, but I could get my hands on a good quantity of quality cannabis for the low.

 

[jobe28]

Do you think that BHO (Butane Hash Oil, not insulting your intelligence, just clarifying) could be as affective as that? I live in a state where marijuana is illegal, but I could get my hands on a good quantity of quality cannabis for the low.

Its the CBD you want. If there was THC in it it might make you feel worse. Or not, i dunno, everyones different.

What I read though was people were shown to have improved just as much as people on anti-psychotics when they were adminstered 1 gram of CBD a day. and the highest CBD containing strain Ive seen is about 30% cbd. so youd need like 3 grams of that stuff. Regular weed has far less cbd though. Im not sure exactly how much. Meaning it mightnt be feasible to use regular weed for the purpose of extracting CBD.

 

[lovegluegunnin]

Its the CBD you want. If there was THC in it it might make you feel worse. Or not, i dunno, everyones different.

What I read though was people were shown to have improved just as much as people on anti-psychotics when they were adminstered 1 gram of CBD a day. and the highest CBD containing strain Ive seen is about 30% cbd. so youd need like 3 grams of that stuff. Regular weed has far less cbd though. Im not sure exactly how much. Meaning it mightnt be feasible to use regular weed for the purpose of extracting CBD.

Weed in general actually helps my mood swings and anxiety when used in moderation, so I might try the BHO for the hell of it. I just googled the CBD, and it seems as though it's pretty easy to get your hands on it; but it's a little pricey. Nothing I can't manage, though. Christmas is rolling around, I'm sure I'll get some cash if not a job pretty soon.

Thank you so, so much for your help. You have no idea what it means to me.

 

[nuttynutskin]

I personally wouldn't recommend weed for someone with schizophrenia because it can cause paranoia and potentially react with medications, but everyone's different I guess. I used to like it all through high school, but as my bipolar progressed I didn't care of it anymore because a lot of times I would start to feel extremely self conscious and like people were thinking weird things about me. I could do ok if I also had taken a benzo but I decided to just give it up.

 

[lovegluegunnin]

I personally wouldn't recommend weed for someone with schizophrenia because it can cause paranoia and potentially react with medications, but everyone's different I guess.

That's exactly what my doctor told me, which is why I seldom smoke weed anymore. Last time I smoked was a month ago, and I won't be smoking any time soon (as long as I don't get money or get offered it, because I never turn down a toke).

 

[paranoid android]

Yes, I'm currently on effexor, lexapro, and abilify for my bipolar-schizophrenia.

I have ADHD as well, so I don't know if that plays into this.

Why combine a SNRI like effexor with a SSRI like lexapro? That does not make any sense to me especially since effexor is possibly the worst anti-depressant out there for triggering mania. Also any anti-depressant can make symptoms of schizophrenia worse as well so i don't get why your doctor has you on 2 serotonic anti-d's. Do your mood swings make the schizophrenic symptoms worse or are the mood swings unrelated to the schizophrenic symptoms? Have you tried any mood stabilizers like Lithium or lamictal or any anti-manic drugs such as valproate (Depakote, epival, Epilem) or carbamazepine? Mood stabilizers or anti-manic drugs are usually the first line treatment for bipolar disorder.

I don't have schizophrenia but i do have bipolar disorder with some psychotic symptoms. I have had hallucinations on and off since i was a kid so i think i always had some kind of mood disorder that went undiagnosed especially since i remember being suicidal when i was about 10 or 11 years old. It was not until that i was about 24 that i was diagnosed as having bipolar disorder and after trying loads of meds i found a cocktail of meds that seem to work best for me. Or atleast a cocktail of meds that work best for me and which my insurance covers . I am currently prescribed lamotrigine, quetiapine, bupropion and clonazepam. The latter is for the crippling anxiety that i had but it does help mania as well especially when combined with a anti-psychotic. Seroquel does not work nearly as good for me as zyprexa does but my insurance doesn't cover zyprexa and it costs a fortune. So it's either seroquel or risperdal for me. I still have my bad days and winter is especially hard on me but i am not the suicidal wreck that i was before i found the right medications. I don't get the awful mixed states hat i used to get that are like psychological torture and i don't stay manic for weeks on end like i used to.

I find that exercise helps alot in terms of coping with both the manic symptoms and depression. Granted it's hard to exercise when you haven't even got the energy to get out of bed. The worst thing you can do is sit around all day and dwell on your misfortune. Nothing will do your head in quicker then that. Keeping busy helps.

As for trying clozapine yes it is a atypical anti-psychotic that usually works when nothing else does. The risk of tardive dyskinesia with clozapine is also lower then any other anti-psychotic out there due to it's very different effects on dopamine then other anti-psychotics. However the risks of cardio toxicity and a sudden drop in white blood cell counts are not to be taken lightly at all. I would save it for when you have tried a few other atypicals and a few typical anti-psychotics. The typical anti-psychotic Loxapine is related to cloazapine and i have heard good things about that though it's binding affinity is much different then clozapine's.

 

[lovegluegunnin]

Why combine a SNRI like effexor with a SSRI like lexapro? That does not make any sense to me especially since effexor is possibly the worst anti-depressant out there for triggering mania. Also any anti-depressant can make symptoms of schizophrenia worse as well so i don't get why your doctor has you on 2 serotonic anti-d's. Do your mood swings make the schizophrenic symptoms worse or are the mood swings unrelated to the schizophrenic symptoms? Have you tried any mood stabilizers like Lithium or lamictal or any anti-manic drugs such as valproate (Depakote, epival, Epilem) or carbamazepine? Mood stabilizers or anti-manic drugs are usually the first line treatment for bipolar disorder.

I don't have schizophrenia but i do have bipolar disorder with some psychotic symptoms. I have had hallucinations on and off since i was a kid so i think i always had some kind of mood disorder that went undiagnosed especially since i remember being suicidal when i was about 10 or 11 years old. It was not until that i was about 24 that i was diagnosed as having bipolar disorder and after trying loads of meds i found a cocktail of meds that seem to work best for me. Or atleast a cocktail of meds that work best for me and which my insurance covers . I am currently prescribed lamotrigine, quetiapine, bupropion and clonazepam. The latter is for the crippling anxiety that i had but it does help mania as well especially when combined with a anti-psychotic. Seroquel does not work nearly as good for me as zyprexa does but my insurance doesn't cover zyprexa and it costs a fortune. So it's either seroquel or risperdal for me. I still have my bad days and winter is especially hard on me but i am not the suicidal wreck that i was before i found the right medications. I don't get the awful mixed states hat i used to get that are like psychological torture and i don't stay manic for weeks on end like i used to.

I find that exercise helps alot in terms of coping with both the manic symptoms and depression. Granted it's hard to exercise when you haven't even got the energy to get out of bed. The worst thing you can do is sit around all day and dwell on your misfortune. Nothing will do your head in quicker then that. Keeping busy helps.

As for trying clozapine yes it is a atypical anti-psychotic that usually works when nothing else does. The risk of tardive dyskinesia with clozapine is also lower then any other anti-psychotic out there due to it's very different effects on dopamine then other anti-psychotics. However the risks of cardio toxicity and a sudden drop in white blood cell counts are not to be taken lightly at all. I would save it for when you have tried a few other atypicals and a few typical anti-psychotics. The typical anti-psychotic Loxapine is related to cloazapine and i have heard good things about that though it's binding affinity is much different then clozapine's.

Let me start by saying I absolutely can not stand risperdal. It made me gain 60 pounds total, and actually didn't help anywhere near as well with my hallucinations as well as the combination of abilify with effexor and lexapro has. I don't know why it works, but it does for me and that's all that matters to me.
And yeah, I'm pretty much ruling out Clozapine. I have enough medical conditions as it is without having a white blood cell count problem. Exercise is hard for me to do as someone who has Fibromyalgia as well. But thank you for sharing your story and giving the advice. c: It's greatly appreciated.

 

[Mafioso]

I've never been diagnosed with anything, although I'm pretty sure if I told a doctor about the thoughts that go on inside my head I'd be on some sort of rx.

Anyways, I have quite a few friends who have gone thru a world of shit and the biggest factor that I see in myself and my friends is as simple as diet and exercise. Not here to lecture or preach, just I know for myself and friends changing up your diet to ensure your body and mind is getting all the nutrients it needs as well and making sure your are getting enough physical exercise.

I get in terrible moods that will last for days, weeks, months even. The quickest way to get rid of a bunch of negative thoughts and energy is to exercise. I'll go run and try to focus all of my negative thoughts on pushing myself. It sounds a little stupid, but if I feel like fighting for no reason I try to focus on that feeling while I run and really use it to push and drive myself. It might sound cliche but it really does help, I think the human body was designed to be pushed and exerted. There is a palpable change within your body and mind that you can feel after you have had a good exercise.

Hope this helps... just wanted to share a way that helps me cope when I'm feeling overwhelmed. I used to, and still do to a lesser degree, struggle with suicidal thoughts. Some of my earliest memories are of me wanting to die, and I find it easy to start t to slip back into that mindset if I'm not careful. I had heard people talk about the importance of a healthy diet and good exercise for years but never really understood the full benefits until I really got serious about it. If I don't wake up and go run first thing in the morning now, my day will be completely different.

 

[methylone1]

its not real its just another term a psych will diagnose you with & give you meds that make things worse. You go back with more probs they give you another med on top of what your already on. . . they get their money & your out the door. Its a myth in my opinion

 

[paranoid android]

its not real its just another term a psych will diagnose you with & give you meds that make things worse. You go back with more probs they give you another med on top of what your already on. . . they get their money & your out the door. Its a myth in my opinion

Are you saying bipolar disorder and schizophrenia aren't real? If you hold this opinion may i ask how you came about this theory despite massive amounts of evidence to the contrary? Do some people get misdiagnosed as having bipolar or schizophrenia? Yes they do but for many people the suffering caused by these 2 illnesses is very real indeed. I suffer from bipolar disorder and before i got on the right meds i was a suicidal wreck. I also know many other people who have had the same problem. I also know a few people with schizophrenia.

Saying these disorders aren't real is the same thing as saying diabetes is not real in my opinion.

 

[Rebel Maven]

its not real its just another term a psych will diagnose you with & give you meds that make things worse. You go back with more probs they give you another med on top of what your already on. . . they get their money & your out the door. Its a myth in my opinion

I think the diagnoses are originally real or misdiagnoses that are then greatly exacerbated or additional conditions are induced by polypharmacy thanks to Big Pharma and doctors lack of education, awareness, and greed.

 

[methylone1]

Im saying all these diagnoses by someone who first tries u on 1 med then it doesn work they still cant get it right even after say 5 different meds they already tried and they still cant figure it out wat the problem is (if there is any at all) anyone can be diagnosed doesn't mean they have what has been labelled . its all in peoples heads cos society has 2 come up with something like you said big pharma is big business

 

[deidara]

I can relate to a lot of the bluelighters on this thread. I just got out of the psych ward and still dont have a diagnosis, but I've read and researched enough to know that I most likely have schizo-effective disorder. I was put on lithium and zyprexa, with hydroxizine for anxiety. It doesn't work as well as the lorazepam I was getting in the the hospital but whatever. Why I was in the psych ward is an interesting story, it was night and I was smoking weed and having amazing realizations as usual, but this time I got the brilliant idea to write them down. Writing them helped my brain focus and remember them and I literally thought myself into a spiritual awakening which sent me into my first manic state. I've been depressed my whole life, this was my first manic episode. Bipolar usually starts in females in their early 20's, I am 22.

I have always felt different from other people, sometimes not even human. I feel my emotions way more deeply than other humans. Everything I've learned about these mental illnesses isn't necessarily bad. People with these illnesses are creative, intelligent, caring people. I've always felt like I need to do something big to digress the "state of the world" but I'm too lazy to go to med school... plus I'm an artist at heart and want to do tattoos for my career. I feel like I won't be happy if I don't do what makes me happy, but I don't know how I can change the world with my art... At least I finally know whats wrong with me, that in the least is a very relieving feeling.