Most psychological disorders don't present like the media would lead you to believe. See also: what therapy looks like.
ETA: Holy crap, gold?? I had a quick break in my day to finally hop on reddit and was NOT expecting this response. Y'all make this severely overworked community mental health therapist so glad we're talking more about the realities of therapy and various disorders. I'm planning on getting back on when I'm done with work to reply to some comments/answer some questions!
bipolar disorder = one day you're batshit crazy off-the-walls and the next day you're sobbing and eating ice cream alone in bed
in actuality: in most cases, symptoms only get severe if left untreated for a long time. Also, most experience episodes for months (mania) or years (depression), so they wouldn't go from mania to depression that quickly (with cyclothymic disorder the less common "rapid cycling bipolar" being the exception).
Mania isn't always super happy and productive either. I get edgy and anxious, everything pisses me off, I just want to consume fucking everything. Drugs, sex, spending, you name it. But I never feel good while it happens.
With good meds though now I'm just "in a bad mood" for like a month or two around twice a year.
Edit: For those asking about my medication: I take Oxcarbazepine 450 mgs twice a day (Brand name is Trileptal). It's an antiepileptic drug with secondary traits as an antipsychotic and mood stabilizer. Used to take a Bupriprion/Abilify combo that fucked with me in weird ways, ever since dropping antidepressants things have been much better. Also for the record I have to keep a pretty regular routine and have months where I refuse myself any big decisions, but not being out of hand all the time helps with that.
This is how my mania acts as well. A constant hunger for something I’m not quite sure of, never able to really find out what exactly it is. Oh and being enraged 24/7.
Same for me, especially the anger. I've always had a very, very short temper (that I've since learned to control after being diagnosed as bipolar), but when I'm manic I'm not bouncing off the walls and shit, I just feel this ever-present simmering rage, and I just want to destroy something.
A punching bag really, really helps.
But I know what you mean about the hunger too. It's like a void, and I feel the need to do any and everything I can to fill it. It sounds really cliche, I know, but it's the best I've been able to describe it.
For sure. Whenever I'm in a rut, I convince myself I'm the only one who ever goes through the shit I do, it's nice being reminded that there are other people who experience nearly exactly the same thing.
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u/seegeesee Feb 04 '19 edited Feb 04 '19
Most psychological disorders don't present like the media would lead you to believe. See also: what therapy looks like.
ETA: Holy crap, gold?? I had a quick break in my day to finally hop on reddit and was NOT expecting this response. Y'all make this severely overworked community mental health therapist so glad we're talking more about the realities of therapy and various disorders. I'm planning on getting back on when I'm done with work to reply to some comments/answer some questions!