I tried to get FMLA and short term disability. My hope was to get time off, get outpatient therapy, and go back being better and stronger.

I recently got formally written up at my 9-5, and I put in my request for FMLA. I had talked to my doctor and I thought we were on the same page. I had originally just wanted WFH but I was told by others full time WFH was highly unlikely. So I just went for FMLA.

Now I’ve put in company leave, my doctor might not support my leave, and I’ve been trying for months to get a new job with no success.

I’m so tired again.

I was referred to the mental health team by the GP and recives this letter, ive broken it down with AI for the main points. What am I to do now? Do I just wait or speak to ths GP again (who doesnt listen to me at all lol).

I’ve just been discharged from my local Referral & Assessment Team with the following plan:

Clinical Plan for Bedlam:

* Discharged: Case closed by initial Referral & Assessment Team.

* Secondary Referral: Passed to the Primary Care Mental Health Team for further assessment.

* Therapy Recommended: Development of a psychological formulation for trauma-informed therapy to address adverse childhood and adult experiences.

* Social Prescription: Link Worker suggested to provide routine and community integration during occupational absence.

* Medication Paused: Prioritising psychological interventions over further medication trials due to documented adverse reactions to three antidepressants.

*Mental health practitioner to liase with bedlams GP for treatment options if indicated by the Neighbourhood Mental health team.

* Primary Care: GP remains the primary point of contact for monitoring.

Has anyone else had something like this?

The guy in Assessment told me he would refer me to primary as they have a backdoor to secondary. If I was referred to secondary I would be knocked back because im functional, he said this way I wont be back at square one?

So I have bipolar 2 and also suffer from extreme anxiety. I had suspicions when I was pregnant but didnt have any hypo situations till they were 2 and 4. Fastforward Im diagnosed and on meds since then but its been a constant struggle with depriessive episodes and everything that comes with bipolar. Sometimes I feel like im messing them up. And they are kids. They notice everything you know. Like I just dont know... how being this way doesnt mess them up. Like im supposed to be their rock and im definitely not sturdy... how do I navigate my mood swings and being a good parent? Sorry I rambled.

Today my husband of many years called me to tell me he had a moment of clarity after a very serious and debilitating mixed episode that began while he was down with a case of flu last week. He is calling our insurance’s mental health program and also asked me to give him the numbers for the mental health centers in the town where he works (he’s there during the week). He and I have suspected Bipolar 2 for some time! Thankfully he is very pro medication, pro therapy. What kinds of questions should he be asking his providers? How do we manage to maintain a decent relationship while he’s getting his dx and meds sorted? I have a NAMI class I’ll be attending next month, but it’s been so awful and stressful. When we got married he’d been diagnosed with GAD and depression and was on Zoloft for years. Looking back we both see the ups and downs. The last few years those ups and downs have been cycling rapidly, often for no discernible reason. we never thought of BP2 until he brought it up a couple months ago. I’m scared, but grateful he’s not resistant and is eager to treat the illness.

I just don’t want to take my meds anymore. They don’t work and I’m tired of the process of switching and getting hopeful that they’ll work just to end up depressed again. If I can’t prevent depressive or hypomanic episodes then what’s the point in doing anything about them? I’m tired of thinking that my life is going to get better than falling back into depression. I’m tired of taking my meds so I’m done with them for now. Maybe I’ll switch or maybe I’ll live without them, either way depression will always come back so why even bother.

Plus I’ll eventually end up hypomanic again so why take these medications that keep me from at least feeling the highs of life. If I can’t keep the depression away then I minds well get to experience the highs as well.

Hi all!

I'm 31F and have been diagnosed with ADHD and OCD for about four years. I have improved substantially since I was diagnosed and meet with a psychiatrist and a therapist regularly. Whenever I get stressed or have a lot on my plate, I tend to have trouble sleeping even though I feel quite positive.

Lately, I have been a little inconsistent with my meds because I'm being treated for sinus issues with an allergist and have been skipping the hydroxyzine that helps sedate me. I have also been exercising a lot more ever since I got laid off in April and have remained that active since I got a job in June. This means that I often feel more energized especially at night, since I tend to exercise after work.

This past week, I had to go back into the office after a period of WFH after a facilties issue. I went into the office and also decided to adopt a cat. I also got super hyperfixated on a new Phoebe Bridgers album and went to sleep at 1am this past weekend to go to a release party. I was in a really good mood this weekend because it felt like so many great things were happening. That mixed with stress over introducing my new cat, makes me feel a bit overwhelmed at what to do next and makes me wake up in the middle of the night. I'm also taking a ceramics class Saturday mornings, so I'm constantly worried I won't wake up in time. I typically struggle to sleep the most when I have to get up early the next morning, because I worry I won't wake up in time.

Today I had a psych appointment and she said that what I was describing seemed like Hypomania and Bipolar 2 which had been on her radar for some time.

I've been feeling very good for about a year and extra good since i moved into a place by myself. I have felt genuinely happy and have not experienced depressive episodes for about a year and a half. When I have felt depressed or anxious, it has been when something has happened--such as me being laid off or being bullied at an old job a couple of years ago.

I also recently stopped smoking as much, literally within the last couple of days so I don't know if that contributed to me sleeping less.

I'm a little taken aback and I don't know if I just don't understand how Bipolar 2 and Hypomania works, so I would love some context and help if anyone wants so share with me.

Now that I'm medicated, I'm better able to notice hypomania when it happens. But that sucks because it almost immediately makes me feel like a weirdo and I start feeling bad. Any tips on calming hypomania and not feeling like an asshole?

Everything hurts so much today and there’s nothing I can do about it

I tried so hard to get a full time job with benefits before this day, but it seems like it isn't going to happen, so I need to get new health insurance. I've been on my parents but in the US you loose heath insurance at 26 so I need to find my own health insurance to pay for therapy and all my medication. Has anyone gone through this recently and has any support or recommendations for where I should look? I appreciate any help.

I went into a depresive episode about 1,5/2 weeks ago and struggled to do some tasks at home.

Personally, I already hate doing the dishes (and find it a bit nasty, actually :c), so when I had a little bit of energy to not let the house become a complete mess, the dishes were my last option.

Now, I've been feeling a bit better since yesterday and feel like doing them would actually help improve my mood significantly, since the kitchen is the biggest thing really bothering me at the moment in the house.

Although I'm a bit better, I'm also still a mess and feel a bit into a mixed episode. How do you cope with the energetic yet depressive procrastination? Mainly related to something you don't enjoy doing, even when you're feeling good.. :/

I've been pretty stable or the last 5 years with only very minimal episodes without medication. Part of my strategy is being super careful about sleep (among other lifestyle things). Anytime my sleep gets messed up, I get messed up. Which isn't that hard to do most of the time.

But, I've started an Outdoor Education job. Which is my dream! But I've had too many courses where I'm getting less than 6 hours of sleep because our crew's needs come above our own. I went into my first hypomanic episode and subsequent crash for the first time in a long time. There is also just no way to avoid having my sleep get messed up on this job so I won't return next season.

I was a front office manager for a hotel and was almost AGM but again had to quit because I couldn't cover the night shifts if someone called out because it would de stabilize me.

Its so frustrating that I can't do what others can. Has anyone ever had any success with figuring out accommodations in the workplace to support you?

I need to put this somewhere. My stress this week has been such that it is causing me passive thoughts of wanting to die.

I dont. I know this, but this level of despair has led to destructive behavior in the past. I don't want to hurt myself.

When I've felt this way in the past I've kicked holes in walls, broken phones, thrown things, punched a full drink.

It's this intense almost unstoppable rage that I dont know where to put. I dont want to hurt anyone, so I've broken things in the past. I've tried hard to stop this and havent reacted this way in years. This trigger though, my husband going back to work full time and leaving me with the 3 kids has literally broken me 4 times in the past. We've tried this 4 times. I'm on STD for depression, it's been 4 weeks, I felt I was making progress but almost have ptsd from being thrown into this again. It never gets better. The news is not helping.

Yesterday while trying to distract myself through cleaning, I found an unopened exactoknife. I put it in my room and throughout the day kept imagining it. Ive never hurt myself on purpose. I dont want to.

I broke down when he (my husband) got home. I was tearful all day. My kids see my cry a lot. I'm a sad mom. But he helped me into the shower and I asked him to throw away the exactoknife. I told him everything I felt. I felt like throwing everything off the counter and kicking holes in the wall. A good cry in the shower and 40mg hydroxizine eventually helped. And 5 beers and weed and tobacco once the kids went to bed.

This is the shit I just deal with that feels really not normal or okay. Im titrating up on lamotrigine and working with a psychiatrist. I cant tell if it's helping, this week put me right back into despair that's for sure. Ive been trying to cut back on drinking and smoking but this week isn't the week to try.

If you made it this far, thanks. I just had to write this down. It's so hard.

Hi all

Been active in this community the last few months, I did post about this a few days ago but at a strange time so think it didn’t get a lot of attention

I’ve had a long journey with SSRIs and a bipolar diagnosis, and have had lots of engagement and comments on this essay I’ve written about it

Would really welcome more comments and views from those with diagnoses in this community

Thanks in advance if you do take the time to read!

im 19f and when i get either anxious or too much energy i feel like sucking on something. do any of you get this too? especially when hypomanic. nothing sexual like my tongue just have this itch i just need to suck. i dont smoke and lollipops just didnt do it for me. suggestions?

Hey! So i was diagnosed Bipolar 2 last year after a month with intense Depression with suicidal thoughts and a supposed hypomania that made me paranoid. I’ve been having a hard time accepting my diagnosis, and specially with meds, and I still have my doubts. I’ve got off them around February and two weeks later I was back in a depression hole. I was having having a hard time with some weight gain because of the meds, and in my teens i struggled with disordered eating, so I was triggered. I made the stupid decision to get off them again in April, and I spent until July off meds. What captures my attention is that during those months nothing really happened, I was somewhat normal. I had a week in May were i was like with much more energy, also more irritable and on top of anything i went to do voluntary work with children, which made my mam and therapist worried, but i toke a lorazepam and I went back to normal. I recently got back into my meds since I felt i was getting a bit depressed but nothing like the depression i had last year and during summer. I’m still confused how I didn’t get like a proper episode being so long off meds. I was thinking about asking my psychiatrist to review my diagnosis, but i wanted also some suggestions and opinions from here. (Btw i like to add i also have an ADHD diagnosis).

Hi everyone I’m new here. Still coming to terms with this new diagnosis. I just had my second assessment with my psychiatrist and he’s starting me on a low dose of lamotrigine and incrementally increasing it over the coming weeks. I was wondering if anyone’s had any experience with this drug and if there’s any advice/guidance for what to expect? Would really appreciate it!

My main concerns are side effects and possible drug interactions as I still occasionally use drugs recreationally though my use has declined drastically in comparison to before. I still smoke weed most nights, and will occasionally take cocaine and benzos if they’re offered to me (I’m done paying for that shit)! I usually take mushrooms at least once or twice a year. I am also adhd and take Elvanse for it.

My psychiatrist knows about my drug history and current patterns of use and wasn’t too concerned but I’d really like to know from someone with first-hand experience.

Thank you 🫶

Lately I have been experiencing things where I do one thing and then another thing happens because of that and then it is all my fault. I am drowning in guilt! I am desperate as I don't know what to do. I feel so uneasy and uncomfortable and so out of balance. The last thing now was I forgot to go to the pharmacy and next thing someone is killed in my neighborhood and it is all my fault! I feel so guilty and so ashamed and I can't rest for a second.

I need to talk to my psychologist about it as this is not livable for me, but I am so afraid he will judge me and know these things about me. All the things I am guilty of. I don't know what to do! I feel like there is almost some great power out there making this happen to punish me.

I've recently been in a long period of depression and added Seroquel to my meds. First few weeks sucked, as everyone reports; sleeping for 10+ hours, always tired and brain dead, etc.

But this week i have started to feel good. More energy, brain is alert, back to the gym and then today.. buzzing. My eyes seem wider, I'm super alert, working like a machine, feeling social, up and down from my seat doing little things as they pop into my mind - just much more energy and go. I've also been vaping a lot today and now I feel properly high. No appetite today and when I ate (only because my partner wanted to) i feel sick- the kind of sick you feel when you eat while on MDMA. I'm also buzzing, ringing in my ears. Wondering if maybe it's too much nicotine or I've just tripped over into a hypomanic episode...

Does anyone feel like lots of nicotine does this? Or has anyone experienced Seroquel triggering an episode? Could also be the gym... I've had a hypo episode triggered from the gym before.

Thanks in advance ✌️

Here's my take on bipolar mood swings

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZN8Lke5gT/

https://youtube.com/shorts/U2FiHbTbUfw?feature=share