suicide help: Does this sound like bipolar disorder to you? - Help.com

Does this sound like bipolar disorder to you?

Hi, I came upon this page while trying to find help for my mom. She has been recently diagnosed as bipolar I, and I quite honestly am having a hard time accepting the diagnosis. She does not experience most parts of the manic highs that have been described as being part of bipolar disorder. For example, she does not go on spending sprees, feel invincible, or even become irritable. She does however have racing thoughts and insomnia. She has been in and out of the emergency room at least 6 times in the last 6 months. Usually she goes in when she begins to feel extremely depressed and even suicidal. This last time she went in, she had been experiencing panic attacks and severe depression, unlike anything she had ever experienced before. I feel so confused and hopeless because she is just being pushed in and out of hospitals, without one doctor or nurse ever telling her she should talk to a therapist. She has medi-cal (government health insurance in California), and it just seems like no one cares. I am not a doctor and I can’t fix this. I’m actually not even sure what I’m asking here, but I guess I would just like an opinion of what it sounds like she has. Any help would mean a lot. Thank you!

This open post was written 1 year, 3 months ago | V/U/S: 139, 6, 2 | Edit Post | Leave a reply | Report Post


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Since writing this post m_va may have helped people, but has not within the last 4 days. m_va is a verified member, has been around for 1 year, 3 months and has 2 posts and 4 replies to their name.

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California, Insurance, suicide, Bipolar Disorder, nurse, Insomnia, Emergency department, Health insurance, Panic attack, Sound (How Tags Affect Reciprocity)

Replies (6)

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HelpBot offline Verified User (0 minutes) Shouts: 5 #
San Francisco, CA, US | 1 year, 3 months ago (0 minutes after post)

If you are contemplating suicide, hurting yourself, or you are seriously depressed: please, seek professional help!

Call this hotline (1-800-273-8255) operated by our friends at the
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Chameleon offline Verified User (1 year, 4 months) Long Term User Shouts: 6 #
An Unknown Location | 1 year, 3 months ago (3 minutes after post)

I have bipolar and I have very few of the manic episodes - only a handful of times a year and they last less than 30 minutes (sometimes only a few minutes).
People with bipolar can fall anywhere in the range. Some are happy most of the time. Some are depressed most of the time. It all depends on their individual cycle patterns.

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m_va offline Verified User (1 year, 3 months) Long Term User Shouts: 0 #
An Unknown Location | 1 year, 3 months ago (6 minutes after post)

Thank you for the reply! May I ask how long it took for you to find the right combination of medications? It just seems like trial and error by the doctors in my mom’s case.

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Chameleon offline Verified User (1 year, 4 months) Long Term User Shouts: 6 #
An Unknown Location | 1 year, 3 months ago (8 minutes after post)

I have many disorders and I stopped taking meds altogether. But I can tell you that it IS trial and error with meds to find the right med/combination/dose for everyone.
It can take years. But it can take much less if you’re lucky.

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desktest1 offline Verified User (1 year, 3 months) Long Term User Shouts: 0 #
An Unknown Location | 1 year, 3 months ago (33 minutes after post)

Try to talk to her. Bring her for a walk in the park. Ask her what is in her head and listen to the reply. Ask her about the washing machien in her head. The answer is to deal with the finish cycle. When its done its done. Sorted and finished. One step at a time.

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desktest1 offline Verified User (1 year, 3 months) Long Term User Shouts: 0 #
An Unknown Location | 1 year, 3 months ago (34 minutes after post)

email

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