bi polar and anxiety

G.H.

I have suffered from bi polar and anxiety for 9 years, and i have been so frustrated by the services for people like me. I find talking to other people with the same experences as me is the best medicine. I am reaching out to sufferers aged 17-30 who would like to talk if they feel it would help as i do understand what they are going through.

JuliusCaesar

Bipolarireland might be a better bet.

dyl10

What area catchment are you in?

tudlytops

JuliusCaesar wrote: »

Bipolarireland might be a better bet.

great help they are, i told them that i panic every time i should go to the doctor, and can't go, just can't go, so i don't get any medication, so i get worse.

There reply, really you should go to your GP.

Gosh that done it I'm all better :mad:

And all i want is a referral to a private psychiatry, but i can't get one cause i can't make it to the doc.

Why can't i just make an appointment with a private psychiatry, they more likly when i get there and I'm all panicky or high as a kite.

tudlytops

G.H. wrote: »

I have suffered from bi polar and anxiety for 9 years, and i have been so frustrated by the services for people like me. I find talking to other people with the same experences as me is the best medicine. I am reaching out to sufferers aged 17-30 who would like to talk if they feel it would help as i do understand what they are going through.

just one thing you don't suffer from bi polar and anxiety, you have bi-polar the rest are all symptoms of the bi-polar it self.

services - what services

koHd

tudlytops wrote: »

great help they are, i told them that i panic every time i should go to the doctor, and can't go, just can't go, so i don't get any medication, so i get worse.

There reply, really you should go to your GP.

Gosh that done it I'm all better :mad:

And all i want is a referral to a private psychiatry, but i can't get one cause i can't make it to the doc.

Why can't i just make an appointment with a private psychiatry, they more likly when i get there and I'm all panicky or high as a kite.

What is it you panic about? Whats going through your head when you need to visit the doctor? Do you live with anybody that would perhaps go with you?

tudlytops

koHd wrote: »

What is it you panic about? Whats going through your head when you need to visit the doctor? Do you live with anybody that would perhaps go with you?

i don't understand it myself, i'm rapid cycle and it goes like this.

when I'm low i can't go anywhere and the thought of all attention being directed to me terrifies me and i just can't move, then all this thoughts take over and that is that.

Tried going to the doctor when i was ok, even manage to wait about 20 min, but lost it completely and left, by the time i got home i was in a depressive state.

When I'm manic, well when i'm like that i don't need any help, there is nothing wrong with me and i know it all so any one that tries is met with rage.

My partner tries, but he hasn't had any help or advice from someone face to face on how to deal with me, and his diabetic type 1, my episodes tend to make him quite sick at times.

No one as ever offered to talk to him about helping me and himself.

been without medication for nearly a year now

krankykitty

I was wondering if you are finding it difficult to go through the experience of going to the doctor, perhaps could you (or your partner) arrange for the doctor to do a home visit?

It is disappointing that there is (or that there's a perception) of such a lack of services in the mental health area in Ireland. I'm not too familiar with Bipolar Ireland and any services they offer, but personally I think it's not too untoward of them to ask that you talk to a doctor first - and maybe they can offer help and support after that. Counsellors and psychotherapists would be the same in that regard.

Hope you can get the support that you are looking for..

tudlytops

krankykitty wrote: »

I was wondering if you are finding it difficult to go through the experience of going to the doctor, perhaps could you (or your partner) arrange for the doctor to do a home visit?

It is disappointing that there is (or that there's a perception) of such a lack of services in the mental health area in Ireland. I'm not too familiar with Bipolar Ireland and any services they offer, but personally I think it's not too untoward of them to ask that you talk to a doctor first - and maybe they can offer help and support after that. Counsellors and psychotherapists would be the same in that regard.

Hope you can get the support that you are looking for..

The doctor wont come to our house, there are very few that do now.

There are no services available, what you get is an appointment in a day hospital, get to see a different psychiatrists every time you go there, most are training doctors in Ireland for a certain amount of time, they read through your notes and ask you if you fell like harming your self, give you a prescription, that you then have to bring to you doctor, and send you home, until next appointment.

You're like if you can understand what they are saying at all, even luckier if they can understand you.

There are many conditions where people find it difficult to even leave the house, just saying go to the doctor is no help at all.

There are no services for the families either, to teach them, educate them on the illness.

If it weren't for my family and I'm a lucky one, that the stick with me, I would end up homeless or worse very quickly.

All I want is to see a private psychiatrist, why should it be so complicated?

Why can I just ring up one and make an appointment, they will understand when you say it as to be first appointment in the morning, so I have no time to panic, they also come to your house, etc, different care.

krankykitty

You are right in that if you can't leave the house, saying go to the doctor is no help at all - however, unfortunately the way it seems to be (as far as I am aware) is that your doctor is the first point of contact for you to be referred to the psychiatric services. Perhaps someone working in the psychiatric field here may be able to answer if it's possible to self refer to a psychiatrist? Are there even any working in private practice or are they all affiliated with the health service?

You mentioned that the first appointment of the day might be a help - perhaps a doctor's surgery would accomodate you on that too - generally once you book well in advance you can specify what time you want to attend. This will at least get you your referral. I know this is not ideal in terms of what you are looking for, and if I'm hearing you right, a referral given by a doctor to one of the hospitals is not what you are looking for, due to there being different doctors and trainees etc?

Although you didn't get help personally from Bipolar Ireland, perhaps they or Aware might be a source of information and/or support for your family members?

tudlytops

krankykitty wrote: »

You are right in that if you can't leave the house, saying go to the doctor is no help at all - however, unfortunately the way it seems to be (as far as I am aware) is that your doctor is the first point of contact for you to be referred to the psychiatric services. Perhaps someone working in the psychiatric field here may be able to answer if it's possible to self refer to a psychiatrist? Are there even any working in private practice or are they all affiliated with the health service?

You mentioned that the first appointment of the day might be a help - perhaps a doctor's surgery would accomodate you on that too - generally once you book well in advance you can specify what time you want to attend. This will at least get you your referral. I know this is not ideal in terms of what you are looking for, and if I'm hearing you right, a referral given by a doctor to one of the hospitals is not what you are looking for, due to there being different doctors and trainees etc?

Although you didn't get help personally from Bipolar Ireland, perhaps they or Aware might be a source of information and/or support for your family members?

We tried that already, but when we got there, there were emergencies and the place was full, so big panic, run away.

A lot of doctors have a basic lack of understanding of mental illnesses, they prescribe what they are told to and that is it.

Anyone will tell you it is important to have the say psychiatrist, for instance Bi-polar is a mood disorder, how can they know what I'll like if they have never saw me before and my or may not see me again.

And how can they treat you if because of language barriers patient and doctor can't understand each other.

I also have BPD, witch makes me prone to rages at times, doctors don't have an understanding of this, and try to talk with you as if you were just "normal".

I wasn't always like this, in fact I was quite "normal" until about 3 years ago when it all started going wrong and I have seen myself getting further and further down.

Aware was ok, but they deal with depression and have very little knowledge on Bi-polar, BPD, etc.

Why does it always have to go horribly wrong before someone does something.

Torakx

it sounds alot like you have agrophobia as a side symptom.
when i had aggrophobia and anxiety as a side symptom of depression i could not go outside either.
i was living alone and had issues just walking 1 minute down the road to the shop for food.
i used to be scared people where watching me.and because i was nervous of human contact or people looking at me it made me nervous and went in circles like that.

i still have a touch of this every now and then.
my own personal way to get around this or i have recently noticed i am ussually fine walking along familiar routes.exercise makes me feel better so i try to walk more for any reason.
and also my ipod(helps me ignore the audio part of my enviornment and part be in another).
i find for myself when i have a goal to accomplish i can move about the streets no problem.i tend to walk fairly fast everywhere i go and cant stop to relax sometimes where i might feel awkward standing or sitting somewhere alone looking weird(paranoia).

so it maybe would be worth your while trying some of that to get to the doctors.it would be good excercise helps you work out tension a bit.and maybe once you reach the doctor and walk/cycle back a few times you might notice while listening to music you will go on auto pilot and not really think about your journey.after this the docotr trip could be easy compared to most others and the actual waiting room could be your next challenge.
i have issues with that too! lol
but practise makes perfect.and my ipod or a book or a psp or anything is great to distract your overactive mind in those times

hope things work out for you as they did me.dont give up.
im glad i didnt

firesidechat

Have you talked to any of your doctors on the benefits
of doing a W.R.A.P programme.
Wellness Recovery Action Plan.
www.mental-health-recovery.net

b12mearse

op have you thought about taking up excercise?

Valmont

OP pay your GP a visit. This thread should really be closed.

Kooli

tudlytops wrote: »

great help they are, i told them that i panic every time i should go to the doctor, and can't go, just can't go, so i don't get any medication, so i get worse.

There reply, really you should go to your GP.

Gosh that done it I'm all better :mad:

And all i want is a referral to a private psychiatry, but i can't get one cause i can't make it to the doc.

Why can't i just make an appointment with a private psychiatry, they more likly when i get there and I'm all panicky or high as a kite.

Why would attending a private psychiatrist be easier than attending your GP? (Genuine question, just wondering why you can't attend your GP - it's really what you need to do)

tudlytops

Kooli wrote: »

Why would attending a private psychiatrist be easier than attending your GP? (Genuine question, just wondering why you can't attend your GP - it's really what you need to do)

because the last 2 times i tried my GP told me I wasn't making any sense and that I need to calm down or he couldn't do anything, that made me even worse and since then i just can't go, stupid i know, but i can't.

A psychiatrist has a lot more experience in dealing with people like me, even when we get a bit "spastic", at least that's what I'm hopping.

Plus i don't just want to be medicated to my eye balls and sent home, i know there are other treatments that go hand in hand with medication, and i would like to try them.

the medication makes me sleep all day and that's not a life.

Hope this makes sense, it doesn't always.

tudlytops

Torakx wrote: »

it sounds alot like you have acrophobia as a side symptom.
when i had aggrophobia and anxiety as a side symptom of depression i could not go outside either.
i was living alone and had issues just walking 1 minute down the road to the shop for food.
i used to be scared people where watching me.and because i was nervous of human contact or people looking at me it made me nervous and went in circles like that.

i still have a touch of this every now and then.
my own personal way to get around this or i have recently noticed i am ussually fine walking along familiar routes.exercise makes me feel better so i try to walk more for any reason.
and also my ipod(helps me ignore the audio part of my enviornment and part be in another).
i find for myself when i have a goal to accomplish i can move about the streets no problem.i tend to walk fairly fast everywhere i go and cant stop to relax sometimes where i might feel awkward standing or sitting somewhere alone looking weird(paranoia).

so it maybe would be worth your while trying some of that to get to the doctors.it would be good excercise helps you work out tension a bit.and maybe once you reach the doctor and walk/cycle back a few times you might notice while listening to music you will go on auto pilot and not really think about your journey.after this the docotr trip could be easy compared to most others and the actual waiting room could be your next challenge.
i have issues with that too! lol
but practise makes perfect.and my ipod or a book or a psp or anything is great to distract your overactive mind in those times

hope things work out for you as they did me.dont give up.
im glad i didnt

I know just what you mean. glad you doing better.

You may be right, Bi-polar as so many side symptoms, its hard to know.

I did use the head phones, but the paranoia started as soon as i entered the doctor surgery, and its really paranoia, they are all out to get me, kinda thing.

And because i am rapid cycle i can go from depression, to panic to euphoria in just a couple of hours, i lose total control.

it's mad, pure madness and i'm nowhere near getting it under control.

i had surgery not long ago, wouldn't go in until i couldn't move any more with pain, they kept me sedated as i could not take the Bi-polar medication with the other medication i was taking, so solution keep her heavily sedated until she can go home.

Torakx

ye i got that feeling too,i didnt have it quite as bad but maybe the surgery was quiet at the time and i was lucky
i have just started reading a book about nlp.
it was showing how you can train yourself to go into a previous state of mind.
the basic idea is teaching you how to focus on a time when you were relaxed and peacefull.then it shows you how to build that image and fill it with sound and then feeling and so on.after a few times you can learn to attach a trigger(anchor) for that memory and associate it with a gesture,word and feeling.after alot of pratice its possible i read,to attach that anchor to another one!
this other one would be triggered by whatever you want it to be. so if its anxiety and fear then the anchor leads to the next and reminds you of that state of peace and helps you relax.
anyway sounds a bit mad,but im not a good writer
just thought it might be something you would be interesting in researching. i think it might be a great help.
i also found studying psychology helped me see alot about myself and relieve alot of depression just by getting a sense of knowing why you feel such and such.

tudlytops

Yes I decided to start education myself on it, as much as I can, it's the only way.

But that is one of the reasons i want a private doctor, because i don't just want to be dossed up to my eye balls and all is fine because all i do is sleep, that is not treatment as far as I'm concern.

never though about studying physiology, there's a idea

hotspur

Tudlytops have you ever considered psychotherapy? Entirely separate from the issue of medication you sound like it is something which you are interested in. There are clinical psychologists and counselling psychologists in private practice who offer self-referral psychotherapy. I mention them rather than non-psychologist counsellors as one would expect them to have greater knowledge of the conditions which you are describing.

At the very least they would likely be able to help you with not being able to attend a gp with some CBT, because we all agree that attending your gp is necessary as they are the gatekeepers of health care in our system.

You may be interested in reading this PhD thesis from a DCU student on dialectical behaviour therapy for BPD in Ireland ( DBT is considered the most efficacious form of therapy for it) and you will find out where you may avail of it in Ireland:
http://doras.dcu.ie/2367/1/austin_bayley_2009.pdf

tudlytops

hotspur wrote: »

Tudlytops have you ever considered psychotherapy? Entirely separate from the issue of medication you sound like it is something which you are interested in. There are clinical psychologists and counselling psychologists in private practice who offer self-referral psychotherapy. I mention them rather than non-psychologist counsellors as one would expect them to have greater knowledge of the conditions which you are describing.

At the very least they would likely be able to help you with not being able to attend a gp with some CBT, because we all agree that attending your gp is necessary as they are the gatekeepers of health care in our system.

You may be interested in reading this PhD thesis from a DCU student on dialectical behaviour therapy for BPD in Ireland ( DBT is considered the most efficacious form of therapy for it) and you will find out where you may avail of it in Ireland:
http://doras.dcu.ie/2367/1/austin_bayley_2009.pdf

Thank you, i will have a look at the link I am very open to ideas.

I did considered it, but I'm on disability Allowance and there is only so much i can cut on, and even though I don't want all sorts of medication I know bi-polar as to be treated with a certain amount of medication, with that in mind I am saving as much as we can for a psychiatrist.

I have to get this under control, it will only get worse.

It's amazing i can be so totally calm, knowing what i have to do, and then, just like that ******.

Just hate how my life as changed so much since this and the little appreciation people have for me and others like me.

And the thing is it can happen to anyone at any time.

JuliusCaesar

hotspur wrote: »

You may be interested in reading this PhD thesis from a DCU student on dialectical behaviour therapy for BPD in Ireland ( DBT is considered the most efficacious form of therapy for it) and you will find out where you may avail of it in Ireland:
http://doras.dcu.ie/2367/1/austin_bayley_2009.pdf

DBT is a treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder, not BiPolar Disorder (aka Manic Depression).