Topic Tuesday // Let's Talk About Bipolar // Tues 23rd March, 7:00-8:30PM AEDT

[BPDSurvivor]

I took meds for bipolar for over 10 years....guess what? I was wrongly diagnosed because it was actually BPD 🤦🏻‍♀️

[davidharper_bal]

Agreed @SusanaBA not taking medication consistently is the number one cause of relapses.

[Daisydreamer]

@Shaz51 I really love that suggestion of just being there. Sometimes presence without words is exactly what loved ones need💙

[davidharper_bal]

Hi @BPDSurvivor what got you to the right diagnosis?

[davidharper_bal]

Hi again @BPDSurvivor what are some of the triggers that are important for you to monitor? Bipolar or BPD, we all need to know what is going to make us unhappy.

[TideisTurning]

Yay to the peer work @frog!!! 🙌🙌

[Daisydreamer]

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@frog wrote:

@davidharper_balI got the diagnosis 6 years ago, and since then it's been quite a journey. One of the things that helped me most was finding my tribe in the way of peers. I then did a Mental Health Peer Work cert IV and eventually I would like to be employed as a peer worker.

Key things for me in recovery are sleep and routine.

Exercise too, and connecting with people.

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You have definitely found your tribe here!💙 A fellow peer worker, very exciting to see. Being a peer worker is a big part of many people's recovery too

[frog]

It was a long process re my view of medication @davidharper_bal 

My first experience was antidepressants at 15. The side effects were dreadful. It continued to be a damned if you do damned if you don't situation for many, many years. There has been improvement in antidepressants I think. When I was diagnosed Bipolar I had similarly awful experiences with a mood stabiliser and anti psychotics. I feel for you @greenpea 

I am fortunate to have a really good team of health professionals, including a psychiatrist who has worked with me to get the medication side as good as possible. This wasn't the case with prior specialists who frankly seemed to have a one size fits all, too bad about the side effects approach.

I try to be philosophical about the pros and cons, and grateful that I have access to such a good psychiatrist, psychologist and gp.

[BPDSurvivor]

Thorough assessment from a highly specialised team led to the correct diagnosis. Now, I clearly know the difference between the two, but bipolar and BPD often get confused...

There are stark differences to the treatments involved...I wish I'd knew earlier, because by that time, I had developed the side-effects of the bipolar meds and was told to get off them immediately.

Id like to re-iterate, I did NOT have bipolar, hence I could get off the meds without too much of an issue.

@davidharper_bal 

[davidharper_bal]

Hi @cittycat

Sadly there are lots of drugs and alcohol problems for people who have bipolar. What started your journey towards medication? I imagine there was a lot of hard work involved!