Is quitting a symptom of bipolar disorder?!
Question: I was diagnosed with Bipolar I awhile ago.. I'm seeing a therapist, on lamictal, etc.. but I was wondering.. is quitting ANYTHING a symptom of bipolar disorder? I can't seem to stick with anything for very long. I quit school all the time, quit jobs, etc. I get OBSESSED with quitting these things before I actually quit. I'll get a job, stay a few weeks and then sit and cry in my bed thinking about quitting for days and days.
Is this just part of my personality or could bipolar disorder be making this worse? Will the lamictal help with things like this?
Answers: I was diagnosed with Bipolar I awhile ago.. I'm seeing a therapist, on lamictal, etc.. but I was wondering.. is quitting ANYTHING a symptom of bipolar disorder? I can't seem to stick with anything for very long. I quit school all the time, quit jobs, etc. I get OBSESSED with quitting these things before I actually quit. I'll get a job, stay a few weeks and then sit and cry in my bed thinking about quitting for days and days.
Is this just part of my personality or could bipolar disorder be making this worse? Will the lamictal help with things like this?
It could be..People with bipolar dont have the longest attention spans. They tend to get bored and fed up with things quite quick. Thier tollerance level of things they find uncomfortable is very low. My mother was affected by bipolar and she was like this after spending many years getting fired from job after job because of the difficulties related to her bipolar.
So to answer your question.. yes it is possible that this problem is related to the bipolar... You might consider talking it over with your dr and explain the feelings and thoughts that you experience before hand and see if maybe he/she can shed some light on the issue so you can figure out a way to overcome it.
Quitting in your depression phase of the disorder could feasibly by a symptom of bipolar. Especially to the extent of getting as caught up with it as you seemingly are.
However, if your quitting both during the manic and depressive stages of the illness, it is just your personality and something you need to work on as an individual.
I think that we might be carbon copies. If I plan to go somewhere, I make up excuses why I should or shouldn't go. Keeping jobs was never a plus for me. I too quit (in my mind first, over and over again) my jobs fast. I have trouble learning, unless it's hands on, and written down. I get bored too death even at the easiest jobs. Bi-polar for years and years. I'm now on SS/DI because of it. Good luck to you, and God Bless
Using good judgment has never been a strong point for most of us with Bipolar Disorder.
I am bi-polar, and I lost my job of 15 years because of my illness about 5 years ago, and as of right now I am having a difficult time with my present job because of my bi-polar + paranoid schizophrenia,hearing customers talking trash about me behind my back, or talking in code in front of me;all because I take my job greeting customers positively seriously.(I work at a supermarket.) All I try to do is to pray to Heavenly Father that this crisis,like all others, will pass with time...
I don't know too much about Lamictal,but give it a chance to work. It usually takes about 6-8 week before any long-term medication starts to be fully effective. Also, keep seeing your therapist on a regular basis. That can help you out tremendously... but only if you let them help you. If you don't, the cycle will never stop-in fact, it'll pick up speed & fly out of control,and you will crash-hurting yourself, and possibly others along the way!
I know where you are. I'm taking Zoloft for my bi-polar, and Abilify for my para-schizo disorder, and they've helped me, but talking with my counselor(and my wife) has helped me out the most. I really don't know where I'd be w/o Jim & Susan in my life!
So keep taking your meds, keep seeing your counselor, and don't give up on yourself! Good Luck & God Bless!!