what are your feelings about bipolar disorder?!

Take a deep breath and relax.

I'm bi-polar. I take medication for it (Depakote). I've been on Depakote since 1996.

I'm a Nuclear Physicist (retired). I had a tremendous career.

I have an effervescent personality and lots of friends.

I've been married twice (my first wife passed away). My marriage is great.

I do lots of volunteer work.

I have hand tremors from the bi-polar medication. When people notice it, I simply tell them that I am on medication that makes my hands tremble.

I've researched this "bi-polar" thing to the nth degree. Taking medication is very important. Not taking the medication is a mistake. Think of it like diabetes - a diabetic needs his meds.

A good psychiatrist does not prescribe medications to pad his/her wallet or to get kickbacks from the pharmaceutical companies. The medication they prescribe is based on your symptoms. If you are more depressed than manic, you might get Prozac. If you tend to get obsessive thoughts, they might prescribe Paxil. If you have delusional tendencies, yo might get Zyprexa. That's how it works. There is no grand conspiracy behind the dispensing of medication.

A word of advice... almost all newly bi-polars will start to feel better and start to think that they no longer need their medications. With this belief, they go off their medications. They usually end up in a mental hospital well within two weeks. This happened to me twice.

Obviously you are very worried and somewhat confused. Please note that you can contact me through yahoo Answers if you would like additional insight.

Best of luck to you.

A previous answer follows: Take the quiz, at http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/publ… if unsure, and if the results are positive, ensure you get an expert diagnosis from a mental health professional, not doctors, who are much better dealing with physical ailments, and don't diagnose complex disorders like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and borderline personality disorder often enough to develop any real expertise. Bipolar disorder usually involves major mood swings, which occur without apparent cause, and often over many months, or a matter of years, rather than days, as with most people (unless rapid cycling). If you decide to use allopathy, (modern Western medicine) I recommend trying Lithium Carbonate, or Lithium Citrate (regular tests are necessary, for these) before trying the other mood stabilisers, but if you aren't good at taking medications regularly, drinking adequate water, and keeping up your salt intake, something else, such as Lamictal may suit you better. Check out "lithium" at http://www.drugs.com & http://crazymeds.us/ and always research medications first, (read, and keep the labels/information sheets) so you will be aware of the risks, and on the lookout for side effects. There are different types, and degrees of bipolar disorder. If I wasn't bipolar type 1, and wasn't overly troubled by hallucinations, or serious delusional states, I know I'd first try the orthomolecular, and Omega 3 fish oil supplements, vitamins, minerals; herbal remedies, and a mostly raw food diet, for around 6 months, to see if they were sufficient.

Even if not, they can be maintained, as complementary treatments, which may enable a reduction in the medication(s) ultimately required, with their risks, and side effects. Check out http://www.nutritional-healing.com.au/co… Note: St. John's wort has been known to trigger mania, or hypomania, as have antidepressants, and the two should never be combined, due to the risk of serotonin syndrome. I'd aso eat in accordance with my "nutritional type". Enter that term in the searchbar at http://www.mercola.com (book), or a 20 question quiz is via http://www.naturalhealthcoach.com/tools If not considerably improved, after several months, consult your primary mental health care provider; you may be one of those who need medications to prevent this progressive illness from getting even worse. If bipolar type 1, an antipsychotic medication may also be needed. Everyone should take the Omega 3 supplements, or preferably "krill oil" for its other health benefits: use the searchbar at Mercola.com . Some people refuse medication, using supplements, and a selective, mostly raw food diet (I do not recommended trying this, if bipolar 1, unless you aren't overly troubled by hallucinations, or delusional states, and have a mind disciplined enough to recognise them, and act sensibly). Don't use medications and supplements together, without medical advice, except for Omega 3, which is safe.

Maintaining the treatments for the depressive phase (if not using, or using minimal mood stabilisers) may well reduce the impact of the depressive phase, when it recurs. Considerably more is on the main bipolar page, at: http://your-mental-health.8m.com/blank_2… and view page 3. BOOKS: Break the Bipolar Cycle: A Day-by-Day Guide to Living with Bipolar Disorder by Elizabeth Brondolo and Xavier Amador, & Bipolar Disorder: The Ultimate Guide by Sarah Owen and Amanda Saunders, & Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Bipolar Disorder, Second Edition by Monica Ramirez Basco Ph.D. and A. John Rush M.D., and the other best ones, from your bookstore, or www.amazon.com

BP is much overdiagnosed, or misdiagnosed. View pages G, & X at 8m.com re BPD. Consult a clinical psychologist for a second opinion. View http://drbenkim.com/vitamin-d-facts.htm & http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articl… Email me for my full post on natural treatments for psychosis, if interested.