Sup /adv/, I need your help. My girlfriend got diagnosed Bipolar a few weeks ago, then later got rediagnosed as depressed, and we're really confused. For months my girlfriend has been struggling with her emotions, going through mood swings and crying all throughout the day. Personally, we are thinking its Bipolar disorder, but the meds they gave her (citalopram) made her feel completely hopeless, suicidal and completely miserable. As a person with severe depression and anxiety myself, I understand it taking multiple med testing to see which ones work, but I'd like to get a head start and hear any related experiences, which meds work best, symptoms
>Tl;dr, How to help someone with Bipolar disorder
>What meds work best to treat
>Personal experiences, symptoms observed/experienced
>>17217424
> gave her citalopram for bipolar
uhm. WHAT? No. I believe you're NOT supposed to give bipolar SSRIs because that makes mania worse. Maybe they thought it was depression at first?
I'm not a psychiatrist though, so anybody with more knowledge can let us know.
>>17217424
But at this point, if citalopram made it worse, I'd guess it's bipolar. Lithium??
I'm really sorry for your girlfriend. I wish she has a quick recovery.
>>17217434
Shit, that's my bad. Just confirmed with her it was for when they diagnosed her Depressed. They WANTED to give her Abilify or Lamictal for the bipolar diagnosis.
>>17217424
>how to help bipolar
You don't. You bear it with silent dignity watching as they burn all bridges and strain yours to the limits of what passes for a relationship and when you're alone you pray to your own personal spaghetti monster for a life of contentment.
Or have them committed, but even then nothing will change until the person takes an active and committed role in getting the necessary treatment.
>>17217470
forgot image
>>17217470
Aripiprazole and Lamotrigine!
so /adv/ is helping me study.
Yeah, I'm glad it's not lithium. Start low and go slow. I wouldn't feel good putting someone on lithium as a physician.
They knew it was bipolar because citalopram made it worse.
>>17217487
But they diagnosed her Bipolar first, she was too scared to take the meds for it. Then they diagnosed her depressed and threw Citalopram at her
>>17217495
Did she tell them she didn't try taking the meds with the first diagnosis?
>>17217506
Her therapist was really against it and it scared her
>>17217473
>You don't. You bear it with silent dignity watching as they burn all bridges and strain yours to the limits of what passes for a relationship and when you're alone you pray to your own personal spaghetti monster for a life of contentment.
Bipolar is nothing like that. What you described resembles more borderline... sure, often people have both, but still two problems apart.
>>17217512
not the same anon but she needs to find another good therapist/psychiatrist and get another diagnosis. If the diagnosis is consistent, it'll make her feel better going forward with actual treatment, as the wrong medication for the wrong illnesses can cause worse problems.
Bipolar type II here.
>How to help someone with Bipolar disorder
A bipolar has emotional highs and lows.
When she gets into the lows, it's just the same as any other depressive person: show support and attention, but make sure to give her enough space. Depending on her personality, focusing on how much she's important for you might be nice too.
When she gets into the highs... well, it depends. Bipolar I has "mania", bipolar II has "hypomania".
If she's bipolar type II: she'll become annoying and overactive, but otherwise it's pretty much harmless. But do NOT encourage her overactive behaviour, otherwise she'll feel like crap as soon as she leaves the hypomania.
(Ah, and sex when in the hypomania is great, both for the bipolar and the partner.)
If she's bipo type I: she'll get reckless and needs someone telling her to hold her horses. She will do plenty shit and might get extremely irritated/overactive. Do NOT let her decide important stuff on manic episodes, she will regret later.
>>17217424
>What meds work best to treat
Shit's trial and error for most part.
Antidepressants ALONE are a "great" way to make a bipolar insomniac, irritated and violent. Don't. This includes citalopram, sertraline and shit like that.
Lithium is hit or miss. The adaptation period isn't that bad, and it does the intended (stabilizes, so you won't get episodes). I personally found it to leave me constantly unhappy - not depressed, not sad, just that gray taste in the mouth.
