Personal Narrative: Living With Bipolar Disorder And Depression

I’ve always been passionate about understanding others; stepping into their shoes and seeing, thinking, and appreciating the lives they live. I think it is important to take that extra step and see things from a different point of view. It is the only way to achieve a true understanding. I believe in this philosophy so much so, that it’s one of the main reasons I have this blog; to give others a glimpse of a life with mental illness. I’ve been in treatment for 2 months and 26 days and I think it’s time for another peek into my brain.

More than 17 million Americans have depression. Depression is much more than grieving or ‘the blues’. It’s a serious illness that can take a terrible toll on individuals and families says the Mayo Clinic Health Center. In reality the effect of antidepressants is not that much, but it bases on the certain person and their lifestyle such as sleeping habits, mood, etc. However many have benefited from antidepressants and lives have changed for the better. Yet some have had no effects. Therefore, antidepressants should not be prescribed for children diagnosed with depression.

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder known for severe persistent mood instabilities between mania and depression, . It causes unusual changes in mood, energy, and activity levels which makes ability to perform daily tasks very hard. (Concepts Advisory Panel [CAP], 2015). BPD affects more than 2.3 million adult Americans, or 1% of the population. (Guo, Patel, Li, & Keck 2010). There are four basic types of bipolar spectrum; All of them involve clear change in the mood energy, and activity levels (CAP,2015). These mood incidences’ ranges from periods of extremely high and energized behavior known as Manic episodes to very sad, or hopeless periods known as depressive episodes. Bipolar I disorder, the client has at least one episode of manic followed by major depression. Bipolar II disorder, the client has one or more hypomanic and major depressive episodes, the other not so severe and less diagnoses type of Bipolar is chronic mood disorder that lasts more two years with combination of hypomania and dysthymia. (CAP,2015). This paper will go into, Bipolar I, Manic episodes, the pathophysiology, Sign and symptoms, treatments, comorbidity, nursing intervention and nursing and patient therapeutic relationship.

Bipolar disorder, also called a manic-depressive illness, is a common disorder which causes mood swings, lasting periods of depression, and episodes of mania. “Extreme changes in energy, activity, sleep, and behavior go along with these changes in mood” (National Institute of Mental Health [NIMH], 2008). A person becomes more goal-oriented and has grandeur visions of success. Patient M shows all these symptoms while talking to her friends and professors in college. She describes herself as a person who is above the two standard genders, what she calls a “third sex”, and who switched souls with a senior senator from her state. The latter belief inspires her to start a political campaign and achieve a high position in the government. She

The depression is overwhelming. I cry uncontrollably. At its worst, I cannot move. Gravity seems to have added weight tenfold. I wake up in my bed, struggling to get out. I am unable to. Breathing hurts. I try to cry out for help, but I cannot move my mouth to form the words in my disgusted mind. I am trapped in my own head. I am trapped in my own body, a body that is entirely numb.

It’s a struggle to get out of bed sometimes, I often just sit there struggling to comprehend the sequence of events which have taken place over the past year. I mean, I’m used to this now, its normal to me, but the fact that this has happened and that I am now ‘disabled’ as people would put it is hard to get my head around. And every time I look down I’m reminded of the pain and the struggle I faced, it’s a physical scar which links me to my grueling past, a physical and emotional journey.

Problems with my parents were the main reason why I fell into depression. I used to cut myself and I tried to kill myself more than once, I felt that I didn’t matter but I tried my best to continue. In

My bipolar started out as a crippling depression, causing me to lose enjoyment in life, begin to self-harm, and have thoughts of suicide. This was a dark time for me, and since I was young, I did not quite understand what was going on and had no

I can finally relax...just writing this made me cry, because I realized I am finally free from myself. So much had been stressing me out before i was put on the medicine; I had my first experience with death, (high) school was beginning, the pressure of getting good grades along with it, etc. And trust me, i've never been good with change so not having anxiety was new to me. I was happy, carefree, and I am actually confident in myself. Although I was just getting used to the complete personality change, I was forced to get used to my new brain. This is where I continue to struggle, especially in school.

When selecting an antidepressant to be involved with counseling many factors that have been considered such: previous medication responses, family history to medication, and the client’s symptoms and comorbidity (Preston, O’Neal, & Talaga, 2013). Clients might choose to discontinue the use of medications when feelings of pessimism and hopelessness occur so selecting an antidepressant with minimal side effects is very crucial (Preston & et al, 2013). During the medication trail make sure to give an adequate amount time before abandoning around four weeks to considered the medication non-sucessful (Preston & et al, 2013).

I started Zoloft when I was 13 after a series of activities that my suburban, Texas-born parents were not excited about. I was lucky, really, that they didn’t just put me in a program for troubled youth like they had promised, or told me to go find a switch in the backyard like their parents would have. No, all they did was put me in a doctor’s chair, my pediatrician, but a doctor nonetheless. He asked me the usual questions, (“How are you eating/sleeping? Have you lost excitement over

This is an accurate representation of medication for depression. It does not make you want to live, it does not fix your thinking, it just makes you functional. It allows you to do things you wouldn’t usually be able to, and maybe after a while you will be able to function on your own.

Bipolar disorder is a much more serious disease than I had ever thought. Until recently, I just thought it was not being able to make up ones mind about which emotion to portray. Frequently, I used the term to describe people that I perceived as being temperamental or unstable. During my shift on the medical floor for work, I came in contact with my first true bipolar patient. When I first introduced myself to her, she was friendly and what I thought was a ‘normal’ patient. Small talk was made about where I am from, where I attend college, how long I have worked here, if I have a boyfriend, and

Diagnosis. For a full year before her diagnosis, we could not be in the same room without an argument ensuing. Now, I know how to better handle my frizzy-haired older sister’s bipolar episodes. She comes to us for assistance when things get too challenging for her. But a few years ago everything was pitch black. My sister is manic bipolar. Bipolar disorder deals with intense highs and lows. Before her diagnosis, my siblings and I would joke that she was bipolar because of her capricious mood swings. Coincidence or not? Suffice to say, life has been a learning experience.