Confused

spacedog

After about 3 months of the most horrific time I've ever had all of a sudden I wake up one day and feel absolutely amazing - no problems, nothing wrong, I wake up early every morning and can function properly, I'm definitely grateful but I don't know where all this came from. I'm on a mood stabilizer though with is bot for mental health problems and epilepsy, so I went up on it a very tiny dose and I don't know what's happened - I'm a different man. I'm just really worried though that it's a placebo effect that's going to wear off in a couple weeks, that's what's happened with every medication before this

Laura_tigger82

It is really positive to hear you are feeling better at the moment @IainJammyboy. Though, I hear your concerns that it could be a placebo effect. Have you managed to talk to anyone else about how you are feeling and your concerns?

spacedog

@Laura_tigger82 haven't managed to talk to anybody about it yet, but I'm just taking it a day at a time at the moment

Azziman

Hey @IainJammyboy, just wanted to follow up on this. How have you been feeling the last couple of days?

spacedog

Really good although I've just been staying in my room constantly - really really tired while increasing on medication but still feeling brilliant, it's crazy

JustV

Medication can do wonders, @IainJammyboy. Whatever the cause I'm glad you've found a new lease of life, even if it does happen to be temporary (though I hope it isn't!)

spacedog

@JustV yea it's amazing, really different from what I was told though - that medication doesn't do much and that recovery is mostly on having a healthy lifestyle, it's weird. Also in the meantime I was having a good think, I don't want to self diagnose myself at all - I know a few people at my school who self diagnose and that, and they all like to act as if it's something to be proud of. I was planning on getting an evaluation for ADHD, I spoke to my GP about it a couple years before all this started happening, and especially as me and my dad share alot in common - can't remember shit, we both are much better at practical things and done shit at school, or even about how my mum mentions how i get so worked up about one thing and just focus on it completely for a month or two and then just completely abandon it out of nowhere. Sorry, I know that's extremely general talking about it but thinking about everything else in my life it kind of makes sense to me - I just don't know if it's possible to push me to the extreme of seriously harming myself, but I'm glad I'm starting to understand

Former Member

im so glad ur feeling great now @IainJammyboy and starting to understand ur doing amazing👍

JustV

@IainJammyboy there's a fair bit of stigma around taking medication for mental illness, and I think sometimes we underestimate the impact it can have. Different things do work for different people and a healthy lifestyle is basically always recommended I think, but there are people for whom medication is life-altering and they couldn't function without it.

Exploring an ADHD diagnosis sounds good too. Coincidentally I'm going through that process myself right now and suddenly my life makes a lot more sense! Defo good to get a diagnosis but don't be afraid to identify with it if it makes sense to you in the meantime.

I will say the stuff you mentioned (at least on a surface level) does line up with how a lot of people experience ADHD - poor working memory, hyperfocusing on things, good practical skills.

spacedog

@JustV yea, I agree with all that - the main thing is for me the reason I'm thinking is because the main idea me and my psychiatrist are working on is emotional disregulation, I know that's something my dad struggles with aswell - but he doesn't want to say it. Even when his appendix burst he waited three days until going to a and E, and if anyone here has experienced it it is some of the absolute worst pain ever

Former Member

@IainJammyboy It's understandable to feel a sense of uncertainty when you experience a sudden positive shift in your mood and overall well-being, especially after a challenging period. When you mention that you recently increased the dose of your mood stabilizer, it's possible that the adjustment has positively impacted your mood and overall functioning. Medications can take time to reach their full effect, so it's not uncommon to experience improvements after a dose increase. It's important to continue taking the medication as prescribed and to follow up with your healthcare provider to discuss any changes in your symptoms. If you have any doubts or questions about your medication, it's always a good idea to reach out to your prescribing healthcare professional for clarification and guidance. They can provide you with the most accurate information and help you understand your specific situation.

spacedog

Actually @JustV I know my thoughts keep changing, but I do share alot of symptoms with bpd - at least in the sense of just impulsively attempting suicide after a small argument or even just someone being annoyed with me. I know it's sounds worrying but I'm okay, I'm just worried for my future

Azziman

@IainJammyboy I hear you. Mental health is tricky, because some signs/symptoms can be present in several different conditions, so it can feel like multiple conditions resonate. One part of this is to figure out what condition is affecting you, but another part is learning to manage situations. This one being a good example - learning how to respond in a healthier way to arguments would be useful, regardless of which condition it is that's present. I hope that you and your psychiatrist are able to work together to find a way through that works for you

Former Member

@IainJammyboy,
It seems like you've recieved a lot of good insight from other fellow mixers. My personal take on your situation though is incredibly happy for you regarding medication. I first got diagnosed with depression when I was 10 and just now found a good medication that works for me. So congrats on that! As far as emotion regulation, it's tricky but to useful. It's my most helpful skill I've learned. And as others have said be aware that mental illnesses can often resemble each other and have similar traits. It's okay to be messy.