Comment on Anon remembers
NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 1 day ago
My buddy had a serious manic episode years ago; it was really scary and got him into some legal trouble. Along with some of his friends and family, I came down to attempt him to convince him to enter treatment. It took HOURS, and just as we were losing hope of getting through to him, a switch flipped in his head and he said “alright let’s do this!” And we got him to an inpatient treatment center.
They had him on lithium for a while. I hated it (internally, I didn’t want to fuck up his treatment) because he was so robotic and lethargic whenever we chatted. He told me how he didn’t like how it was making him feel at all. It felt like he went from one extreme to the other. That said, he was honest with his doctors and as he continued to do well, they adjusted his meds. It’s been years now. He’s back to the guy I remember from college. He’s stayed out of trouble, met and married a great women, and found a career.
Most people don’t become doctors for malicious reasons. Sure some do it for status or money, but they’re still a profession centered around helping people. They take an oath. I’d encourage you to find a doctor you can trust and follow their guidance and treatment. My friend’s doctors gave him his life back when he was on a path to destruction.
alias_qr_rainmaker@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Me too. I’m the guy I remember from college as well. I didn’t remember that guy until about six weeks ago when I went cold turkey on all the bipolar meds I’d been on since 2009.
NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 1 day ago
My concern with that is you may be experiencing the high of a manic episode. I’m no doctor, but when my buddy was manic it ultimately led him to doing some self-destructive things. He got himself fired from a job by calling his boss some horrible things in front of the entire staff, he’d burn his money on nonsensical get rich quick schemes, and ultimately he got nabbed for driving intoxicated and attempting to flee from the scene.
I think he’d be in a worse spot if he just told the doctors what he thought they wanted to hear rather than advocating for himself and working with them to get himself to a point where he’s on meds to guard him from burning himself out on a manic tear while also not so heavily medicated he’s a zombie. It can be done! Good luck, stranger
alias_qr_rainmaker@lemmy.world 1 day ago
It started in June and peaked on November 30, when I relapsed and screamed at the staff (I live in a residential treatment program because I had a TBI three years ago). I told them I wanted to be taken to a safe house because I was in danger. On Thanksgiving, I was convinced that my dad paid a hitman to kill me three years ago because he wasn’t as rich as he used to be and he was tired of supporting me financially.
On Thanksgiving night, my dad was really fucking pissed at me because I was so manic, but the truth is I was fucking overjoyed because he didn’t kill me. (I thought my dad came to my house to finish the job because he’d been stalking my FB, so he knew about the accusations I made)
NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Oof, sorry to hear about the TBI, that definitely doesn’t help with symptoms. It sounds like you recognize some of the red flags in your behavior. I don’t know you, but isn’t it possible he’s worried about you and frustrated? It’s mentally and physically exhausting caring for and getting help for loved ones (my dad has dementia, it’s tough). Just be careful with yourself. Manic states quiet the analytical centers of the brain and limit meta cognition. My friend didn’t realize how illogical and destructive he was behaving until he came down, it may be the same for you. I’ll just reiterate my urge to be honest with your doctors and seek treatment.
Just like with physics, “what goes up, must come down”. I’d hate for you to be ill prepared for that moment.