u/Guilty_Two_5642

If you are unmedicated, is everyday life a challenge?

If yes, how so?

Be realistic, do meds allow you to function significantly better on a day-today basis or just keep you mostly out of mania.

Doctors call it “unmasking” like it was some hidden gift that was gonna come out anyway. Bullshit. I can’t shake the feeling the pill cracked something that might’ve stayed quiet.

Yeah, maybe I would’ve had issues later, but this forced it hard and fast. Now I’m stuck managing this version of myself I never asked for. Some days I’m just grieving who I was before that prescription.

Are bipolar meds something that will make me feel good?

Unsure what to tell my psych for medication management.

How does bipolar affect you on a day to day basis?

Looking for a general idea how many months you are depressed in a calendar year on medication.

Is an episode classified as hypomania, mania, OR depression?

I’m unsure if depression counts as an episode and looking for clarification.

1. How often and how long are you typically depressed in one calendar year?

2. Do you take medication?

3. Were meds game changers to manage your depression?

I can feel myself drifting apart from my wife and kids as I isolate whenever possible. I no longer go above and beyond. I have been out of work for over one year. Life is moving on yet I have not. I am stuck, my motivation is gone.

I was just diagnosed via ssri unmasking. I just started meds.

Is this a life worth living?

For me, a life mostly full of depression is not really living much of a full life at all.

I often experience passive SI when thinking about the future.

Who has their mania under control however is forever managing depression? How do you cope?

Curious if mood stabilizers took away your desire to drink?

Also, has anyone quit drinking to then found out they were bipolar?

I was recently diagnosed via ssri activation. It is hard to not be fearful of the future. Frankly every statistic scares me (divorce, employment, suicide).

Do most people live a well below average life?

Did an ssri unmasking of mania ultimately get you on the correct path to effective treatment of bipolar depression?

I am conflicted if this is a silver lining or not as my new “identity” is crushing my self esteem.

Ignorance is bliss perhaps? Looking for hope that I can return to myself once again. It appears most do not (or at least write about it).

I am trying to figure out why I drank so much pre-bipolar diagnoses. My best guess is I could not handle work stress vs. true depression.

I was drinking every day morning to evening to force myself to complete things I did not want to do. Almost like I was suffering from executive dysfunction and anxiety.

Anyone else feel/felt the same way?

I am trying to figure out why I drank so much pre-bipolar diagnoses. My best guess is I could not handle work stress vs. true depression.

I was drinking every day morning to evening to force myself to complete things I did not want to do. Almost like I was suffering from executive dysfunction and anxiety.

Anyone else feel/felt the same way?

I am trying to figure out why I drank so much pre-bipolar diagnoses. My best guess is I could not handle work stress vs. true depression.

I was drinking every day morning to evening to force myself to complete things I did not want to do. Almost like I was suffering from executive dysfunction and anxiety.

Anyone else feel/felt the same way?

Did you accept a bipolar label after your first ssri induced episode or deny the diagnosis until an episode occurred spontaneously?