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My family think I have bipolar

38 replies

Scaredandalone · 15/10/2010 09:56

My grandad had bipolar and I have always known I was different, sometimes I thought I was special, sometimes I thought I was normal and sometimes I thought I was evil and here to hurt evil men.

I have often had periods of time as a teenager where I felt so high I felt I could do anything even fly. if I was in a relationship I felt trapped like I was meant to be free and I would go out and do some pretty horrid things. But what made me feel worst of all was I liked feeling this way I liked sleeping with numerous people regardless to whether I was in a relationship, it made me feel alive. I can also be sitting down sometimes and I am looking at someone and I just want to hit them. I feel stronger, special, like all the shit that has happened has happened because I am special. I feel less pain, I don't need to sleep or eat. I see things other people cant like ghosts, or dogs, sometimes I laugh at stupid moments like a funeral.

Then at other times I feel so low like everyone hates me, like I am horrible and everyone is judging me I feel guilty and worthless. No one cares about me and I don't think they should I don't eat when I feel like this because I want to hurt myself I scream and cry until I am shaking and sick, I hate parts of me and I want to take a knife and cut away the infected parts, I cut myself to see me bleed and I hit things to try to feel something other than crying. I pull away from people who love me I run away and hide because I cant stand the thought of them touching me it feels like spiders crawling over my skin.

Then I feel normal, I am confused because sometimes I had a reason to feel bad sometimes I don't nothing happens I just feel that way. Sometimes I feel like I have been so high or so low I have been bouncing off the walls and there is nothing left I stare out non responsive and I feel nothing.

I am 22 years old I have two Dc I have felt this way since I was about 13. My friends always leave because my friends cant take the cold and they get embarrassed by the things I sometimes do. I have never told anyone how I feel because in my heart I know there is something wrong but I just want to be a nice person.

I had a very different experience this past week for months I have been losing interest and feeling bored and unable to concentrate last Wednesday I saw a ghost, I inexplicably felt a urge to go out i felt trapped like the walls were closing in I had to get out, So I went out and I lost control I slept with numerous people and I just wanted to hit people. I felt angry at my partner I felt he was holding me back I hated him he was stopping my fun. But what was different this time was instead of staying high I kept flicking between feeling better than ever and lower than ever. I found it hard to deal because one minute I could feel great and then I could hate myself. I experienced both symtoms. I felt full of life and like I needed to sleep but I had to get out, and then I would feel in physical agony so tired and collapse to the floor.

As I type this I feel nothing not even guilt over what I have done that will come later. My mum wants to get me seen to but I am scared I feel like this is who I am, and without the highs I am nothing. I am also scared my partner will leave me and take my DC if I am diagnosed as being Bipolar. I am not sure if I am tired or if my emotions have run out. I know this is very long I don't expect anyone to read this but I had to put my feelings down.

OP posts:
Scaredandalone · 15/10/2010 12:05

Thank you so much I know you are right, I have phoned my mum and said I am happy to go make a appointment on Monday, I need to rest I have had three hours sleep now for a fortnight and I have been eating only a sandwich a day if that I have lost a stone in a week, I am also covered in cuts and bruises so I just need to feel better physically, before I can deal with any mental pain. At the moment I am perfectly stable I seem to have run out of emotions, think that maybe for my own good.

Thank you again, I just hope I can put my family back together now. I am very sorry to hear of so many others who feel the same way I do, I am glad to hear many of you feel better now. My partner does not know I have slept with many people and a part of me wants to protect him, but a part of me feels I need to tell him so I don't carry the extra weight of a secret, which I feel may make me more likely to go nuts again which hurts my children and I am more concerned with my children than my partner, I think I will keep quiet and wait and see what advice I am given. Thank you Smile

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Eleison · 15/10/2010 12:13

Good luck and best wishes

xx

EvilEyeButterPie · 15/10/2010 12:14

I would say that treatment has changed me, yes. It has made me much more content, meaning that I have able to channel my skills to be useful, rather than running round starting a million projects that I never finished and so on.

I've (mostly) got rid of that itchy, restless feeling of constantly thinking that I need to be somewhere else, if that makes sense. I've got a lot more real friends, not just people who think I'm entertaining but a bit annoying- my new friends like me for myself.

I can make plans too...I used to make loads of plans on a high, then let people down when I ended up either in hospital or on a low. Now I make a managable amount of plans that I can follow through.

Scaredandalone · 15/10/2010 12:26

I know the itchy feeling I always feel like I have a itch to scratch that I need to go out get drunk and have fun, but it never goes away permanently. Thank you butterpie, that makes me feel alot better,I am glad you are so much happier now Smile.

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dittany · 15/10/2010 19:49

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sakura · 16/10/2010 01:12

scaredandalone, that itchy feeling you're talking about...I think it's common among people who try to self-medicate, especially alcoholics and drug-users.
The advice I read that was given to an alcoholic woman was, "Just try sitting in your own skin."
MOst people can't cope with just sitting in their own skin because without the distractions, their thoughts become overwhelming, which then leads to self-medicating (in your case it might be running out of the door to do something 'exciting')

Apparently, trying to "sit in your own skin" is hell the first time. YOu just want to be anywhere rather than in your own body, but with practice is gets easier.
I use the computer to distract me, which is not good either, but I don't use alcohol anymore. I'm starting to get used to just 'being' in my own body.

Scaredandalone · 16/10/2010 14:46

Thanks ladies unfortunately DP has been checking my history so he has found this thread and is thinking of leaving me, I understand completely I just wish he could have found out in a kinder way. I also had unprotected sex so I am going to family planning to have a coil inserted and some tests done. I am going to the doctors Monday to get appointments for all three situations to be sorted,I have confided all this to a close friend who is willing to support me through this, I feel more comfortable talking to him than my mother so he has agreed to accompany me.

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Sakura · 16/10/2010 14:59

hi,
I've been thinking about something I read on a rape thread. I have never been raped, thankfully, but some women who have say that they went out and acted very promiscuously after the event.
It seems to be a way that some rape survivors try to regain control and overcome their experiences.
Obviously, it's your DP'S call whether to stay with you or not, but if he is not 100% sure whether to leave you, then maybe you could research this and show him that it's part of your illness, and possibly connected to your trauma of being raped. I'm sure there are website about it, or you could contact the rape crisis centre on the link Dittany gave you.

Scaredandalone · 16/10/2010 15:11

I will have a look thank you I did in fact act promiscuous after the event and I will give my dp some space for now to let him sort out how he feels and after Monday I will try to speak to him and explain to him. I think someone asked my Ex partners age he was 17yo and very damaged himself, he had moved out recently himself.

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dittany · 16/10/2010 15:45

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

electra · 16/10/2010 23:09

'Apparently, trying to "sit in your own skin" is hell the first time. YOu just want to be anywhere rather than in your own body, but with practice is gets easier.'

This is so true. I always wanted to be somewhere else - I had to keep moving myself.

electra · 16/10/2010 23:11

I agree with dittany too - it is not surprising that you have mental health problems after what you have suffered. My illness was triggered - there is only so much a person can take.

Scaredandalone · 17/10/2010 20:42

Thanks ladies you have helped loads at a time when I feel really low. DP is sticking around, I am feeling scared about the doctors tomorrow but now I really can't believe I did that and I don't know why? I was really happy I thought I had moved on with my life Confused.

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