please read

[lycheeeee]

I suffered a major bereavement a few months ago and have a very stressful life with much responsibility and little support. I thought i was depressed but got little joy at the docs and as time goes on i am not getting better in fact worse. The first thing is a constant feeling of nausea in my stomach and chest. I wake every morning at 5am. I am over sensitive and take things to heart to the point of paranoia. I am having mood swings from low to hyper. I had my first session of counselling and the counseller could not hide their shock at how distraught i was. It was the first time i had cried for my loss. She asked if i was suicidal (which i am not)and offered her phone and email just in case i needed her. Afterwards i realised that i was ranting and pretty incoherent for much of the session and am now scared that i have bipolar. please help me - is this normal with bereavement or am i in danger of being sectioned.

slow down lychee!!

you don't sound in any hurry to be sectioned as you do not seem to be a risk to yourself and others!!

in bereavement all sorts of feelings come up often all at once, and if you've been keeping the lid on it the pressure may have risen a bit too high

Keep talking to your counsellors and to others that you can trust

I don't know but bumping for you to keep in active convos till someone comes along with more of a clue

i think what you have described almost sounds like a post traumatic stress due to the bereavement, you have obviously had a very very hard time lately and you should try to see your gp/counsellor tomorrow-they will not section you they will most likely just want to help.Grief can cause people to react in many different ways and it can sometimes feel like you are going insane but i promise you you are not.
speaking from my own experience the nausea and insomnia are things i too suffered from so it could very well all be linked but please try to speak to your counsellor you should not have to suffer llike you are.

i wish you the very best.take care.

Lychee - lost my Dad in 2007 and Mum in 2008. Was shocked by the overwhelming feelings of grief, loss and panic. Think one of the consequences of bereavement is fear - your world has been rocked to its foundations and you just get overwhelmed with all kinds of irrational feelings. This is not unusual and everyone reacts differently. I kept thinking I should be coping better but have come to accept that my feelings were what they were and I just had to try and get through somehow. A few months is not very long. Of course you are distraught - my counsellor just accepted how I was feeling and helped me through it. The strength of my feelings made me feel as if I was going mad, but I wasn't. Letting them out is a lot better in the long run. I think our society is very bad at dealing with strong emotion and you can feel as if you should be coping calmly. Why? Hope this helps.

Hi Lychee I lost my son nearly twelve years ago and have been overwhelmed at times by my feelings. Soon after it happened and for several months I was convinced I was going mad. My life as I knew it was turned upside down and didn't feel safe anymore. I would describe it as feeling like a rug had been pulled out from under me. It's normal that you have feelings of nausea and your sleep is affected. Something very sad has happened and you're trying to make sense of it. I remember also feeling sick and panicky and unable to eat.

I agree with Whitecloud a few months is not very long. It will take a long time to work through your feelings. It's difficult as your emotions can change very quickly. Several years on I have found it easier to manage my emotions but not always. The pain is always there but I've found the shock has lessened for me, instead I often struggle to believe what happened.

You are really not going mad and it may help you to talk about your loss. However you may find that you have days when it is all too much. Try to take one day at a time or one hour at a time if it helps x

Hi Lychee, I'm sorry life is so tough for you at the moment. It is really great you are getting help. I have had depression in the past and the symptoms you describe sound very familiar. I am not an expert by any means but I think sectioning is usually only considered if you were at significant risk of harming yourself or others. It doesn't sound as though that is the case.

I can't tell you you HAVEN'T got bipolar, obviously, but I think mood swings are common in normal depression (with me, anyway). Try not to worry about possible diagnoses, and focus on getting the support that feels valuable to you.

Very best of luck xx