Bipolar 2- what works for you??

[recoveryishard]

I was finally diagnosed with bipolar 2 last December (Altho I was treated for it before the official diagnosis) after a major manic episode and depression. In December I started on lamotrogine (100mg) and Duloxetine (60mg) and by the beginning of January was feeling better, started running list the 3+ stone I put on due to being in Olanazapine and started doing 10k races, things wee great!

Then I decided to get a job, it all went pear shaped, the stress of the job, a job where I was bullied and the stress of two small children alone and a house move triggered a massive manic episode. It was so bad I got fired from my job and sunk into a very very deep depression which I am still in. I also had a breakdown in the summer which has added to my poor mental health. I know alcohol is a big no no but I will admit I have been drinking, not daily, just binging and on some occasions cocaine was used.

I have been given diazepam, lorazepam, put back on Olanzapine and have now been given quetiepine all in the last few weeks!!

I am totally overwhelmed, feel extremely depressed and anxious and feel completely hopeless. I have lost faith in the people treating me as nothing ever stays good. I still try and run 3/4 times a week and am trying really hard to stay sober and have weekly counselling/hypnotherapy.

I don't know what else I can do. I think I've been on every antidepressant they have and most mood stabilisers and am left with Lithium which I am reluctant to take because of the side effects.

What does anyone else do? Is lithium as bad as I think it is? How can I get out of this deep pit? I just want to be happy and stable for my kids!

Thanks.

Lamotrigine, valium and life at a slow pace works for me.

Many women achieve ten times as much as me with their lives... But I keep it low key, keep toxic people out of my life and employ the phrase "that's not going to work for me".

I make a great effort to indulge my hobby... Because it does more for my mental health than having a clean kitchen floor ever will. So I choose very carefully where to allocate my energy!

How do you keep life slow? I'm coming stanly running about after the kids, house is always a mess- even my mum said I don't do enough housework! I try and let things slide but then I feel more stressed out because of the mess!

Staying away from toxic people is good Altho my ex is one of them and actually the main cause of stress in my life and as much as I'd like to never see him again we have kids together so it's not possible. He is not and never has been supportive about my mental health!

Just feels like and endless cycle that will never end 😢

Ok well the biggest factor here is probably work. I'm a contractor and am able to work from home so I don't have that rushing around and social politics to be draining my energy.

I had a series of cleaners who kept letting me down... So now it gets done thoroughly fortnightly and to hell with the interim. Dropped an egg on the kitchen floor last night and the dog's made a crap job of cleaning... But it won't kill any of us if I deal with it tomorrow.

My ex is a massive twat. So I put him on lock-down - I don't interact with him at all except via a notebook at handover. I even rejigged his days so he does a school drop off and I see him less.

I try not to do too much. My sleep is all over the place right now. Didn't sleep until 3 this morning then I had an early haircut - shitty timing as I'd clearly booked it forgetting it was half term. By the time I'd cleaned the bathroom, served lunch and caught up on some admin I called time on productivity for the day.

I don't work as I'm signed off- stress sets off episodes for me. Applying for PIP but have heard this is a nightmare to get so then I'll have the stress of trying to get a job, having an episode, getting fired then repeat!

My daughter is very very hard work, we think she may have ADHD and my some has speech delay which also adds to the stress in my life. Things just seem so messy and tangled 🙄

It's bloody exhausting. I want to drink right now really badly even tho I know it will end in disaster! Going to go for a run instead.

PIP is independent of work, wealth, whatever. Eg Katie price claims it for Harvey. I had a paper assessment as they must've deemed me too hat-stand to attend.

I think it's maybe ESA (?) That's the sickness benefit one - I'd rather not claim that jump through those hoops.