Bipolar/Schizophrenia advice please?

[Captainmomtotherescue]

Hi, first time posting here. I'm looking for some advice about the "timeline" (for lack of a better phrase) after visiting the GP regarding Bipolar/Schizophrenia.

My partner (A week ago) went to the GP and explained his issues. We've known for a little bit that something deeper was the issue other than depression - Anti-depressants weren't having many if any effect, unusual behaviour/thoughts, long term history of depression etc. I have spoken to my GP the week before this about the next steps and she said it was a referral to a psychologist who would formally diagnose then come up with a treatment plan etc. However when my partner went, he wasn't sure if his referral was to a psychologist or a CBT therapist. Anyway, the GP said he is showing signs of Bipolar and some signs of schizophrenia.

I'm just wondering what the next steps are, if he's likely to have been referred to a CBT counsellor or Psychologist (if there's even a difference?) And any advice from here on in.

I don't have any personal experience with these mental illnesses, so any information would be extremely helpful. Also happy to answer any questions if I've missed anything out.

Thanks in advance! :)

I don’t think op thinks it’s some type of test though, she sounds like she’d just like to have an idea of what does on in the appointments. The unknown can be scary, I understand why she’s asked.

Yes me too. But part of that fear is underpinned by society's perception of mental illness, there is no 'wrong'. I would say approach it as you would, say, joint pain. Don't google arthritis and fibro. Just go and say when it hurts, where it hurts and how it affects you walk. Then they will create a plan of what tests to do and what to prescribe. I totally understand.
I thought I had depression and anxiety, I had symptoms of them, and matched the criteria for them. In fact when I was treated for them, it didn't work because what I actually had was bipolar. But in the diagnostic process, because I thought it was depression and anxiety, I focused on those symptoms and missed the bipolar ones, meaning it was missed. That's all I meant, and certainly wasn't meant as a criticism, I see the OP felt a bit attacked by a previous poster. I'm just trying to advise from my own perspective. x

I didn't want to come back onto this thread, but I feel I have to point out that I didn't attack anyone; I said the same about the GP's irresponsibility and just gave some information about Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia, and pointed out that it's not possible to have both. I said that the OP and her husband shouldn't take the GP's words as an indication that a diagnosis of either of those conditions is imminent, and said that I hoped his appointment came through soon and wished them both all the best!

I wish I hadn't bothered trying to help, because the OP did somehow take it the wrong way and I've already had a full-on, hyperventilating panic attack over this and am still shaking, and will be for hours I expect. I wish I hadn't asked for the post to be deleted, because now everyone reading this thread will think I must have been abusive and horrible when I really wasn't!!!

I’m sure everyone on this thread understands that the op will be feeling rather sensitive at the moment, I don’t think anyone would think you were attacking her flourella.
If you are having panic attacks because of this thread then you need to take responsibility and step away, hide the thread.

How do I ask for a post to be taken down? I thought I was doing the right thing in trying to gain an understanding as I have no idea what he's going through and I want to make the process easier. All this has done has sent my anxiety through the roof when I have no available outlets at the moment. Now I'm sitting here, crying my eyes out back at square 1 with not knowing how to handle and help the situation.

I just wanted to help I promise!

Thankyou all for your time and comments, how do I delete/request deletion please?
Apologies for wasting/upsetting/offending and anything else I've done wrong. I meant well.

I can't believe how much I fucked this up for you. I'm sorry. OP, I'm not telling you that you shouldn't have any of your posts taken down, but don't do it just because I made a pig's ear of trying to help. Everyone else managed to be useful so just ignore me and forget my contributions. Sorry everyone. Thanks for being nice Fission.

Wtf is happening on this thread?! There have been no arguments or anything, I don’t understand why the fuck everyone is crying and shit!

Captain don't take your post down!!!
You've done the right thing asking-nobody feels you've done anything wrong. Please don't cry. You have enough stress as it is.
I think all people have done here is advise from their own opinion and all Flourella has done in her last post is confirm that nobody is against you. You love your husband! He is lucky to have you. I think all I and others have tried to do, perhaps not worded brilliantly, but hey it's the internet and hard to discern tone from writing, is to say that you don't need to prepare and it will all be fine.
Just go and be with your husband. That is all you need to do. You are helping him and he is luckier than he knows.
I do hope you're ok. Repeat: do not delete the thread, it has some good points in it and you might like to look at them another day.

Flourella-nobody feels you've been nasty. I certainly don't. I don't think OP does either, I got the impression that you told her not to worry and she said she couldn't help worrying. That is all x
Folks, nothing has happened here which warrants anxiety, or crying, really. As someone with mental health problems, please try to see this objectively, rationally, and realise that there is nothing wrong with what anyone has said. x

Flourella, I took it personally because those are my deepest fears. That he actually can't be helped. And I'm scared because I love him. I love him so much. This is hard on him, and I'm meant to be stable and help. I don't know how to. I'm just gonna make things worse if I can't even try to prepare for the potential overwhelming situation.
Bipolar is the only thing that resonates with everything he is feeling/experiencing apart from voices. If it's not that then I don't know. Hope is the only thing I have left.

You haven’t done anything wrong op, neither has flourella.

Keep the thread

I get voices with bipolar btw x

This is a huge step to have someone of a professional standing acknowledge that it's more than just depression.
Can someone please tell me how I help? I just feel like this is set up for disaster. Because if it isn't bipolar, then we've run out of options.

Just to be clear I wasn't saying DONT take prescribed drugs but rather saying make sure you are 100% sure you have researched them and know what you are letting yourselves in for.

Your husband sounds like he would benefit from talking therapy to rebalance his threat/self soothe system. I used to be terribly negative and couldn't understand why anybody liked me or loved me. But that was not me, that my mothers voice in my head. Once I found MY voice in therapy and was nice to myself my self confidence soared and I completed a BA and MA.

Like somebody mentioned, antidepresssants can cause mania- they certainly do in me with the exception of 1 or 2. Keep a diary of behaviour for your oh and that will help.

Op, all that needs to be done is to tell the psychiatrist symptoms, answer their questions. There are many other things it could be other than bipolar, leave it to the psych to work out.

Why have you run out of options? I don't understand. If it's something else he will get treatment for something else.
You do need to focus on you throughout this, and sound very anxious, understandably.
It seems like a huge step but it isn't. It is easy for me to say I know.
He is still your husband no matter what they come out with and sounds like it couldn't get much worse tbh so whatever the outcome it has to be beneficial. Try not to worry.

I think voices is the only reason that schizophrenia was mentioned. Plus his mom brought it up because a family member has it.

I just wanted to get an idea of what could happen in the appointment so I could maybe be able to provide some insight.

I feel so useless at the moment, I just want to do something to help ease this process when he does become overwhelmed. Because I know he will. He has already, a couple of times - leading up to GP and afterwards.

Week before DP GP appointment, I had an appointment and asked for more information about bipolar. His experiences fit a lot with what someone with bipolar experiences.

Does he experience mania? You’ve not said.
The appointment really isn’t that bad, it’s basically just getting a picture of his symptoms, they ask questions similar to those I’ve posted. He may get a diagnosis there and then or more appointments might get need to be had.

It’s honestly not that different to a gp appointment.

That's my mindset when I'm not feeling awful - that it's already the shittest it could be.
I'm the only person that's encouraged (in the right way) and supported him to get this far.

We just thought it might be different to a GP appointment. He was feeling overwhelmed in the waiting room there. He nearly had a panic attack and nearly walked out because of waiting. He asked me not to go to that and said he didnt mind if i was in the waiting room.

He has in the past. Mainly depressive. He has experienced mania but not as excessive if that makes sense? He spent every penny he had in his account at the time.

I hope everyone is ok. For what it's worth I was thinking what a lovely supportive thread this is, any confusion seems to be crossed wires, no one meant offence or upset.

When mental illness is new to you it's very scary, but it doesn't have to define you or your relationship. You kind of realise it's always going to be there, but you get on with it. I guess it's like having a little friend/ enemy that will leave you alone for months and then suddenly pop up and be a right pain in the arse. But they'll shut up again in time.

Regarding diagnosis, don't worry if he doesn't get one. I've been in the system for twenty years and had pretty much every diagnosis going (different psychiatrists will label the same thing differently), and honestly, they can be as much of a hindrance as a help. The focus needs to be on treating his symptoms and helping him manage better. Keep in mind that certain diagnoses can deem you ineligible for certain services, so be careful not to push down a path that has more obstacles than help.

Regarding timeliness of treatment and who he might see, no one can tell you that, and it will vary between areas. In my area you won't get to see a psychiatrist until you've been assessed by a CPN, even then it's only the most complex cases that get that input. And the appointment waiting times are many months, although you may get a phone assessment more quickly to check you're not actively suicidal. In other areas they do have mental health triage that will get an initial assessment quite quickly, but then you're stuck on a waiting list.

And psychotherapy - two year waiting list. Note that psychotherapy is not CBT, the therapist may use some CBT skills, but it's far more complex than CBT which is generally offered to those with less severe mental health conditions.

To add another possibility to the list, does he fit the diagnostic criteria for autism? The feelings of being overwhelmed and panic, and when they get too much suicidal ideation and sometimes voices? They could be traits of someone on the system, although the diagnosis covers far more than that.

This is one of the reasons that self diagnosis is a bad idea. You realise that the symptoms could cover a thousand different conditions, and then worry even more.

It sounds like you are worried that no diagnosis = no treatment.
That absolutely is not the case. Like pp said, it’s most important that the symptoms he’s experiencing are treated, not the diagnosis.
(Some psychiatrist won’t even give a diagnosis as they don’t believe it to be helpful, instead they focus on the symptoms at hand).

He has these intrusive thoughts even when he's not overwhelmed but it could be a possibility. His brother is, his son is in the process of being tested. We're both thinking that it has to be something that either is or is similar to bipolar because he does have a lot of symptoms/has shown symptoms that coincide with bipolar.

My intention is solely that of helping my partner. Some of the things mentioned have upset me because it's a hugely sensitive subject and because of my own mh issues.

We're trying not to self-diagnose but there has to be an aspect of that for GP's to take notice if that makes sense. While he's been with me has only been on one anti depressant - sertraline. In the past, he has been on anti depressants that have made him feel more depressive.

Forgot to add - when he had a manic episode with the cash spending, he got highly drunk with said money and it ended up him threatening to smash his mom's car if she followed him, saying he just wanted to jump on a train and disappear, and he ended up at a friend's house.

I just want him to be able to get help and "find himself" again. I am worried that they will say it's not anything but depression and continue treating him regardless of the fact it didn't work before now. I want the negative emotions to disappear at least a majority of the time. Or at the very least be able to cope with them as he doesn't know how to. I want him to be able to function normally. All of these things, he wants also.

I hope this is making sense to you all.