Lived Experience Forum

[pinklollipop15]

I am on medication for bipolar which has made me feel flat and bored and agitated. I want help to feel different, to feel normal. There is not enough support and my family think im overanalysing it and yet I'm sedated and not enjoying a thing. What do I do here because I just want to sleep. 

[hanami]

Hi @pinklollipop15 

Sorry to hear that things aren't great at the moment. I'm wondering if you've talked to your doctor about how the medication is making you feel? 

Sending hugs

Hanami ❤️

[FloatingFeather]

Hi @pinklollipop15,

I feel for you - it doesn't sound like a particularly nice way to feel. A close family member of mine was diagnosed with bipolar many years ago. I remember when they were first started on medication they did feel tired and just not like themselves. It did take a few weeks but they did eventually feel a lot better on their medication. 

Have you recently started taking medication or changed? I would also encourage you to talk to your GP around how you are feeling. 

Wishing you well and I hope you start to feel better soon.

FloatingFeather 

[wellwellwellnez]

As someone who deals with a lot of emotional switching, I feel you @pinklollipop15 . Mood variation can make it real hard to get a point across. And, it always takes two moods. One to send and the other to receive. If either one is off, the signal suffers and it sucks.

This is why sales-people open with questions that anyone would say agree to. Like "do you like feeling good?" or something. It makes common ground and that makes the rest possible.

Personally, I find telling someone in analysis mode that they're over-analyzing tends to invite whole other levels of analysis. Perhaps a better goal to suggest would be synthesis.

There is a French discussion trick that they use to argue productively (they needed it because the French are very political and love to argue).

It's a three step process.

1. State your view.

2. State you understanding of their view.

3. Propose some form of mutual understanding.

I find it works well, because while people feel weird about over-analysis they tend to forgive it if that analysis is at least partially about them. Not just because of the validation but because synthesis is a beautiful thing.

[pinklollipop15]

Thanks @wellwellwellnez @FloatingFeather @hanami 

Yes I've talked to the doctor and he said I just have to wait it out basically similar to floating feathers family member. Its been about 5 weeks since I've started the medication its been tough. I'm better in the afternoons. 

Thanks for your inputs. 

[hanami]

Oh @pinklollipop15 yep it's super tough starting new meds. The only thing you can do is wait it out. Keep reaching out.

Big hugs

Hanami

[Dimity]

Hi @pinklollipop15 I hear you.

Unfortunately in my experience a degree of sedation, flatness and inner disquiet (agitation? anxiety?) go with the territory. You may have to find strategies to work around it. Regular exercise (walking) and attention to diet (smaller amounts of low GI foods more often) have helped me with feelings of sedation/lassitude/fatigue and mitigate other side effects. I think keeping occupied with meaningful activities must help too but that' often feels difficult. Using a mood and activity tracker app like Daylio helps a bit (there's a free version).

There's a thread Let`s talk about Bipolar where people will definitely listen to you.

@Shaz51 @Captain24 @Olga 

[Shaz51]

Thank you for the tag  @Dimity 

Yes we are here for you my wonderful friend @pinklollipop15 

Will tag you to Let`s talk about Bipolar