Depression,Anxiety,ADHD, and Bipolar disoder all in one package

[xlucyx11]

Hello everyone, This thread is about/for people who have anything ranging from ADHD to bipolar disorder to schizophrenia.
I personally have ADHD, Depression, Bipolar disorder,and Anxiety disorders. Im 16 years young and I am having trouble with coping with my disability. I have tried everything to help, nothing works. I am on many different medications for all of the previously named disorders and disabilities and have been switched from medication to medication many times. Im getting very tired of going thru this everytime I have a relapse. You see most medications for ADHD have side-effects of depression...(kind of makes the whole situation worse, ya know?). Well I have been going through a relapse once again and this time I have decided to try and take it into my own hands, and by that I mean seeking help. So this thread is for anyone who has advice for me, would like advice from me, or would like to talk to me about my past experiences with my disorders and disabilities. And if you would like to talk about it in private please feel free to message me on here.

Thanks all!

I also have a type of terrets that I think occurs because of my medication.

[Fricky Ricky]

I have a question for you. How are you diagnosed as having bipolar disorder and depression? As far as I understand it you can't be diagnosed with both of those at the same time, and I'm curious as to why your doctor came to that solution? Is there a special situation where you would be diagnosed as both?
Oh and also what kind of bipolar disorder do you have?
And were you diagnosed, and are you being treated by a psychiatrist or a general practitioner?
And what makes you think you have tourette's disorder?

[xlucyx11]

Yes there actually is a special situation I am in. As it says in my post, I am on ADHD medication, and the side-effect of this medication is depression, which I am also on medication for. And as for the diagnoses of bipolar disorder, I have stage one bipolar disorder, Which is also being treated by the same psychiatrist that is treating my other disorders/disabilities. And the doctor talked to my parents, talked to my friends, talked to me, and decided that, because of what my parents/friends have told her and what she saw by my actions she gave me the diagnoses. And as for the tourettes, it usually only occurs when I am wet or cold, I twitch and shake in ways that I cant control. And I personally believe it is because of the medication I am on.
Hopefully that answers your questions!

[Mad Mel]

In my experience of mental illnesses BPD and depression often go hand in hand. Considering that bipolar disorder is literally "manic depression" and whatnot.

And Luce, I've noticed that your twitches are almost like heavy, involuntary shudders and gasps.
(We know each other in real life. Just saying.)

[xlucyx11]

Thank you mel :-)
I couldnt have said it better myself:-)

[Fricky Ricky]

Originally Posted by Mad Mel

In my experience of mental illnesses BPD and depression often go hand in hand. Considering that bipolar disorder is literally "manic depression" and whatnot.

Which is why the fact that she is diagnosed with both peaked my interest. Usually if you're diagnosed with bipolar nobody would diagnose you with depression seeing as any of the symptoms of depression would be covered by the bipolar.

And almost all mental disorders have a requirement saying something a long the lines as if it's caused by a substance or medication it shouldn't be diagnosed.
Just thought it was interesting is all.

Oh and, what you described would be closer to a Tic Disorder than Tourrette's Disorder. I would ask your doctor if it might be a seizure, seeing as a lot of psychiatric medication lowers the seizure threshold in many people.

[xlucyx11]

Im guessing my doctor just found it suitable for both diagnoses.

[Thirteen]

Originally Posted by LaFin

I have a question for you. How are you diagnosed as having bipolar disorder and depression? As far as I understand it you can't be diagnosed with both of those at the same time, and I'm curious as to why your doctor came to that solution? Is there a special situation where you would be diagnosed as both?
Oh and also what kind of bipolar disorder do you have?

I'm 99.9% sure you're right on that. Although maybe the OP initially was diagnosed with one, then it was changed to the other? Like, Bipolar Type II commonly gets misdiagnosed as Depression because of the less frequent, and less intense manic/hypomanic episodes, that usually don't get taken into consideration as much, I guess.

And the REASON its not possible to have both Bipolar and Depression is because, well, Depression is considered a Unipolar disorder, whereas Bipolar is, well, bipolar. Basically, its like this...

Depression

|_________| Middle line representing normal mood, dotted line showing the depressed's mood
|--------------|

Bipolar
|/\_ _/~| Fluxuating mood, going past both positive and negative sides of the normal spectrum, for lack of a better way to put it.
| ...\/.... | (Dots there to compensate for spacing issues)


Thus the reason why a dual diagnosis makes no sense.

[i_am_me_again]

Hi Hannah,

I have been diagnosed with schizophrenia, depression, and borderline personality disorder.

I know what its like to be on so much medication that contradicts one another.

At the moment, I am on high dose clozaril, abilify, depokate and prozac.
Iv also been on ADHD medication Ritalin when I was younger, but stopped it at 16.

What I find interesting, is that you were diagnosed as bi-polar and depression, when depression is generally part of bipolar.

Any way, I just felt like I should reply because I know, somewhat, how you feel.

If you want you can add me on msn if you have msn and we can chat about our mental health problems and medications and anything else

[xxxAJxxx]

you sound just like me