i was recently diagnosed with bipolar and desperatley want to get better, i dont like the way that i am... im just trying to learn more about how to manage my disorder... and im also wondering if it goes away or will i have to take these meds for the rest of my life???
sug.. if you were correctly diagnosed with Bipolar... it will not go away
it is a lifetime chronic, sometimes debilitating, disorder
it is treatable, there is therapy, there are meds
it is manageable if you have the proper tools in your toolbox so to speak (meds & therapy & supportive network)
you need to read read read
you need to learn learn learn
you are advised, cause it's completely up to you, to go to your doctor's appointments and to seek out therapy
meds only treat the physical symptoms the disorder manifests
therapy treats the disorder
no one can manage this illness but you
no one
turn to your loved ones for support, for assistance if necessary
but do not make them your handler, your caregiver, your doctor, nurse, or therapist
they are simply loved ones who love you
you will likely have to make some lifestyle changes outside of just taking meds
structured and routine scheduled sleep is paramount for management
exercise
diet
try to create as stress free a environment as you yourself can create
socialize even when you don't feel up to it
no alcohol or illicit street drugs (they mess up meds and screw up mental/emotional)
even if you are doing literally everything as needed, you will still - at times - derail
this is the disorder/illness
the goal is to lengthen the span of time between derailments
as that time lengthens, the possible need in the future for so many meds will likely decrease BUT you'll likely be on at least 1 class of med for a long long time
some with more severe forms of the disorder/illness will have multiple meds for all of their life... it is what it is
yet, the goal is to properly learn the tools, stock them in your toolbox, and use them
and you will use them every single day
you can have a life, you can have dreams and aspirations, you can have goals and far exceed them... you have to want to manage your illness and follow through
and when times happen when you don't, or you decide to stop taking meds cause it happens, or something goes awry... you brush yourself off... if apologies are necessary make em... hold your head upward... and start stepping forward again
work with your professional folks, not against them (they really don't like that)
you do not have to take any medications that render your quality of life so far below that for which you seek
if your professionals don't want to listen... shop for others... they are everywhere
some can do with meds at much lower dosages though the doc may insist in overloading them... you don't have to be a zombie, drooling in the corner, unable to think a thought through the mental sludge of drugs... if you don't want to
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If you were diagnosed by a phyciatrist, and you feel like all the symptoms fit with your past behaviors, then I hate to bear bad news but my impression from reading is NO it does NOT go away. The reason it's important to remember this is because if we are always waiting for that and wondering when we can get off meds we will forget to enjoy life in the mean time and see how the meds are helping us get our life back...at least that is what MOST BP's will say. I would say there are probably varying degrees of severity with this (whatever it is, disorder? seems more like a disease) so that some people are able to eventually just take meds at certain times of the year (its been shown that this will affect moods) or can titrate down when stable(after some time) and rely more on talk therapy, whatever. Point is if its new to you I would keep working with your doc until you feel that sense of 'normal' that can be reached with the right combination of meds, don't stay on something that makes you feel like crap.
Good luck dearie.