Hi John

So you hadn't experienced these mood swings before being separated?  When you talk about euphoria...do you feel that maybe you are experiencing manic episodes?  Have any of your doctors talked about Bipolar Disorder with you?

I am not sure if anxiety and depression just goes away on its own.  But I do know that there is hope because there are many possible options for treatment. 

Tell us what is going on in your life right now.  Do you have supports?  Are you talking to a therapist? 

We are here to give you both support and information...so let us know more about you. 

Thank you for reaching out here...hope to hear more from you.

John S

4/ 7/10 6:53pm

Hi thanks for being here. I don't think I had mood swings before I was separated. What I mean by euphoria, is I'm confident and happy, I'm not sure what manic means. I have been seeing a counselor, but because I was getting free care, my time with her is over. I've been to a psychiatrist and he prescribed wellbutrin. It helped a little while, but made me feel worse after a while. I don't really have a support system, everyone tell's me to just snap out of it, easier said than done. I can't get my mind to function some days and sometimes have fear to do the smallest thing. Any help would be appreciated thanks.

Merely Me, Health Guide

4/ 8/10 8:22pm

Hello again

 

Okay this is good to know your definition of euphoria as...for some this can mean mania which is probably a very different thing than you are describing. 

 

It is interesting that your mood swings happened after you were separated.  May I ask...was the split mutual or...was it her idea?  I can see where you would grieve over the end of your  primary relationship.  Is there any closure or...moving on as in dating or a new relationship? Of course you don't have to answer any of this...just what you are comfortable sharing.  The reason why I am asking is...maybe much of your mood has to do with your life circumstances.  What do you think?

 

Support is important and no...you can't just snap out of depression...it doesn't work that way. 

 

Please know that I am not a therapist or a doctor...my suggestions come from my own experience battling my depression.

 

I think it would be good to seek out another therapist for some talk therapy.  If you need resources...just let me know.

 

Tell us...where you would like to see your life going...what are your dreams for the future and what do you feel is holding you back?

 

Keep writing and sharing...I hope it helps.

John S

4/11/10 1:56pm

Hi the breakup was all her idea,  I haven't met anyone yet. I'm sort of at a stand still. I was wondering if high blood pressure may be a factor?

 

How are you coping?

Hi, John -

To answer your first question, there are no fixed rules about the course of major depression and anxiety. But since yours has been going on for ten years, clearly it is not self-correcting. You seem to have a recurrent form of major depression, as I had for several decades, and some people believe this is closely related to bipolar depression. Your mood swings sound like the ones I had - so the connection with bp depression makes sense to me. (I don't see what you're going through as grieving - that's a feeling that runs its own course, whereas you've got an emotional mood which goes on and on - whatever might have triggered it.)

As to antidepressants, I have a 20 year history of taking a long series of these drugs which never worked for more than a month or two - though I stayed with each one for at least a year, gradually increasing dosage to see if that would help.

I finally came to Emsam, which is an MAOI - unpopular because of the need for food restrictions, and that worked for more than a year. As that wore off, my psychiatrist combined it with lamotrigine (generic Lamictal), and that combination has been great as well as stable in its effect. Lamictal is a mood stabilizer used in bipolar treatment - it's no common to combine it with an antidepressant. They say it makes the anti-d work better, but no one seems to know why or even what Lamictal does bio-chemically.

So I would work with a psychiatrist to find the right drug or combination - that's all you can do - until you hit the right one. But try to get therapy too since the two work better together.

My best to you -

John