What’s Depression About

It seems like I’ve had depression since I was in high school. I have journals where I wrote about feelings of loneliness and depression. “Sadness because one has no friends or family closeness.  I could trigger easily with anger.

I have ADHD ,  and that was difficult because in school trying to learn math and English. I couldn’t even take college courses, because I feared taking the Tasp Test, when I lived in Texas.  Instead , my first job out of school was a power company.  I was always good at typing, and I was creative. But English (grammar),  and Math was not my forte.

The following is some research on depression including my own discussions.

Some people with major depression experience the symptoms of depression only once in their life. Others experience frequent relapses and recurrences. (I experience it from triggers).  Triggers were like feeling alone,lines

Why am I depressed?

no one cares, family problems, my life is going no where. it’s important to pay attention to your feelings in order to catch possible signs of a relapse. Some people recognize the signs and some can’t, like me.

If you’re feeling down because of a specific event, such as losing a job or the breakup of a relationship, it could be normal and temporary sadness. If you feel sad, despairing, teary, or “empty” every day for more than two weeks and it’s interfering with other aspects of your life, it may be clinical depression.

Breaking Plans, Withdrawing Socially

I always complain that I have no friends, bored, or tired.  When I do make plans with someone I end up calling and cancel the event. I just want to stay home  alone.

A change in your sleeping habit such as insomnia — trouble falling or staying asleep — could be a sign of depression. It can cause or aggravate other symptoms that may also indicate depression, such as fatigue. If you regularly lie awake at night with your mind racing or sleep too much to avoid getting out of bed, speak to your doctor. If your sleep problems are a symptom of depression relapse, medication and talk therapy may help.

I have terrible nightmares.  I wake myself up talking in my sleep and find myself running lying down and fighting off someone. They are violent.  I feel this comes from domestic abuse and rape.  But why is it happening after all these years.

Certain things make me snap. I constantly bicker with family, because I don’t feel anyone cares.  Where I used to be easygoing, you now have violent outbursts. Depression can show itself in irritability and anger. When I get angry I have a sharp tongue.

If you have similar problems, please like my blog.

DOCTORS, THANK GOODNESS FOR GOD

copyright-Vickie Hibler Photography-copying is prohibited

THE BAD

I have been experiencing a lot of physical problems, but maybe it’s all in my head.  That’s the way the doctors make me feel when I tell them about my issues.

I’ve been experiencing headaches, dizziness, fading out, falling, unbalanced, shortness of breath, heart beating rapidly, and my hip-joint pain. Did I mentioned Vertigo? The doctors just say it’s the medication I take. That’s good so why do you give them to me?

It just seems that doctors don’t care anymore.  Or, may since I’m a senior they think it’s all in my head. Could it be? Sometimes I think it is, but I know me better then they do.  I’m just about to give up on doctors. I’m tired of them making me feel worse before I got to the appointment.  It’s a horrible feeling when there’s no one listening or willing to help.

At a bad time in my life, I was hinting to family and friends about the way I was feeling – hurt, lonely and depressed.  I lost my long relationship and my son went in the army for 6 years.  I was scared and alone. They didn’t hear me.  I started binge drinking and attempted suicide.  I just didn’t care anymore.  I went to rehab for 6 weeks and it  was the worse experience I ever had.  All they do is drug you up so you want cause any trouble.

THE GOOD

5 years ago I stopped drinking and smoking – cold turkey.  Looking back, I now know it was a God thing. He intervened and saved me. That’s one of the  things I have found good in my life is finding God again.  Although, I looked to him in the past, I never really felt he heard me.  Now I do.  Besides the the physical ailments.  My soul is feeling good.

We should understand that God’s purpose for you will be revealed to you overtime.  God will reveal to you in his own time and place.  Be looking for him.

What am I going to do the rest of my life?

I ask this question every day.  It’s always the same answer-Nothing exciting.  My life is so lonely and sad.  All my life I’ve had nothing but problems. I did a lot of drugs when I got out of high school and it’s causing health issues today.  It started out with catching a disease from my spouse at the time.  And other earth shattering events that caused harm in my life. This harm or shall I say abuse has stayed with me all my life. I can’t have a relationship because of my past.  I don’t trust anyone and every thing someone says to me I believe is a lie. I don’t believe I can have a relationship with a man.

That’s a lonely feeling.  So what am I suppose to do with my life. Right now I live in my little apartment hiding from the world. I’m afraid of a lot of things that keep me from exploring what’s outside.  But I’m trying.

I have to make myself get into social environments.  I can’t drive at night because I can’t see.  The one thing to do this May is to get on the road to the mountains in west North Carolina. I hope I don’t freak out and cancel like I always do.I need ti be a lion lifting his head with a roar.

Roar Like A Lion

Living a life in fear

Is like dying

You feel  like your dead inside

You don’t want to leave your house

You don’t want to be in crowd

You just want to be alone and feel safe.

What kind of life is this?

What am I going to do with the rest if my life

Survive….

Bipolar: Friends

So alone…

For the last six months I’ve had feelings of anger and frustration that are so deep it makes me sick.   I feel like people use me and that’s causes anger. I feel like people don’t care if I live or die. I have no friends. I feel like I need gratification.  I feel useless and not needed.

The only friends I have are on Facebook. Are they truly friends?  No one calls me or asks to go out to dinner with the girls.  I feel like they don’t want to be around me.  I’ve lived here for about 3 years and can’t development close friendships.  Everyone seems to have their own private life. It’s  hard to pick up female relationships since they are already in their female group.  And as far as men I’m not comfortable around them.  The only time someone is a friend is when they want something like a photography shoot per sie.  They want something for free and that tics me off.

I’ve started distancing myself from people , because I don’t want to deal with the bad emotions I feel.- I can’t talk to them about Bipolar because they’ll runaway.  I’m crazy they think.  I haven’t been in a true loving relation since I was 24, now 61. I didn’t want to endure anymore pain in my life.  So I’m alone.

Friendless

 

Alone

I’ve been having my delusions again where I feel that people are out to get me.  I’ve sent emails and asked questions, but I never get an answer.  I can’t handle it when someone does not respond to me.  I’m not talking about the next day I’m talking about that minute or an hour or two later.

Today, I feel friendless.  No one calls or asked me to go to lunch or a movie.  I’m trying really hard by going to art meetings and discussions in Facebook.  Even then, I’m afraid I’m going to say something wrong.  Should I just super glue my lips together?   Should I just hide behind my doors and never mingle with other people?  I won’t do that, but I do want to be able to hold a conversation I’m not afraid of and live with it.

I keep saying this will get better.  I’ll never have a relationship if I’m always suspicious.  I don’t trust a soul.  In the past I was always lied to.  Promises were never kept.  Always, always abusive.  I have no idea what a relationship is supposed to be like.  Therefore, I don’t know how to act.    I know that if there’s someone I really like I end of scaring them off by feeling needy all the time.

I’ll keep work at it by writing.

 

Relationships and Admitting Your Have Bipolar

I once wrote that I was trying to have a relationship with a younger guy.  It’s not working.  He has bipolar and I have bipolar and we’re both Aries.  Oh man!  There for a while he thought about moving in with me until he could find his own place.  I had to think about this and so did he.  We both decided it wasn’t a good idea.  If we both hit mania time at the same time – whew!  I’m like a time bomb any way.  I have worked so hard to get where I am now, but I still slip into depression.

I have to admit and get use to the fact that I can’t have a relationship.  I don’t know how.  Coming from an abusive marriage, several relationships, and being raped it really destroyed me.  I would become co-dependent and needy.  I don’t know what it’s like to really feel love.  Well, my doggy.   When I meet someone I like I don’t want to tell him I have bipolar, but he’ll figure it out.  It’s written all over me with my rapid speech and movements.  My memory is terrible and I have a temper when someone criticizes me.

I’m better off alone so I don’t have to hide or worry while being around someone.  My son doesn’t even understand my illness.  My young guy knows me more than anyone.  I’ve tried to push him away but sticks around.  He just got through printing and framing some photography I have that’s been accepted in an art show 🙂

I’m 59, and 60 next week.  I’ve been divorced since I was 25 – that should tell you something.  They say you’ll know when the right one will come around.  But will I?   I get so lonely and I don’t have a slew of friends.  When they find out I have bipolar they move on.  The last look I got scared me!

I always love a hug – my young fellow does give me that.  He (pro photographer) is going to take some glamour pictures for me on my 60th birthday.  That’s something I’m looking forward to.  I don’t look crazy!

If I had a car it would be much better instead of being stuck in the house.  I’ve decided I’m going to rent one once a month and just take off.  First, my license expires on my birthday and I have to get another one here in North Carolina.  I have to take a test!  What if I don’t pass?  Yikes!

In the long run I keep trying and taking my medications.  My doctor has prescribed lithium ER 450 mg-extended release.  We’ll see if it helps.

By the way I’m Bipolar 1, Borderline Personality with ADD with a sense of humor.

I have a photography blog showing some of my favorite shots – just watch for the links here.

Related articles

• All About BiPolar Depression (mesbethdepression.wordpress.com)
• Manic Monday: From Diagnosis to Acceptance (butterfly-confessions.com)

Bipolar: Abandoned and Lonely

Lonely & Abandoned

Abandoned and Lonely – this is how I feel today. Friday I felt was high on life.  I went out for the first time in 3 years and had a great time!  Today I feel lonely and abandoned.  😦

I always feel like I’ve said something wrong and I’ll never hear from that person again.  And sometimes I am right.  I feel are looking at me and talking about me.  “Look – she’s bipolar – she’s crazy.  But I’m not!  I just have a hard time sorting things out.  Sometimes I just don’t know who I am.

I’ve been on Lithium for 3 years and have been on several other medications trying to see if it’s a fit with Lithium.  I’ve tried Prozac, Celexa, Zoloft, Effexor and now Lamical.  There’s some more drugs in there some where just can remember them.  Some of them made me crazy.

I just wish I didn’t feel like nobody loves me or afraid to come see me – I might say something they don’t like.  I try very hard to behave myself without giving advice they don’t want.

I’ve had one break through and that’s writing in my blog.  I haven’t been here for a long time.  I just couldn’t seem to pick up my laptop and write.  I’ve had brain fog and down right tired.

Today, I just feel so bad I want to crazy – I’m so tired of this feeling and bipolar.

I’m going to write about how I got here what I’ve been through.

 

Related articles

• Bipolar: Gone Missing (journalingfortherapy.wordpress.com)

Bipolar – Patty Duke is my Inspiration

I watched the Patty Duke show in my early years when she ran track in school on the Patty Duke show.  She was a fast runner in track and when she was at the starting line she could hear the beat of music, and know she could get to the finish line before anyone else. 

Like Patty Duke in her show, I ran track myself and used the same principle.  I knew if I just focused on the finish line and forget who was around me  I could do anything.  I could reach the finish line before anyone else. Running was the one run thing I knew how to do.  Learning Math or English were not.

In 1968, while in High School my disabilities were more noticeable especially in English and Math.  My parents knew I had a problem, but at that time, didn’t know what ADD or Bipolar were.   I just thought I was stupid.   Even the teachers made me feel stupid so needless to say I lacked self-esteem.  I could read a page and by the time I’d got to the end the information had cleared my memory.  Math gave me anxiety – could not understand it nor did I want to.  I feared math so much I wouldn’t take th TASP to enter college.

Over the years I knew there was something wrong with me.  My grammar and speech were different and was joked about.  I couldn’t keep a relationship, because they thought I was crazy.  In my later years – 40’s – 50’s, I couldn’t keep a job.  The illness just got stronger – anger, memory problems, confusion, fatigue, and hallucinations.  I always thought people were talking behind my back and would confront them with anger leading to dismissal.  I couldn’t understand what was happening – I’d always been told by my boss  I was the greatest.  I was good at my job and always got projects done on time.  What happen to that person?

I don’t understand why I got Bipolar other than what I’ve read – inheriting from someone in your family.  Lately, I don’t remember things like buying something online and it showing up at my front door. Buying something at the store and finding it later wondering where it came from. I could lay something down like glasses and go to pick them and their not there.  I’d go crazy looking for them.  Then when I looked in the place where I thought I left them they would appear like magic.  WHAT IS GOING ON!

I’m trying to figure out a system that will keep me out of trouble.  There’s one thing I don’t want to forget and that’s picking up my little black Pomeranian at the airport on Saturday.  He has been my angel through many bad times.

Like Patty Duke, I have Bipolar.  She seeked medical treated and is doing very well today.  That is why she is my inspiration.  If I could meet one person in my life it would be Patty.  I would love to sit down and talk about Bipolar and ask questions.  I have a lot.  If I could talk to Patty Duke it would be one of my dreams I could check off my list.  Love you Patty. 

Visit:

http://www.bipolar-lives.com/patty-duke-bipolar-disorder.html

http://www.pattyduke.net/blog/index.php

Bipolar: My Own eBay Store

The one thing that I challenged myself with was opening a eBay store. Oh, you just don’t know how hard it was! Having Bipolar did make it a challenge. I made so many mistakes and almost got taken off eBay. Why? I read the rules, but they didn’t sink in. I really didn’t pay attention. That situation got me motivated. I worked hard and every time another situation would come up I wouldn’t stop I kept going. I wasn’t going to quit. I don’t make a lot of money, but one of these days I’ll make it. I’M NOT GOING TO QUIT!

 Today I’m at 1000 sales and 100% Feedback. I’m proud of that. Next Challenge – my own web store

Bipolar: Chaos Of My Life

Bipolar has wreak havoc in my life by changing everything around me including friends. I no longer have close friends – they didn’t understand me.  They would just get angry, and I got tired of trying to explain. 

I use to blame myself instead of the illness on the chaos in my life.  I would become depressed and lonely. It’s a lonely illness living inside of your mind. I was so busy trying to hide my illness it was hard to be myself.  But then sometimes we don’t know who we are. Who are we under this mask.  That’s been my purpose.  Who am I? What kind of person am I? What do I want to do for the rest of my life?

 I found out I had bipolar 10 year years ago, and have been in denial all this time.  To cover it up I drank.  I stupidly drank thinking the voices would go away.  Wrong, it only makes it worse.  Drinking was the hardest addiction for me to give up.  It was my crutch.  I thought if I gave it up I would be in pain and I couldn’t take that.

 In March 2009, I came to the decision I had to stop drinking and smoking. Something became more important to me and that’s my family.  I have two grand children and I want them to know me.  It’s been my dreams since I can remember to be called “Grandma.”  So, I made ay dream list.  Believe it or not I had started the list when I was in Rehab 9 years ago after attempting suicide.

 The first thing on my list was to take care of my health.  I had lost jobs, because of my bipolar.  I didn’t have any insurance so I had to find some resources.  I also filed for Social Security. I found a mental clinic where services were free – I had qualified with low-income and my illness.  I went to a state hospital that offered low-income people health insurance by paying low co-pays.  It was like GOD was leading the way for me so I kept listening to him.  Both of my parents needed help around the house so I moved out of my apartment and moved in with them.  I’ve spent this whole time finding out who I am and working on my dreams.  So far my illness is finally under control with the new medication I’ve been taking Effexor, along with Lithium.  It took several medications until the right combination. Hopefully, now I can continue with my quest. 

 Come follow my dreams.