|
Distancing myself from my closest friends
I have been very stressed out lately. I have a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, and my family situation is very tough in addition to that. The only people who really support me and are there for me are my closest friends, however I have started distancing myself from them. I used to love talking to them and venting to them and seeing them, but I keep pushing them away lately. I can't really figure out why I'm doing that. When a friend tells me they'll call to check up on me, I tell them not to. I'm not half as excited as I used to be when I'm with my friends who always make me feel better. I don't know what suddenly happened, because those are the people that make me laugh and feel better when I'm stressed out and depressed like this. However now I will find every reason to lash out at them to alienate them and it scares me. I don't know why I do this. Does anyone have any idea why I act this way? I just started taking the mood stabilizer Trileptal if that makes any difference. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Any advice or theories would be much appreciated since this is incredibly upsetting to me. Also, do you think I might lose my friends by getting upset at them for silly reasons so I have an excuse to not talk to them? Thanks again.
[ ]
Want to answer more questions in the Relationships category?
Maybe give some free advice about: Friendship?
Some of what you are experiencing is a side effect of the medication you are taking. I looked up Trileptal on WEB MD and is primarily an anticonvulsant. Like many drugs Trileptal been found useful in treating problems. Trileptal has been found useful in treating bipolar disorder.
For the side effects you are experiencing the manufacturer suggest contacting your prescribing doctor and advising the doctor of these changes and the depression you are feeling. The doctor may wish to change your medication or add another medication to handle the side effects you are having.
Bipolar disorder is also known as manic depression. This is a type of depression where some days a patient feels really good, as in being really high. When really high a patient may go on spending sprees, and anything that feels good. Then they fall into a deep depression. When they do they lash out at people, they want to be alone, suffer anxiety attacks and other things can happen as well. One thing for certain is their perception of things is colored by the depression and they really do not see things as they are.
What the doctor tries to do is with the help of medication and talk therapy is to bring the patient back to, let's call it the middle. The place between the ultra high and the ultra low. The place where most people are at.
What is very, very important for someone suffering from bipolar disorder is once you reach this middle; is you feel normal. When you feel normal you see no reason to take your medication. It is important, especially once you reach this middle to continue your medication and to continue with your talk therapy.
My advice is simple and straightforward. Call your doctor today and leave a message with the answering service about the side effects and depression you're feeling. The doctor will decide if you need to be seen today, if a change in medication is needed or if you should come into the office on Monday. It is very important that you call the doctor today.
]
More Questions: |