Posted by tom_traubert on April 16, 2005, at 11:31:28
I posted awhile back, asking if anyone on this site was diagnosed bipolar after withdrawing from psychotropic meds. the reason I asked was that I've had two manic episodes, but both occured directly after withdrawing from anafranil and klonopin for ocd (not a slow taper, just stopping meds). I was drinking and smoking pot, so I thought that had somehting to do with it too. i've been off meds for over 6 years, and I've been managing, but recently I haven't been working and noticed that I'm doing things a lot faster and I'm more restless. Now, I know that this is a classic panic ocd pattern, of thinking the worst and thinking you're going to lose it, but I've lost it in the past, twice, and it's terrifying to me now. I think that maybe it's the change of season (I moved to the east coast last year and this has been my first full winter into spring in many years), a food allergy, the cumulative result of stress which is know to trigger the 'kindling' response of mania. Being manic, which is the same as saying "going crazy" to me, is my biggest and oldest fear. For this reason I'm hoping that it's just an ocd pattern that has been really hammered home because of stress and too much free time on my hands. I haven't felt this way in many years and it's really really scary. I made an appointment to see a therapist on Monday for an expert opinion whether it's mania or panic of ocd, but I just can't relax. I've been sleeping ok so far, but the last two nights i slept 6 hours then 5hours and I'm frightened if I don't sleep it will get worse. I'm just really really scared and would like any advice, especially from people who may have had a manic episode as a result of med withdrawal and who didn't ever have another.
Thanks
tt
poster:tom_traubert
thread:485044
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050413/msgs/485044.html