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Uncertainty
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
Joined: Jan 02, 2012
Age: 22
Posts: 57
Location: United States, Somewhere in NY
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 Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 2:45 pm Post subject: Asperger's and Bipolar? One seems to intensify the other.... |
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| So talk about having a 2 for one package. While these 2 neurological devices are complimentary goods as far as knowing the highs and lows of life.... Does anyone else here know what this is like? hoping for some worldly wisdom and some technique on how to live with =) |
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John_Browning
ON A LIST SOMEWHERE
Joined: Mar 23, 2009
Posts: 4456
Location: The shooting range
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| Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 4:34 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, I have both. Bipolar ruins the stability and concisely needed to function with Aspergers. Working closely with a psychiatrist to fine tune med, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, support groups, and religious counseling if you believe in that. Getting decent nutrition with light to moderate sugar and caffeine consumption (no binges). A fatty meal can prevent your next dose of some meds from being absorbed into the bloodstream, or at very least, it's going to take a long time.
Alcohol and bipolar do not mix well and may be fatal with some meds, cigarettes interfere with many meds (requiring higher doses), a competent doctor would never prescribe cannabis for bipolar due to the extreme risk of psychotic symptoms, a high risk of developing schizoaffective disorder, and it also interacts with some medications.
_________________
"Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars."
- Unknown
"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity."
-Sigmund Freud |
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Dots
Phoenix
Joined: Apr 23, 2010
Age: 29
Posts: 938
Location: Ontario
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| Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 6:27 pm Post subject: |
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Bipolar totally throws my functioning into disarray, and it takes me ages to pick up the pieces again.
I am relatively stable now due to a good medication/sleep regimen, but I find my Asperger's isolates me which sets me up for depression. In 2008 when I was diagnosed with Bipolar, I thought I was insane. I was manic, but instead of being super sociable and everyone's best friend like what sometimes happens with NTs who are manic, I was super speedy but super paranoid and I just isolated myself even more and drove all of my friends away and wrote crazy poems until 4 in the morning, and took walks across the city to the 24 hour grocery store and painted rabbits all over my walls.
I think my Asperger's interacted with the manic episode - sensory sensitivity was HUGE during that time. Everything was incredibly bright and loud. I stopped going outside during the day because I felt like the sky was too big and bright and that it would crush me. I was also more talkative - I usually hold myself back from monologuing as much as I can, but I would go off on rants when I did let myself talk to another person.
The bipolar was such a destructive force in my life that I ended up in a psych hospital for 3 months, and that's where they finalized the diagnosis and tested me on medication. They weren't equipped to diagnose Asperger's though... they took the heightened sensitivity and meltdowns and decided I had borderline personality disorder, until a BPD specialist said no and removed that diagnosis.
It wasn't until the bipolar was stable for some time before I could even talk to my doctor about Asperger's.
I wish I knew how to help, but the only thing that has helped me is to work with a psychiatrist who will listen to my opinions and come to an agreement on medication, make sure I'm sleeping regularly. Life is still up and down, but not nearly as up and down as it was a few years ago. I don't know how to treat the Asperger's yet - there aren't many services in my city, so me and my therapist are blazing a new trail.
_________________
Transgender. Call me 'he' please. I'm a guy.
Diagnosed Bipolar and Aspergers.
Free speech means the right to shout 'theatre' in a crowded fire.
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OddDuckNash99
Hypercoaster
Joined: Nov 16, 2006
Posts: 2527
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| Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2012 7:50 am Post subject: |
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| Dots wrote: | | I think my Asperger's interacted with the manic episode - sensory sensitivity was HUGE during that time. Everything was incredibly bright and loud. |
That's interesting about the hypersensitivity/sensory issues. Increased sensory awareness/experience is common in mania to begin with, so I can only imagine how horribly intense things would be for a manic Aspie with sensory issues to begin with!
_________________
Helinger: Now, what do you see, John?
Nash: Recognition...
Helinger: Well, try seeing accomplishment!
Nash: Is there a difference? |
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kirayng
Phoenix
Joined: Nov 13, 2011
Age: 36
Posts: 745
Location: Maine, USA
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| Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2012 11:18 am Post subject: |
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| Dots wrote: | Bipolar totally throws my functioning into disarray, and it takes me ages to pick up the pieces again.
I am relatively stable now due to a good medication/sleep regimen, but I find my Asperger's isolates me which sets me up for depression. In 2008 when I was diagnosed with Bipolar, I thought I was insane. I was manic, but instead of being super sociable and everyone's best friend like what sometimes happens with NTs who are manic, I was super speedy but super paranoid and I just isolated myself even more and drove all of my friends away and wrote crazy poems until 4 in the morning, and took walks across the city to the 24 hour grocery store and painted rabbits all over my walls.
I think my Asperger's interacted with the manic episode - sensory sensitivity was HUGE during that time. Everything was incredibly bright and loud. I stopped going outside during the day because I felt like the sky was too big and bright and that it would crush me. I was also more talkative - I usually hold myself back from monologuing as much as I can, but I would go off on rants when I did let myself talk to another person.
The bipolar was such a destructive force in my life that I ended up in a psych hospital for 3 months, and that's where they finalized the diagnosis and tested me on medication. They weren't equipped to diagnose Asperger's though... they took the heightened sensitivity and meltdowns and decided I had borderline personality disorder, until a BPD specialist said no and removed that diagnosis.
It wasn't until the bipolar was stable for some time before I could even talk to my doctor about Asperger's.
I wish I knew how to help, but the only thing that has helped me is to work with a psychiatrist who will listen to my opinions and come to an agreement on medication, make sure I'm sleeping regularly. Life is still up and down, but not nearly as up and down as it was a few years ago. I don't know how to treat the Asperger's yet - there aren't many services in my city, so me and my therapist are blazing a new trail. |
You just helped me see what I've been hiding from myself for so long. I know this isn't the place, but thank you.
On dealing with both at the same time: I would rely on my Aspie tendencies in a manic phase to "organize" my life, solve my problems, start projects, write resumes, apply for jobs, network, etc. Then when I couldn't sustain it any longer (and this wasn't due to Asperger's I would later find out)-- the crash is the depressive episode. All along I thought that this was all due to Asperger's and my crappy personal history.
I haven't been diagnosed bipolar, but my biological mother had it and I suspect I do as well... just haven't wanted to address it. I was also misdiagnosed with Borderline PD, the only helpful thing about that was the DBT class I took. |
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Uncertainty
Yellow-bellied Woodpecker
Joined: Jan 02, 2012
Age: 22
Posts: 57
Location: United States, Somewhere in NY
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| Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2012 4:38 pm Post subject: |
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In my personal experience I find my brand of autism was apparently administered to me through medication. I find that I am a manufactured Aspie of a sort more then anything else. Seeing as i was on a roulette of medication from childhood to the age of 16/17 my personality took a very large leap towards bipolar and much less towards Asperger's which is when i stopped taking it voluntarily. When i think about it i suppose I've always had bipolar but for some reason it went majorly overlooked perhaps because i was too young or too doped out on medication such as Staterra and Zyprexa so on and so forth.
I find that the most common trait associated with being aspergian happens to be the gift and common natrual root for all our diverse talents.... Which i believe to be an extremely intense focus rivaling that of OCD when it happens. My issues of having what i believe to be both really are only involved in the romantic field which is where i believe i self-destruct socially and emotionally more often then not. I'm starting to think a stress ball or something simplistic hopefully might be the anwser.
As far as "treatment goes" I'd say practice makes perfect might be the best policy or at least i hope so. I've been a long time rebel of any prescribed form of medication. from about the age of 17 to now. I'm honestly petrified of the concept of taking any medication because of the dramatic personality changes involved in the former process of taking the different kinds.
| Quote: | | I haven't been diagnosed bipolar, but my biological mother had it and I suspect I do as well... just haven't wanted to address it. I was also misdiagnosed with Borderline PD, the only helpful thing about that was the DBT class I took. |
My mother also has bipolar disorder. Also something i havent wanted to address because it would more then anything else i think feel extremely akward talking about it.
I dont fell much desire to type anything else at the moment but i am greatly looking forward to all of your posts i find them rather interesting and useful. |
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