friends and emotions

[ina_ina_89]

How in control our we, as bipolar people, of our emotions? I have been depressed about a certain issue with some friends and I want to know if it is abnormal to not bounce back so easily. I feel like I might be losing friendships if I keep going on like this. I have been taking my meds pretty regularly, What can I do to cope with life?

[Xila31]

Yeah, I think people with bipolar don't bounce back as quickly. That is one of the signs that we have bipolar. I've even known people who are medicated that you still have to walk on eggshells around them, so obviously their treatment isn't working properly. If your friends and family are unwilling to learn about bipolar, even while you are stable or in-treatment, then it is partly their fault as well. You can do the best you can but not everything can be on you.

[ILADVOCATE]

Emotions come and go in bipolar at a regular frequency. As a person with the bipolar aspect of schizoaffective disorder things didn't stabilize for me until recently I got on a medication that they are realizing is working as a mood stabilizer in its secondary capacity. The family member with cyclothymia who has just started medication until then turned every minor issue into a crisis and was having repeat agitated mixed states. I've already posted the list of all known mood stabilizers:
http://www.psycheducation.org/depression/meds/moodstabilizers.htm
I'm sure you know this but for some people cognitive behavioral therapy has proven helpful as well. I and other people have started threads about coping techniques but honestly since bipolar is a psychiatric disability if things aren't working out in general best to speak to your psychiatrist first. You can stop (to an extent) what happens during moodswings but you can't self regulated moods. See if your treatment could be adjusted.