Hi purplefoot,
Just wanted to say hello and welcome you to the bipolar forums.
Feel free to use this as your thread or start one for yourself.
I just returned from a vacation for the past 2 weeks, so I am trying to get caught up reading threads etc.
bizi

Thank you Bizi, and everyone else who has already welcomed me, for the warm welcoming. Welcome back home. I hope your trip to Indiana went well and was very enjoyable. Also, thank you so much for all your hard work putting so much information together on some of the sticky pages.

Welcome Alaina

Please keep telling us what we can do to help you.

donna

you can post whatever is on your mind even if it is not directly related to bipolar. let us get to know you!
bobby

Hi everyone, and thank you all for being so warm and welcoming. In case you haven't noticed, my name is Alaina and I was diagnosed as bipolar 2 during a stay in the hospital a year and a half ago, although I didn't find out about the diagnosis until my therapist got ahold of my psychiatrist's notes just a few months ago. I was never told that the diagnosis was changed from major depression which is what my initial psychologist tested me to be. Now that I am getting the proper treatment, I am doing much better. I still have my ups and downs, but don't we all.

I am rather shy and do suffer from social anxiety, so you're likely to notice that I will read more than I post. I do like to give support when I can though.

I found Neurotalk a few years ago while searching for information about CRPS/RSD. The CRPS has not been too exciting to have for me but the members on here have been wonderful and have provided a wealth of information.

I'm registered to take some college classes from home this fall. It will be my 4th attempt at trying for my degree in business administration, but it makes me nervous. The last three attempts have caused too much stress for me to handle and led me into a deep depression with suicidal thoughts and actions. I have brought this up with my therapist but she doesn't seem to be all that concerned about it. Her big concern is trying to get me to socialize more. What are your thoughts.

YOu know your body best.
If you have tried 3 times before then how are you going to approach this different this time so you don't end up in the same bad spot?
perhaps just taking one course at a time?
bizi

Are you required to take the speech class in order to get your degree?

Yes, the speech class is a required course. Not only that, I am supposed to take it within the first two semesters of attending school, but there are ways around that just by talking with my advisor which I have already done.

Alaina

Good, you know what needs to be done. That is honestly
what counts.


Don't let the person get on your nerves or talk down to you.

Donna

Alaina, I'm sorry that you're still having a hard time falling asleep after you take the Trazodone

Your pdoc's "advice" is the same as what most doctors recommend... but you don't have to adhere to those guidelines, especially if you know that doing things that way will not work out for you.

Getting out of bed after 15 minutes of sleeplessness doesn't work for everyone (I know it makes things worse for me). I think it takes most people longer than that to fall asleep anyway. I wouldn't worry about following that "rule."

I would try to take the Trazodone at the same every night, or within the same time frame most nights, and get into bed about 30-45min after, once it has had some time to work. I think that will help. Going to bed too soon after you take it is going to leave you tossing and turning.

If you feel like you really need to rest or nap, then do it, but keep it brief. Most doctors recommend about 20 minutes, but I find that laughable... just don't sleep the day away.

I hope that you start having an easier time falling asleep soon