"The Bipolar Handbook" & "Horror Movie Hallucinations"
 

First, who has read "The Bipolar Handbook" by Wes. Burgess, M.D., Ph.D? If you haven't gotten it, I reccomend you do. Its a GREAT book in Q&A format. This next part is kinda graphic tho so read at your own discression.

I was just reading through it again and came across a question that referrs to "horror movie halucinations". I had this 2 1/2 years ago and my psych. (not the one I'm having now) told me I was just stressed!!! She gave me celexa and that's it. What it was was I'd have vivid visions of maiming people- tearing out their spines, blood, banging their heads on the ground. The book says it is as if these things are superimposed on what we see as real life- I would agree. But I also felt very scared and dysphoric with the world because these "movies" played all of their own and I could not stop them. It was not a hallucination exactly, but like walking through a world where I and/or others were tearing, beating, choking each other extremely vividly. My god... and my PSYCH. didn't diagnose me at bipolar back then when I was scared I was going insane!!!! Similar things happened with my kids and crushing their skulls with my bare hands when my now-5-year-old was a newborn.

possible trigger
 

I have not read the book.
I think that must have been so scarey to have those images running thru your mind.
How frieghtening....
how did they eventually go away?

also wanted to let you know that we try to mark our posts with the yellow caution sign and say something about a possible trigger warning at the start of the post...like you did....
hope the trazadone helps you to sleep.
bizi

I am not sure how they went away. I'd had them several times though. They started me on Celexa the day of the last one back in Feb. 05. One person even suggested I needed anti-psychotics. I remember talking to myself- arguing- saying "Its okay to kill people... No it isn't... sure it is. Simple. Easy.... Its against the law.... So?" etc. WHY did my psych. at that time not diagnose me as anything but "stressed"?! She did put me on Celexa but still.

Ok- I will try to post a warning sign next time and make a red "warning" so it is clear. :)

Anyway. Sleepy time!

this dang computer can be so addicting...I see you are still up....
I was on here so late last night...ended up signing onto a computer survey thingy that seemed to never quit...and now I have 50 emails from junk that I did nyself....why did I do this!!!!!
now I am going to have to think about changing my email address...the worst part is that I actually gave them all my work phone number....
~sigh
bizi

Medications
 

Nathan
Was it possible to have been a medication? I had the same effect wehn started on Paxil and then Prozac, or visa versa. I had horrific maiming, murderous things happeing to me and my family in vived color. In fact when i told the doctor about the dreams, he said were they graphic horror movie types...
A side effect to some folks he said and took me down and then off them.
I hope you can reslove it, it is a terrible way to spend a night.
Dianne

Hi Dianne,

No, because they happened before I was on any meds.

The book says they are part of being bipolar, too.

P.S. Only six days to your Orlando vacation!?!? Where are you going? Disney? I'm jealous! ;) (Especially since the cold weather has moved in here.)

Yes well I had to force myself to stay awake for those couple minutes I typed that out (I typed very quickly) and literally when I stood up to go to the bathroom, I stumbled there and on the way back nearly fell into bed- literally. That pill was sleep-inducing, alright! Wow. It is supposed to compliment anti-depressants.

Not being diagnosed as BP II for such a long time in my life was awful, they just kept saying it was severe chronic depression, which is a part of it.

Finally, when I moved to the SW, I got properly diagnosed. At first I was amazed, scared, and didn't want to believe it.

Then after being on Lamictal (mood stablizer) Klonapin (anxiety) and Cymbalta (depression) and Trazadone (insomnia) everything changed, I could see that there was the old me and the new me. I so wish they had diagnosed me earlier in life, I feel, I know I would of done things differently. i still have my triggers and stress, but I handle them better and in a different way.

I tried a few times going off a med or two, and boom, bad idea, the old me was coming back. Won't do that again.

It's a damn shame we don't get diagnosed properly in the beginning. I think now BP is being more reconized, which is good.

Just my 2 cents, Hugs, Nikko

I hear you..
 

Hi all,

New to the group here.......I saw several horror movies with "clowns" in them when I was a kid in the 80s, and now I have MANY flashes of them hurting people I love......it is consuming my life.....and also thoughts of making peoples heads explode with my mind, stabbing people........and the "yes no, yes no" thing....please, how can I make it stop? :eek: :confused:

:hug: strengthpeace.

i'm so sorry you are going through this. i have neice that was traumatized by watching stephen king's movie IT. (saw it at a neighbors) she is very scared of clowns.

welcome to neurotalk. i'm sure you will get some answers. take care.

sounds like the dr dropped the ball on your diagnossis. i was diagnosed with bipoar about three years ago, i had on huge manic period of my life to convince me and i have had visions of people who are not there. usually when i am alone in the house, or i hear people talking like a radio with static. my meds help though i have been on abilify for awhile and now buspar, and prozac to name a few

Thank you for the warm welcome! I am on lithium and some small pill (can't remember what it is right now, to early in the am!) The main movie was Killer Klowns.......ughhhh it makes my stomach hurt to even type it.....Lets all remain strong through our trials! :grouphug:

time for a bump

Howdy.

I found the board again!

hallucinations
 

my 17 yr old daughter is plagued with visual hallucinations. she is afraid to be out at night with her puppy; she might see something. tvs, windows and mirrors terrify her, mostly at night. 3 yrs ago, she gave in to a bet, and watched "the ring", and the hallucinations became so severe she started sleeping in my bed at night for "safety". my husband was working the graveyard shift at the time, and her pleading was not manipulative in the least.
i think she had this propensity, and that movie opened up a can of worms. it has gotten so bad that she sleeps with a baseball bat in case someone comes into the room while she sleeps. she has been diagnosed with mood disorder, unspecified, and been prescribed a minimum dose of lamictal, which seems to have no affect on her. her father and i have been recently diagnosed to be bipolar.
i guess i am looking for support and any experiences of that are similar that might shine a light on her

Dear Kaerze,

Your poor daughter. http://www.thesmilies.com/smilies/sad/worried.gif
She should not have to leave in such fear. Let her psychiatrist know so that she/he can re-evaluate her medications.

Lamictal, as far as I know, can help prevent mood swings, but it does not do much for hallucinations. A good psychiatrist can help her.

Mari


Here are some resources that you might find helpful.

Google: Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance -- has meetings all over the country -- good for peer support

Google: National Alliance on Mental Illness -- has meetings in towns all over the country -- good for families and information

Google: bpkids -- good site for parents

Get a copy of The Bipolar Child: The Definitive and Reassuring Guide to Childhood's Most Misunderstood Disorder by Demitri Papolos, M.D. and Janice Papolos. It's got tons of information. There is a web site too: http://www.bipolarchild.com/

what a nightmere for your family....:(
good that you are ;looking for answers....
((((HUGS))))
bizi