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So, a couple years ago I find myself in a psychiatrist's office. I didn't want to be there, but I had to, for reasons largely beyond my control...
The psychiatrist says "I think you might have bipolar", gives me pills and tells me to come back in a month. I get the pills, go back, and it's the usual "how're you feeling" questions...I say "good"...and he says that we'll continue with everything. He tells me the pills might take a couple more weeks to work. I visited him probably 3 or 4 more times....each time telling him I feel fine, and each time being told to continue on the meds.
I stop taking the pills and stop going to the psychiatrist...mostly because I didn't want to be there in the first place, didn't want to be taking the pills, and was only doing it for other reasons. (It involves appeasing people I wanted to appease.) As it was then, what needed to get done was done, and the pills weren't doing anything...and I was fine with that.
Fast forward to today, I'm looking into possible career paths...and so far it has come to my attention that I can't join the military, the police force (possibly, depending on the specific agency) or receive a commercial airplane license. And this is just what I know of, I'm guessing many other places are going to be no-go options....the cia,fbi obviously...firefighters, emts...who knows?
Anyway, I'm not so concerned with that...I'm concerned with whether I can go back to the doctor and explain my situation so as to have him reverse or downgrade my diagnosis, and whether that will be enough for any questions that may be asked of me professionally. Enough to get me into the military for example...
And further, and this is my main complaint, something I'm going to make glass clear when I go back should he not be able to influence things into my favor; how in the world is someone allowed to limit you so severely without telling you? At some point I should have been told "this diagnosis, these pill...they might limit your career options". The fact that I wasn't told this is grossly irresponsible on the part of the whole institution and my going advice from now on to anyone who is willing to listen to me on the subject will be to "keep away from anyone associated with the field". I'm sure their intentions are sincere...but literally, you're performing at a 1/10 level as far as I'm concerned. I shouldn't go to a psychiatrist for help and instead have to take on more problems because of it.
Try going to a psychologist. See if he/she can determine that you are not bipolar. If that is the case, then no need to mention it on any health or employment applications. Or just mention the psychologist on the forms.
With some careers, they will give you a polygraph and check into EVERYTHING. For that be honest, but if you have it on record that you are not bipolar, you can use that to counter what the psychiatrist said. You might want to discuss this with their human resources department first.
And many of the people in some of the careers you mention go to counseling. Like cops spend most of their time around really messed up people - witness some very nasty things. And need counseling to deal with it. They might prefer to hire someone who has no problem seeking counseling if needed?
If you are in fact bipolar, then discuss with the psychologist what your best career options would be.
So, you say you went to the dr. because you were pleasing others. Well, if your behavior was enough out of the norm/out of control to get the psychiatrist to diagnose you with bi-polar you should pay attention to it. That isn't something done lightly nor giving medication for it. SOMETHING is wrong somewhere.
So, if you are bi-polar... do I want you in the running around with a gun? What if you decide you want to stop taking meds...often a HUGE problem with this disease. Do I think you would be capable of making instint life and death decisions when your head is way off somewhere else? Not thinking clearly? Not.
Go get a second opinion and be TOTALLY HONEST about what you are experiencing when you do it. Believe me, if you don't get a handle on it now... life for you and those around you will be a total nightmare. Good luck.
Well, if your behavior was enough out of the norm/out of control to get the psychiatrist to diagnose you with bi-polar you should pay attention to it.
You know, if it is such a serious thing, I wonder why it only took 30 minutes to secure a diagnosis and medication...from a guy who had I never talked to before and only knew what I wanted him to know about me...
You could go to a BP specialist. This doc said you could be, but he isn't sure. The BP specialist shrinks will be able to tell you much more about whether you are or are not. Did the doc you saw think you were type 1 or 2? Do you have mania? What pills were you given? If you really feel fine all the time, you sure as hell are not BP. See a specialist, they are much more educated on the specifics of BP. Its important you know whether you are BP. You might contact the medical school in your area and ask the psychiatry dept if they can recommend someone. As far as the average shrinks intentions, its about spending as little time as possible with their patients and handing them a script. And cramming in as many patients as possible in a day, its about the bucks more than anything else.
I've been in both the military and a cop. I wouldn't have recommended the military for anyone since the war mongering started. Do realize too, in the military, its not a job, they own you. Why would you consider being a cop? A terrible high divorce rate, pretty high suicide rate as well, it can be a very frustrating job. Ya deal with scum bags so much ya begin to think everyone that isn't a cop is the enemy. It's a very difficult job. Unfortunately it attracts bully types, its difficult working with those kind too.
I agree, if you find a BP specialist be open and honest with the doc. This concerns your long term health, you are smart enough to realize that its about more than being limited in some way to a career, you may or may not even like.
Shrinks, psychs, BP specialists: what the heck is anyone talking about?
The psychiatrist sees you as a suffering person and to alleviate suffering they work with Occam's Razor - the most parsimonious explanation to diagnosis based on symptom expression and to reduce intrusion of the same. You kept saying fine, fine, but it wasn't fine; you were being disingenuous to your psychiatrist and to yourself. You sought to appease others. Get a set.
Fast forward: as a way of providing healing arts, your psychiatrist made a diagnosis of bipolar disorder (I'm guessing it's two, b/c one with mania typically presents as hospitalization). You are alive and aware of it, but now ticked off b/c your duplicity got you into this difficulty (this is why I suggest people be honest when speaking to a doctor).
Bottom line: the psychiatrist diagnosed you for the benefit of medication to ameliorate your spectrum of made-up symptoms. A psychologist can diagnose you using assessment instruments to identify the spectrum of symptoms and the proper diagnosis for treatment. As mentioned, if you are bipolar, you shouldn't be in certain professions. But an accurate diagnosis of true signs and symptoms will likely carry more weight for your benefit when you go to apply with the military, with the police academy, and wherever else.
I have to wonder about your desire for power, control, and (broadly) grandiosity in these professions as well as in the psychiatrist's office. I frankly believe your ability to be wishy-washy for an unfathomable motive and/or your desire for power and control may speak greater volumes about you; those agencies test candidates with personality inventories and those agencies keep staff on board so they can weed out trouble makers. In the end, I can only hope it was immaturity that hobbled you. If not, I hope you find a job you can live with and are not too consumed with the idea you shot yourself in the foot with a foolish gesture from yesteryear. Best of luck to you. Yeah, and polygraphs too.
I thought it was clear what I was talking about. There are psychiatrists that are specialists in BP. If he wants the most through examination by a specialist to determine if he has BP or not, thats the person to see.
One does not usually jump to the conclusion one is BP2. In fact that is over looked by many shrinks. Generally the doc will assume its depression and give meds accordingly. Especially if they have only just started seeing the person. If the first med does not help alone, he may add a mood stabilizer. BP2 is not the first thing docs normally jump to in an initial diagnosis.
You know, if it is such a serious thing, I wonder why it only took 30 minutes to secure a diagnosis and medication...from a guy who had I never talked to before.
I thought it was clear what I was talking about. There are psychiatrists that are specialists in BP. If he wants the most through examination by a specialist to determine if he has BP or not, thats the person to see.
One does not usually jump to the conclusion one is BP2. In fact that is over looked by many shrinks. Generally the doc will assume its depression and give meds accordingly. Especially if they have only just started seeing the person. If the first med does not help alone, he may add a mood stabilizer. BP2 is not the first thing docs normally jump to in an initial diagnosis.
I started out with this dx of 'major depression with cyclic occurences', or something like that. I finally ask what they meant and they said I cycled. Was put on an AD. This is when I first started having manic times. I and my therapist questioned the dx. I never said but back in school as a teen recognized the pattern of moods in me when we had a psych class. I'd had means of 'managing' until the real crap hit the fan.
I switched from one funding source to another and was reevaluated. I also had the SSI evaluation. Both dxed me as BP2. Both used a long questionaire and some specific tests, along with a personal interview and of course my records. So long as I was depressed all the time it didn't really show.
The major defining part in bp2 is regular and defined cycling, but not *extreme* shifts. Often they are from triggers, but take away the triggers, the cycling continues. It may not be dramatic, however. This is why its so hard to treat and meds do not always work.
I do better with no meds but a 'pick me up' if something sends me too low. On meds I was manic. I had tons of energy but no way to direct it. I have less energy but concentration this way.
Honestly, I don't see how one could dx bp2 without a detailed discussion and tests. Its a very subtle disorder. I've heard it effectively classified as seperate from bp1, which is much more recongnizable.
If the op does have bp2 in a very mild form it would come out in doing a mood chart. If there is to be a reevaluation, doing this would help a lot. Just list the mood over a 24 hour period, with notations on what else happened. Perhaps over a week. It might be helpful even if for just personal use.
Why sit bother you the doctor can not release anyhting without your prermission. Get o with your life if you disagree with the doctor.Not exlianig just why you went seems kind of strange tho.
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