HealthCareMagic is now Ask A Doctor - 24x7 | https://www.askadoctor24x7.com

Get your health question answered instantly from our pool of 18000+ doctors from over 80 specialties
159 Doctors Online

By proceeding, I accept the Terms and Conditions

Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

HCM Blog Instant Access to Doctors
HCM BlogQuestions Answered
HCM Blog Satisfaction

Suggest Treatment For Prolonged Depression

Hello, I just saw Dr. Phil and he mentioned that he is offering free consultation for the month of February and I would like to take advantage of it. You may not be able to help me though. I was diagnosed with clinical depression in 1988 when I was 33 and was prescribed Prozac and when that wasn t working, I also, went on Wellbutin. It didn t seem to work that well but it did help my depression. I never realized that there was something more wrong with me but I always felt different than others socially and emotionally. Although I did have some trauma growing up. Some examples, parents divorced at 10 and my mother abandoned me at 13. Then, my mother had a nervous break down in front of me in 1987 at age 34. All of this did seem to affect me but it didn t seem to affect my three siblings. My mother was diagnosed with bipolar disorder around her second breakdown in 1991. I had 2 marriages that ended in divorce after 2 years each. Both devastating. Again, it felt like I was emotionally abnormal, that s why I ended up in bad relationships and reacted so severely as a result of them ending. In 2003 when I was 48, I was diagnosed with bipolar 1 disorder from a psychiatrist I went to for prescriptions. I saw psychiatrists thruout the years for medicine but no one mentioned this. I then went on Lamictal. It did help. But I still never felt normal. After losing all of my retirement due to loss of job and compulsive spending, I found myself homeless. But I was able to get a job making a third of what I did make as an executive salesperson in corporate and moved in with a couple. Due to depression as a result, I went to another psychiatrist before I moved and he prescribed abilify. This had the greatest impact on my mental health. Stopped compulsive spending, I am currently in $40K in debt. And seem to be able to have conversations with others easier than before. Now here s the problem, I still feel alone and different and ashamed. I just want to know how one should feel in my boat who has come a long way in recovery. I have been unable to find a group for people with bipolar who seem to be able to function at least at my level. I need to know what is normal. How should I feel? I have no children or mate. So this doesn t help. But I feel like a loser. I just feel so alone. Please don t recommend a group because I have tried this and most have individuals who have severe symptoms of bipolar as well as some other disorders like schizophrenia. If I knew what some of the side affects are still affecting me, maybe it would help me to accept how I feel. I have no idea if any of this makes sense to you. It is very hard to explain. I feel different and don t want to feel this way anymore. What should I continue to expect? If knew that how I feel is normal for this disorder, then maybe I can give myself a break and stop beating myself up for feeling like such a loser. Please help me. Thank you for reading, Marla
Fri, 6 Mar 2015
Report Abuse
For a more detailed, immediate answer, try our premium service [Sample answer]
Share on
 

Related questions you may be interested in


Loading Online Doctors....
Suggest Treatment For Prolonged Depression