Under Construction - MHWA Retreat

I agree. Charlie, I think it was because I wasn't bipolar... I think it was a combination of hormones and stress. I stopped getting a period, which is a rare side effect of bipolar meds. Now that I am experiencing that again without them, it might have been stress. I don't generally respond well to medications, though Zoloft did help with my anxiety. The constant upswings, though, were scary. However, that was when I was just diagnosed with thyroid disease and honestly, doctors should have known to wait. I just hope others don't go through misdiagnoses because of misunderstood conditions or other issues from other medical conditions. I just wish the school psychiatrist knew what he was doing in my case. Talk therapy did wonders and I would do that again before medicine. That is why I talk a lot more now because talking tends to help me. I miss seeing a therapist.

I know I have a lot more hormonal tests that I have to go through; I'm not looking forward to the costs associated with tests. Since bipolar was a misdiagnosis, I want to ask my doctor if he can notate that it was a misdiagnosis since countries like Canada won't accept anyone diagnosed with bipolar or schizophrenia. Canada views those conditions as a safety liability.

Seven years ago, an old high school crush was murdered by his twin brother. His twin brother massacred my acquaintance and his parents with a machete. I didn't know he had a brother; apparently, he had behaviour issues and went to a private school. Well, his parents noticed erratic behaviour and were looking into paranoid schizophrenia. He is paranoid schizophrenic and he lashed out at his family. He is getting help now, but he will never be tried. Jim's dad was married before and his first family is suing Joe. My dad has to serve Joe (Jim's brother) in jail and my dad said, "he's far gone, even medicated. He just holds up signs that state, 'leave me alone.' 'I don't want to talk to you.' It's weird, but I just hand him the papers for his team to handle." It just sucks because he can never be tried for killing his family. That still bugs me, even seven years later. In that case, a diagnosis and medicine would have helped him.

It's not an easy answer. So much depends on the individual and their medical teams. People should take advice from their doctor or doctors, not from some random person or an extremist group.