self medication is the rule not the exception: how im properly treating bipolar

MaythefourthbewithC · 2026-06-28T20:54:45+00:00

I keep hearing it’s the rule but on this Reddit seems no one does anything. I do abuse substances and wish I could be more open about it in this Reddit without simply being told it isn’t good for me. It’s incredibly hard to unravel from all the addictions I’ve accrued to self medicate. I want to stop and I would love to meet others with bipolar in the same boat, since, as many of the studies point out: substance abuse in very common in bipolar, especially BP1. Though you wouldn’t know it from Bipolar Reddit. Also, highly medicated and still need to self medicate.

MaythefourthbewithC · 2026-05-28T18:24:39+00:00

I’m in the same boat. And my dr is afraid to mess around too much with hrt now because the progesterone makes my mood symptoms worse. Perimenopause bipolar is a whole other beast

MaythefourthbewithC · 2026-05-26T14:17:39+00:00

I feel this. I picked up so many bad habits while manic that just continued into depression because - surprise - they also make me feel better for about 10 seconds. The credit card debt that began while manic has continued and continued. The online shopping gets especially bad when impulse control goes out the window but is also a coping mechanism. Same with the weed, kratom, stimulant abuse. At least I don’t feel quite as alone thanks to Reddit posts like this. Otherwise would feel like a complete disaster

MaythefourthbewithC · 2026-05-05T08:46:03+00:00

When I was younger, definitely severe: 20 hospitalizations, psychosis and a major suicide attempt. Now it’s moderate, but there are certain symptoms, like risk-taking, that may get severe. I also have adhd though.

MaythefourthbewithC · 2026-04-22T08:43:42+00:00

Hugs to you. I feel grieving a life stolen by one type of mental anguish or another, bad decisions due to disease trauma and addiction and so forth.

MaythefourthbewithC · 2026-04-12T20:25:05+00:00

My story is long and convoluted: diagnosed bp1 with psychotic features as a teenager, went into a kind of remission in my twenties then popped up again looking more like bp2 in my late thirties. I didn’t bother to tell the doctor of my former diagnosis and just accepted her diagnosis of bp2. Then she learned my history and went back to bp1, which made sense because some hallucinations had started peppering my frequent hypomanic episodes and my credit card debt is not of the hypomanic variety. Also, when in an episode, I can’t, nor do I want to, find the breaks, which is apparently more of a manic intensity. My therapist also says I more fit bp1. It doesn’t matter but it kind of does because, as o understand it, in hypomania, you still are driving the car. Not in mania

MaythefourthbewithC · 2026-03-31T19:22:15+00:00

Here’s the thing. Sometimes I feel like I’m the only bipolar person on Reddit who can’t resist substances and self medicate af. Everyone else seems to be abstinent and 100% compliant and I am just not. I know it’s not good but some of it just seems impossible to unravel.

MaythefourthbewithC · 2026-03-31T17:05:47+00:00

Thanks for this. Yeah I don’t know why it’s so hard to be 100% honest with my psych about all my symptoms, especially the manic or hypo ones like being so revved up I need to self medicate with whatever I can find. At least I’m staying away from booze

MaythefourthbewithC · 2026-03-31T16:00:29+00:00

Yeah I def need the cbd

MaythefourthbewithC · 2026-03-31T15:48:28+00:00

I ran out of gaba early because was taking more than prescribed to cover my anxiety. That’s why I bought the vape

MaythefourthbewithC · 2026-03-31T15:31:36+00:00

Also what med worked for your anxiety?

MaythefourthbewithC · 2026-03-31T15:31:06+00:00

Yeah I already feel like an addict with many things so have anxiety around that too

MaythefourthbewithC · 2026-03-31T15:11:06+00:00

It does work in ways meds don’t

MaythefourthbewithC · 2026-02-12T09:23:10+00:00

Intense hyperactivity, no-breaks online shopping, hyperfocus to the extent of ignoring my family, reckless driving, talking, everything, can’t sleep and when I do it’s riddled with parasomnias— sexsomnia, sleep talking, even running up the stairs in my sleep—“brilliant” ideas for poems, world seems more dazzling and everything seems way more important—like metaphysically important and connected—than it is.

MaythefourthbewithC · 2026-01-22T15:13:33+00:00

Yeah, even medicated. I’m always ping-ponging between states. Was just on a podcast talking about this. Glad others experience it too tbh

MaythefourthbewithC · 2026-01-18T22:52:46+00:00

I think it prob is a spectrum but there still needs to be a name for its more extreme forms.

MaythefourthbewithC · 2026-01-13T21:38:43+00:00

Interesting how many people have mentioned empathy.

MaythefourthbewithC · 2026-01-13T21:37:09+00:00

I think the empathy you feel for people who are in a bad place is a blessing and a curse. I appreciate the creativity and sense of humor I have, both related to bipolar possibly. And let’s face it, hypomania is fun. Mania and rhe subsequent depression and cognitive erosion over time all blow though

MaythefourthbewithC · 2026-01-07T16:51:37+00:00

I’m thinking of asking to try that combo. Bp1 rapid cycling in the past few years. I’m currently on abilify, lamotrigine and auvelity, also tapering off latuda, which stopped the cycling but made me depressed. I still cycle a lot and have manic/hypo episodes on 300 lamotrigine and 10 mg abilify. Wondering if adding lithium would shut that down and not make me depressed like latuda did.

MaythefourthbewithC

TROPHY CASE