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[kg007]

Hello there, I am currently dealing with my depressive episode of my Bipolar I. I have struggled through the super dark days, and have reached a plateau where the darkness is not inside my head but on the outside. This being not my first episode, I remember the transition quite vividly.

My question is:

How does the transition from darkness to light happen? I can remember in a previous time I would wake up one morning and you can just feel it, you feel that you are back in the right frame of mind and you are ready to live again. I would greatly appreciate if anyone could tell me how this transition happens......and how long does it take from the moment you reach a neutral state (Where nothing bothers you but nothing gets you going) to get that Life Force to wake up.


Thanks in advance!

[mef123]

I'm in that neutral state right now. It came on gradually, from dark to where I am. I still have a little way to go but it's been a long time coming. Four years ago I went into the hospital for the first time and a few months before that things started going down. The past year my life has slowly been coming out of the dark.

Michele

[Sheepwoman]

For some of us there can be a cycle that changes the depression to a neutral state or can throw us back into a manic episode. Usually , I go from a manic episode to the severest of depression where I robotically function or don't function at all. Sometimes for me it's a long gradual haul to get back to status quo. I have a good tdoc who allows me to call her anytime I feel like I need a little help or a little positive feedback. I have a good mental health team who actually care about me as a person and my struggles to control the mood swings. The med combo I'm on right nowe has helped me regain a lot of stability. I still get some depression. It's not as deep and it doesn't last long.

If you are in a deep depression, your pdoc needs to know. He/she only knows if the treatment plan for you from what you tell them. My current pdoc is really conservative with meds and would like to reduce the doses to see what would happen. I told her that what I'm currently taking is doing well in stabilising me. For now we've only reduced the dose of one med that's part mood stabilizer and part for a neurological dysfunction that I have. That was the only thing we could reduced. I don't sleep well and went for a week with roughly 5-7 hours total sleep during that time. She increased one of my meds and now we're in the process of reducing it because I'm still sedated in the mornings

As a suggestion, use a diversion like a hobby or going for a long walk. Diversions work well for me when I'm depressed. I do something that occupies my brain and I can see the outcome of my endeavors. You might think about trying diversions so that you will not dwell on the negative side of yourself.
Sheepwoman