Extremly Stressed - Anxiety Attacks - Possible Bi Polar? I Need Advice -Help

I went through something similar several years ago. I was living in San Antonio at the time, so I don't have anyone to recommend here. There isn't a way to test for depressive disorders. It sure would be great if there was. You are right, you are brave and smart enough to know that you need some help. You also need to be brave and smart enough to trust medical professionals. I feel that just getting pills will not really help you. I strongly believe that anyone on pills should also be in a support group or talk therapy to help you find ways to cope. I didn't believe that just talking could help, but it really did. It also helps to get plenty of sleep (my doc put me on ambien to help me sleep), get regular exercise and eat right. You really need to find it in you to trust a doctor and talk to them and take their advice with medication. Remember psychologists do not prescribe meds. You can start with your OB or family doc if you don't want to go to a psychiatrist at first.

I am a licensed counselor, so what I am writing is my professional opinion. I would recommend seeing a psychiatrist for a diagnosis -that is a medical doctor who specialized in mental health, as opposed to a psychologist who has a Ph.D in psychology. A medical doctor is the only one that could prescribe you meds anyway -but I definitely recommend seeing a psychiatrist as opposed to a family doctor. As for the diagnosis, they don't just have you talk about your feelings, there are specific criteria that you have to meet in order to get a diagnosis. As far as I know, there are no blood tests, but it should be a fairly thorough assessment, though part of it will be of course describing how you have been feeling -but there is more to it than that.

In addition to some type of med, I really recommend counseling as well. An antidepressant or antianxiety med should be able to help you somewhat, but a pill cannot teach you how to cope with stress or address the anger you feel. Counseling would also be a good place to process what you have just gone through with the medical abortion. I actually don't know any specific therapists to recommend in the Frisco area, but you can look for LPCs in your area or check out United Way's website to look for counseling agencies. (I counsel foster kids myself, so I am not trying to solicit here.)

Lastly, I totally agree that you are being brave and smart to ask for help. It is nothing to be ashamed of. Most people go through rough patches, and many people have issues with stress, depression, and anxiety. You are right that it takes courage to seek help, and I hope you are able to find the help you need.

Sorry this is so long. Please feel free to message me if you have any questions on my suggestions.

Hi Natalie, as someone that has anxiety attacks and depression, I can sympathize. Just to put your mind at ease a little maybe, Pi-polar doesn't just pop up, you would have had symptoms before now. I'm not a doctor, but I seriously don't think that there's anything medically wrong, but with something like this, it hits people differently and I think that you are having a hard time coping. If you went to the doctor, they would want you to see a psychiatrist who could prescribe you meds if you needed them. You could get some blood tests done to see if you are low on something or have too much of something, but there's not a blood test for bi-polar or any of that. I think you should get the name of a psychiatrist, look on your insurance plan, they can give you recommendations. I think you need to talk to someone about it and it would make you feel alot better. I can't imagine what you're going through, it's good that you're willing to get help. Hope you feel better soon.

I am so sorry you are suffering & very proud of you to recognize that things aren't right. Please seek counseling of some type. There is not perfect answer,and there is no magic pill. It may take a while to find the medication that is right for you & your body chemistry. Your hormones also may be out of whack for the entire 9 months you would have been carrying that child. I lost twins 2 years ago at 12 weeks & it wasn't until after my due date that my hormones & emotions started returning to normal. With the right counseling you can find out what combination of therapy/counseling & medication you will need. Just don't be too hard on yourself. Life is hard, and even harder when your body is out of whack. I'll pray for you. Good luck.

Natalie, I really don't have any advice except to talk to a medical professional (one you feel comfortable with and trust), but wanted to offer my support and encouragement. I know how difficult parenting can be, and sometimes kick myself for losing my temper with my 3 little ones, and I have my Mom and husband around. As a single mom, you're bearing all the pressure yourself, so give yourself a break, and get the help you need so you can take care of both you and your daughter. Good for you for recognizing that you need help. That's the first step, right? And sometimes that's the hardest...

Natalie, I truely feel for you. It is so difficult to just live these days, much less be a single mother and deal with all of these issues. I myself had a HORRIBLE case of post-partum depression after the birth of my first son who is now 2. It sounds to me like you are feeling similar to how I felt. Even though you did not deliver your baby naturally, you could still be haveing PPD just from the hormones of being pregnant then not being pregnant. I really would talk to someone. In Lewisville, there is a psychiatrist named S. Strebeck. I have not used her but I've heard she's good.
I don't know what your schedule is like, but I myself went to the Meier Clinic in Richardson for help with my PPD. For me it was either that or I was going to be thrown into some psych ward somewhere cause I was suicidal and everything. You can do several different programs there, and they will work with you. I did the intensive outpatient program which requires you go there like you'd go to work, Monday -Friday 9-5. If you can't do that there are other options offered at the clinic. What I loved about it was that EVERY single day you meet with your psychologist AND one of the medical doctors on staff. They work in unison to diagnose you and medicate you correctly. Also, they can do bloodwork to check your hormone balance and thyroid, etc. to make sure that's all working well. They also use a test to diagnose you. I forget what it's called, but in the medical community it's widely accepted as a good way to diagnose mental illness (from what I've heard). It takes you like 5 hours to take it and the person who reads it has gone to school for a long time just to learn to interpret that particular test. The test revealed several things to me which I'd never even thought of. They do this test when you are first admitted, then they spend the two weeks or so that you go there to treat you accordingly. My day there consisted of artistic therapy, group couseling, meeting with the doctor, meeting with the counselor. It helped me tremendously, I can't say enough about it!
Most insurance will cover it, and there are scholarships available there too. Please look into it. Maybe you can have your job give you some time to do this if they value you as a person and they agree you need it.
For me it was Effexor combined with Lexapro (both antidepressants) and some occasional anti anxiety pills which pulled me out of my fog. But to be honest with you, I was very depressed for 8 months before I felt all the way better. It just takes time, but surround yourself with people who love you and you'll get thru it. By the way, the Meier Clinic is Christian based, so I don't know how you feel about that, but they WILL NOT judge you! They see it all! There were heroine addicts doing the program with me and former prostitues and lesbians and gays, everytthing! They just love you no matter what.
Good luck, this is a rough journey, but you're doing the right thing in reaching out. My prayers are with you.

I'd definitely work with a professional to find the appropriate help for you. You have started with the right thing and that is to ask others for their opinion. I know of Dr. Arnold Mech in Plano and The Holiner Group over in Medical City that might have some information to help you and medical personal that can work with you to determine what is best for your situation. The Holiner group might have more of a choice for you. Both places offer websites.

Another place that might be of some help would be starting with counseling. Lifeworks Counseling Center in Carrollton might have someone that could help you determine if you need further help or guidance. They too have a website that you can look, and it provides a list of credentials for their counselors. Good luck and know that you are all ready on the right track. God Bless You!