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Misdiagnosed with Bipolar Disorder
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Bipolar Disorder affects approximately 1.2% of the population
or 1 in 83 people according to the authors at wrongdiagnosis.com (read
more). I was once considered to be the one in 83, but I found the treatment only
made me feel worse. I consulted another physician, who plainly
told me my doctor had misdiagnosed and overmedicated me, which caused
(get this) more depression!
It was disgusting to me to sit in the psychiatrist's office every few
weeks in my business suit, waiting for the doctor to hand me more pills.
I watched his patients and wondered in amazement as
they walked in to the waiting room in pajamas and house shoes. I watched one
poor fellow trying to sign in at the reception desk, who could not get
his pen to touch the paper. He was swaying back and forth as if in
a daze.
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I began to wonder if these people were like this before they met
this doctor, or became that way afterwards. I began to question
him constantly about all the medicine he insisted I take. I feared
that soon, I would be in my pajamas, standing at the reception desk,
swaying in the breeze!
I took a stand! I consulted my doctor's boss, who admitted openly that my doctor had a
bad habit of diagnosing all of his patients with Bipolar Disorder.
Had I not taken a stand for myself, I would have zoned all the way out, just
like so many others do on the mind altering medication, given so freely
these days. It upsets me to think about what my life would have
been like, had I stayed under his care.
Bipolar Disorder or Not, Take Action
Before you take another step, consider the possibility that your
bipolar disorder symptoms are spiritual. God warned His children
time after time to choose Him. He told them what their lives would be like, because
of their own choices, if they didn't. When you consult a physician
or psychiatrist, you will more than likely be asked to
fill in a
questionnaire about your bipolar disorder . By all means, do
that, but take a
spiritual questionnaire
as well.
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Jer 6:16
This is what the LORD says:
"Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find
rest for your souls..."
NIV
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Bipolar Disorder or Living in the Past?
After my medication was changed, and I was able to think again, I
began to speak more openly with my NEW doctor about my living conditions
at home, what was happening in my life and how bad things had been for
me for the past few years. I discussed the life changes (very
difficult ones) that I had been through just in the past two years.
His eyes widened as I told my story. He told me that if I did
actually have a chemical imbalance, it was obviously caused by a
miserably unhappy life and stressful circumstances beyond my control.
His advice - CHANGE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES - FORGET ABOUT THE PAST - MOVE ON
WITH YOUR LIFE!
By this time, I was not strong enough to change my circumstances.
I was physically ill as well as mentally ill. At my lowest
point, God lifted me up and through prayer, faith and Bible study I stay
up.
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The most important thing I have learned about mood swings is that
many times, it is not really depression that rears its ugly head, it's a
voice from the past. A voice that tells me I can't, when I know I
can. A voice that tells me I am a bad person, when I know that I'm
not. What do I do? I quote scriptures out loud and tell the
voices to take a hike. I praise God for his grace and mercy and
thank Him for bringing me this far. I fill my mind with God's
word, filling in the empty spaces that were once filled with pain.
I picture my pain from the past on the cross. No matter what
I've done or what has been done to me, it's on the cross!
That's it. No pills
required.
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Now, almost on a daily basis, I work with homeless people. Most
of them are on medication for Bipolar Disorder Symptoms. Most of
the medicine they take, I once took. I could have been one of
them so easily, had I not chosen God's way of healing!
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