Bi-Polar

Hi thanks for this post. When I heard from a friend about Bi-Polar, I checked on the internet about it and analyzed myself if I am bi-polar. Of course I can't have self diagnosis. I might be paranoid or something. My friend who told be about bi-polar says that she is one. And I think I'm a lot like her. Does that mean I'm bi-polar too? That made me paranoid. I will check out the link for more info bout this. thanks..;)

I had a friend with Bi-Polar. I think they used to call it Manic-Depressive which describes it better, but whatever. People with it experience highs that are too high and lows that are too low and the medications are supposed to help because it is supposed to be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. But apparently not all medications work the same way on each person, so you have to go through them all and try them first to find out which one and which dosage works for you. My friend with the Bi-Polar, was drinking alot and refused to take her medication, therefore was very unpredictable and unruly most of the time. She would get depressed and want to kill herself. It was a standard for her to call me up late at night or wake me in the middle of the night, depressed and wanting to talk. I cannot stay up all night, as I have a big farm that I need to take care of myself. Plus, she was just tooo demanding ALL THE TIME, of my compete attention and dedication that it became too tiring. Plus, she was taking advantage of me and still doesn't realize that she was. She didn't take medication because she said it made her run out in the middle of the highway and try to stop a big truck. She is afraid of what she will do and is unwilling to try other medications. That is paranoia, which she also has from the Bi-Polar, too. I had to drop her as a friend, because she was consuming my life. I already have a very busy life and don't have time to babysit. She was a good person down deep, and I tried to be a supportive friend for about a year, but the late nights and drunken calls and visits where she was always rehashing every problem she had ever had in her life, just got too monotonous and depressing for me, too. I only want to add positive influences, not purely negative ones. She needs help and won't get it, so there is not much more I can do for her. Just being supportive, wasn't really helping her. I think it was justifying her inappropriate actions, so I had to stop and take a step back. I genuinely care for her, but couldn't sacrifice my life to take care of her. And I am not a qualified psychiatrist either.