A friend now on medication and different

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lexapro does that. I know.

Interesting. Lexapro put me into a foggy haze of not caring about anyhing, though it did pull me out of a bad state.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I helped my friend through a very difficult time in their life. I brought them to the hospital when they had very bad thoughts of taking their own life. They have been on medication prescribed by a psychiatrist for over two months now. They are doing well now; but they are different in the sense that everything is amazing and they are so happy. I am trying to adjust to the sudden difference due to a chemical rebalancing and n a short amount of time. They are already into a new relationship when the last one sent them down a negative spiral. Any helpful suggestions would be helpful based on your own experiences?

Be happy for your friend. That's the suggestion.

You sound like the type who needs someone to rescue. Now that your friend doesn't need rescuing, you're out of a job. Maybe go work on your own mental health so you can be happy too.

This!! Aren’t you happy that they’re doing so well??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m also curious what she’s on! Ssris don’t work like that.

NP.

The newer SSRIs, in high enough doses, can work that way.

[Anonymous]

That sounds manic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are they bipolar? Because careful if they get to the stage where "they don't need their meds because they're feeling great". That's the dangerous point when bipolar patients go off the deep end.

Thought the same reading OP's post....

+1

My mother would react this way then get off the med bc she felt so good and downward spiral.

[Anonymous]

Two months is too fast, she’s on the wrong medication; keep your phone close, it’s gonna ring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That sounds manic.

Honestly having lived with a bipolar child for a decade, this doesn’t sound the least bit bipolar to me.

It sounds like the medication is working. She’s likely to level out shortly. She’s finally feeling good which is probably why she sounds and feels so much better.

[Anonymous]

So is her libido fully intact on this new wonder-drug? (would be surprised if so).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not have any experience with these meds, but what am I missing?? Why is this considered bad or dangerous? Isn't this the medicine doing its job?

Reality isn’t all peaches and roses, just like it isn’t all doom and gloom. The goal of psychiatric care is to improve reality testing and allow people to form real relationships and live in real life.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Of course I am happy for her. She has overcome some hard stuff. She is just different now. She is extremely happy and full of energy all of the time. She posts on social media how happy she is and all of the new things she is doing.

My ex husband suffers from bipolar disorder. I mania when I see it.

[Anonymous]

A new relationship can be heady stuff, but this sounds like mania. Hopefully there won’t be a crash, but there often is. You’re a good friend to be concerned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Of course I am happy for her. She has overcome some hard stuff. She is just different now. She is extremely happy and full of energy all of the time. She posts on social media how happy she is and all of the new things she is doing.

My ex husband suffers from bipolar disorder. I mania when I see it.

No, you probably don't. Two+ months isn't when drug-induced mania usually hits. IME, that's in the 2 week range. Two months into the bliss of a cloud-free sky after months/years/decades of grey stormy sadness looks like you're describing. It's not mania, it's happiness. You don't give any details about the new relationship, but a new relationship isn't necessarily mania. You don't describe your friend's behavior as grandiose, or excessive... she's not gambling or participating in freak offs... Nothing you've mentioned suggests mania or anything other than remission from depressive symptoms caused by anti-depressants taken as prescribed by her doctor.

YOU, however, sound like you need a problem to get involved in. How's your own life? How's your own mental health? What problems of your own are you ignoring in favor of microanalyzing your so-called friend?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m also curious what she’s on! Ssris don’t work like that.

Actually, after 2+ months, they usually do. Two weeks in, not so much, but months? Yeah, that's about the right timeline.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are they bipolar? Because careful if they get to the stage where "they don't need their meds because they're feeling great". That's the dangerous point when bipolar patients go off the deep end.

+1. Sounds like bipolar or borderline

[Anonymous]

Can the OP clarify here? Is it an SSRI or not?