Daughter recent Bipolar diagnosis after ICE psychosis.....now depression

[Pearl1967]

Our daughter (25 yrs) has been diagnosed with Bipolar after a terrible Ice psychosis which lasted quite a long time. The period of time leading up to all of this was just heartbreaking and as a family we had to disengage from our daughter due to her behaviours/drug use. She is clean now, trying so hard to create a better life and she has pushed herself to get work but hasn't been able to keep up with the speed of the work as a result of her medications. As a family we are reconnecting and supporting her but cautious not to have her dependent on us as she could easily slip into wanting this. We are very concerned as she is displaying so many signs of severe depression - finds little joy in anything, sleeps constantly, cry's a lot, has major concentration and memory problems. We have suggested that she doesn't place too much emphasis on trying to secure work until she starts getting better but she is insisting that this is important to her. She is going to call her mental health case manager tomorrow to discuss how she is feeling and talk about treatment options. So my question is ....how long can it take before the side effects of ICE stops...ie is her depression possibly from the long term ice use or is it because of her Bipolar diagnosis? She was always such a happy, outgoing, extroverted person however this person has been replaced with somenone who is so sad and quiet.

[blondguy]

Hello Pearl, My heart really goes out to you in this difficult time.....

Welcome

I am so very sorry to read about what your family has been going through and your daughter of course.

Just my experience as a person with depression, your daughter does not appear to be well enough to returning to work subject to her case workers' opinion (even if that opinion takes a few weeks to obtain a solid opinion)

I am unsure if your daughter was diagnosed with Bi-Polar prior to the ICE psychosis, however Crystal Meth can exacerbate any underlying depression/anxiety, even if never have been diagnosed prior to using.

This evil drug causes so much pain Pearl1967. I have two friends in their 50's with 20+ year olds still having difficulty after very expensive rehab.

Depression is part of Bi-Polar to begin with as a mental health issue. The ICE would have been a trigger to enable the depressive illness to develop to this degree of severity.

Depression does last for a long time.....however......with ongoing regular therapy and medication the condition does lessen in its severity. Ive had weekly therapy years ago for many months and it does work.

If I may ask....Have you met your daughter's case worker?

We are a friendly non judgemental group of people here Pearl. You are more than welcome to post as many times as you wish, even just for a chat.

my kindest wishes for your family and your daughters well being/progress

Paul

[Kazzl]

Hello Pearl - welcome to the forum. I have daughters around your daughter's age, so my heart aches for you. It can and will get better though.

I have bipolar disorder and have recovered from addiction (alcohol in my case) and severe depression. To answer your question above, I think it's very likely your daughter's depression and addiction are both a result of bipolar.

The deep depression is typically the low end of bipolar, and hypomania (less severe) or mania is the high end. People with bipolar are more prone to addiction than most people. We self-medicate to feel better when we're low, and we do the same to 'chase' the high when we're up. It's quite common for addiction to the substance we use to become the bigger problem.

I'm very glad your daughter is clean now. I've been sober well over five years and it has made a profound difference to my life. It's hard to stay that way though, so she might need support along the way. Try to keep it non-judgemental - remember this is an illness causing her desire for substance abuse.

If she has only recently been diagnosed and started medication, it will take time to work. For me it took about three months to feel properly stable. It depends on what medication she's on, but personally, I wouldn't be rushing back to work if she can avoid it until she's stabilised and any side effects have eased.

Bipolar is much misunderstood. It has helped me enormously to read as much as I can from reputable sites and books. We have some info on the site, but I also recommend the Black Dog Institute website - they have a speciality in bipolar. Undestanding the disorder will also help you all know what you might expect in the future.

People with bipolar can and do live normal, active lives if we take care of ourselves and adhere to proper treatment. Don't be scared of it - learn, support and encourage your daughter to get good care, and care for herself.

Very best wishes

Kaz