Hey everyone

I am 42 years old and live in Melbourne.  (Permanently migrated from south africa 18 months ago).  Have been on meds for anxiety for past 13 years but last two years have been noticing a pattern of monthly highs (for a week) where my personality changes, I am extremely extrovert, louder, confident and so positive. (This is where I sign up for courses or gym memberships freely).   I also catch up on dreaded phone calls and seem to interact with utmost confidence with strangers.  A week or so later I seem to get lower and barely interact, self esteem low and generally tired.  After this I seem flat with underlying nervous energy.  Rinse. Repeat.

Oh I also have lupus (very manageable, hardly symptoms except tiredness)

Enough about me.  

Looking to make friends in similar situations.

Thanks for reading.  :-)

Hi Cameron

I have just joined the forum and was about to do my intro and noticed no one has replied to your post. So before I write my intro I would like to welcome you to this forum. I hope you get the support you need and make some good connections. It can be a daunting and scary road to recovery but stick with it mate. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

hugomax 

Hi Cameron,

My name is Gabby and I'm 41 and also from Melbourne. I've suffered from depression most of my life, but over the past 5 months I've been in a major depressive episode-like a break down. Despite being on medications, nothing seems to help. The past week has been even more difficult due to a relationship breakdown. My family don't understand and are sick of seeing me in bed a lot and not doing much. Maybe you should talk to your doctor about how you've been feeling. I'm not sure if I can be much help, but hope to hear from you again as to how you're going. 

Hi Cameron,

Thanks for joining us here at Beyondblue.

I wondered after reading your post whether it's worthwhile getting a review of your medication? Are you taking mood stabilisers? I can understand that after a long high you would feel quite exhausted and low. It sounds like the high gives you enough energy to do things but then you lack the energy afterwards. Have you tried doing things despite feeling flat? Sometimes when we are exhausted rest can be good, but if we don't limit the rest then the more we do it the more we need it.

AGrace