How to control randomly triggered suicidal thoughts?

Question

Hi doctor,

I have done some research and I am pretty sure I have depressive bipolar disorder. I have struggled with something I thought was depression for a long time but it was always more like episodes of suicidal thoughts and me being in a deep depression. Like if I do have it the other night I had one that lasted four hours and last year I had one that lasted three months but I did not tell anyone. I would like to do something about it now or know what I actually have. By the way, the episodes are completely random but there have been a few times when there is a trigger. I also want to be on medication because I have tried everything else as nothing works.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

What are your symptoms exactly? If they are of depression, then the treatment with an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) is ideally given for six months or so.

Basically, if you are depressed, you will feel irritable, low, feel like crying, sad, do not wish to eat, have difficulty sleep, there can be anxiety, tiredness, headaches, etc.

In bipolar illness, there will be a period of these depressive symptoms and then after a period of normalcy, the reverse happens. That is you feel unusually happy for no reason, there are episodes of spending money excessively on things which you do not need, or maybe excessive use of alcohol, other illicit drugs, sex, irritable behavior, decreased need for sleep and still feeling fresh, grandiose talks and ideas, many non-goal directed activities, etc. So if you have not had the manic and hypomanic phase, then you probably suffered from major depressive disorder or generalized anxiety disorder.

So if you are just depressive then SSRIs are to be used and if you are bipolar then a mood stabilizer will be added to the prescription.