I Have Bipolar Disorder And Social Anxiety And Have Missed A Lot Of School.?

It’s the sensitive, intelligent, thoughtful sort that tends to have bad anxiety issues, so I’m not surprised that you’re an honor student and all. I can relate, as I’ve dealt with panic attacks and anxiety for a long time. It’s a terrible place, that anxiety state. The feeling of terror is so overwhelming that it’s like a living death.
About meds: so-called anti-depressants (like Paxil, Prozac, etc.) never worked for me. The only meds that worked for me are the benzodiazipines (like Xanax, Ativan, etc.), though one has to be careful with them, as they can be addictive. Benzos are cheap, too, so if you’re on a limited budget, they can be really cost effective. Really cheap, I’m talking like 10 bucks a month or less, for generics. Many people who have not gotten relief from other meds, take benzos on a regular basis and lead full, active lives. A lot of doctors don’t like to prescribe them, as they’ve gotten a bad rap in the last decade or so, unfortunately. A lot of docs are prescribing really powerful stuff, these days, like, anti-psychotics (Abilify is one of them), for anxiety and bipolar. I’d be very wary of those meds.
Some ideas that might help, though, I don’t know your situation well-enough to advise with any certainty:
I’d be wary of going over to home schooling to avoid going out; that could lead to you developing agoraphobia (fear of everything, and hiding at home). On the other hand, if your anxiety level is really that bad, then it might be worth considering taking a break from formal schooling for a while. That’s a tough call. In any case, your older sister was out of line in condemning someone in real need of help, as someone who was just looking for an opportunity to be “lazy.”
Is there a school nurse? Don’t be shy about going to see him/her. Try talking to him/her the next time you are at school and feel the anxiety coming on. The nurse, especially if take your blood pressure, will take your panic symptoms seriously. If there’s not a school nurse, perhaps they have a counselor? Don’t be shy about getting as much help as you can from them – their job is to help students like YOU. If they’re not a possibility, ask your favorite teacher/coach about what the school can offer in help. Perhaps, if the principal is a decent person, they might be of some help.
In any case, at the principal’s word, you can be excused from school for a day or part of a day, I’d think. The nurse can also send you home, I’m sure. Next time, you feel like you need to hide in the school bathroom, go see one of them, and get excused from classes for the rest of the day. If they dismiss you as faking it, let them see the full blown attack for themselves. If you know you can get excused if the anxiety gets bad enough, then you won’t feel so trapped, and might be able to cope better with classes.
Check around in your city, too, for free clinics and so forth. Try calling various places in town, and ask about inexpensive/free counseling and treatment options. There’s also Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which can be of great help. Find out if you qualify for Medicaid, too. That way, you can see a doctor, as needed, for little or no cost.
Other ideas; look on Youtube or other places online for audio relaxation recordings. Those can help a lot with getting to sleep. With a lot of practice, relaxation recordings can help to lower the overall anxiety level in your life.
General advice:
Read a lot. That can help you to escape from tensions of life, and you’ll be learning all the while you’re reading. Even if you’re just learning some new vocabulary here and there, that’s something. Write, too; that can help get your worries and feelings sorted out.
Get some good exercise. That can really help to burn off stress. Running/jogging is great, as is some weight lifting.
Please take care. Know that a lot of people have these issues and you’re not strange! You’re just a decent person with a real illness that you didn’t do anything to deserve. Just because it doesn’t show, like a broken leg or something, makes no difference.

take a medicine given by a psychiatrist… this might lead to you in a mental disorder

Bipolar disorder: If you decide to use allopathy, (modern Western medicine) I recommend trying Lithium Carbonate, or Lithium Citrate (regular tests are necessary, for these) before trying the other mood stabilisers, but if you aren’t good at taking medications regularly, drinking adequate water, and keeping up your salt intake, something else, such as Lamictal may suit you better. Check out “lithium” at http://www.drugs.com & http://crazymeds.us/ and always research medications first, (read, and keep the labels/information sheets) so you will be aware of the risks, and on the lookout for side effects. There are different types, and degrees of bipolar disorder. If I wasn’t bipolar type 1, and wasn’t overly troubled by hallucinations, or serious delusional states, I know I’d first try the orthomolecular, and Omega 3 fish oil supplements, vitamins, minerals; herbal remedies, and a mostly raw food diet, for around 6 months, to see if they were sufficient.
Even if not, they can be maintained, as complementary treatments, which may enable a reduction in the medication(s) ultimately required, with their risks, and side effects. Check out http://www.nutritional-healing.com.au/co… Note: St. John’s wort has been known to trigger mania, or hypomania, as have antidepressants, and the two should never be combined, due to the risk of serotonin syndrome. I’d aso eat in accordance with my “nutritional type”. Enter that term in the searchbar at http://www.mercola.com (book), or a 20 question quiz is via http://www.naturalhealthcoach.com/tools If not considerably improved, after several months, consult your primary mental health care provider; you may be one of those who need medications to prevent this progressive illness from getting even worse. If bipolar type 1, an antipsychotic medication may also be needed. Everyone should take the Omega 3 supplements, or preferably “krill oil” for its other health benefits: use the searchbar at Mercola.com . Some people refuse medication, using supplements, and a selective, mostly raw food diet (I do not recommended trying this, if bipolar 1, unless you aren’t overly troubled by hallucinations, or delusional states, and have a mind disciplined enough to recognise them, and act sensibly). Don’t use medications and supplements together, without medical advice, except for Omega 3, which is safe.
Maintaining the treatments for the depressive phase (if not using, or using minimal mood stabilisers) may well reduce the impact of the depressive phase, when it recurs. Considerably more is on the main bipolar page, at: http://your-mental-health.8m.com/blank_2… Social anxiety is addressed on pages 1, & E. Panic attacks; view pages 1, & H.
BOOKS: Break the Bipolar Cycle: A Day-by-Day Guide to Living with Bipolar Disorder by Elizabeth Brondolo and Xavier Amador, & Bipolar Disorder: The Ultimate Guide by Sarah Owen and Amanda Saunders, & Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Bipolar Disorder, Second Edition by Monica Ramirez Basco Ph.D. and A. John Rush M.D., and the other best ones, from your bookstore, or http://www.amazon.com

go to your doc and talk to him about SSRI’s. SSRI’s are a type of medicine that blocks serotonin in the brain and allows it to build up, this is good for depression because serotonin is the brain’s “happy chemical” and it will make you feel better. The downside is, SSRI’s take up to 6 weeks to work, because the serotonin has to build up, so in the meantime talk to him about a possible benzodiazepin, or “benzo” for short. Benzo’s will relieve anxiety and make you typically feel better and less stressed.
Hope this helps!