Help?

[artisticstudent]

Im a highschool student, struggling with manic depression, social anxiety, paranoia, and i cant sleep. I need tips on how to deal with this without telling anyone at home that i.. need help? im struggling but my grandmother expects so much, i cant let her down

[gardengnome]

Hi , welcome to the forum, that's quite a combination to deal with, lack of sleep is renowned for triggering paranoia , and is bad news for stability with bipolar

I'd better be careful not to give specific suggestions , but a chat with the local pharmacist might be useful, , the www will show you any late night chemists near you, and most have a private consultation room for confidential advice..

But I am guessing that it is difficult to find something suitable if you are already taking psych meds, Going into crisis at Christmas is not what you want,, although Christmas Eve is ironically a good time to get an appointment at our G.P., as most people don't even know that they are open then..

Ok I know you said you don't want to worry your gran about it, but if the lack of sleep is going to affect your mental health, the best compromise is to let her know you are struggling , , she can help in small ways, even if it is being careful not to have the t.v. turned up too high in the evening, .

I'm wondering if the schoolnurse or college counsellor will have useful advice...

Music is one of my favourite ways of getting asleep, with a c.d or one of those hour long YouTube relaxing songs on a loop., .... Getting back to sleep when I wake up is my issue, Letting my mind link back into a dream that I have had is useful for me, i'll often find myself linking into a dream from a couple of nights before,,,, thinking of really boring repetitive stuff helps me too. e.g. a string of numbers, simple sums, or just about boring mundane objects.

Be wary of going onto the internet when you wake in the night, those sessions can easily stretch on for hours.......

[Zoea]

I think you need probably to open up to your situation in the context of your home, and get professional advice from your GP. You may think this goes against the expectations of your Gran but I can assure you She will be happy when you are doing OK and seeing the GP and discussing this or seeing the Community Mental Health team are really the first step. Try not to let expectations of a familial level come in the way of your own mental health and future. That's important when it comes down to the wire.