When I am extremely manic, a hundred out of one through one hundred, one hundred being the worst, I experience paranoia and hallucinations. When I first experienced hallucinations starting twenty years ago, it freaked me out. As time and episodes came and went, I could recognize that it was just my brain and chemistry causing them. I would be able to tell myself this is not real and be calm about it. And then I would immediately call my doctor and he usually would increase the dose of medication or prescribe a new antipsychotic. For a few years after my diagnosis, when this occurred I frequently would end up in the hospital. As time went by I would be able to be treated by my psychiatrist at home.
Hallucinations can occur with severe bipolar disorder. This mental illness, like most mental illnesses, are on a spectrum. Just because I experience hallucinations does not mean all those with bipolar disorder will experience them. Early on I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder because of my hallucinations and eventually, the doctor landed on bipolar. I also experience delusions where I absolutely believe in things that were never true. These symptoms make it easy to confuse bipolar disorder for schizophrenia. My doctor tells me that multiple diagnoses do not affect how he treats me because he only prescribes medicine based on the symptoms. If you experience hallucinations I recommend that you get medical attention immediately.
Take good care,
Christine
Healing starts when I stop asking, "Why me?" -- Hope For Today, p.11