Is it stress?

Is there a such thing as "stress intolerance" ?

• I self harm. But not for attention. I do it where no one ever checks to look, and no one ever sees. I know it's wrong. But whenever I feel stressed; I have to do something. Like, I need to escape. I've smoked weed and I only did it because when ever I got high; I wasn't there. There was no stress, no pressure, nothing. I was free. I had to stop due to my asthma getting worse. I can't exercise like other people do; I stop breathing whenever I do and my doctor has stopped trying to help me. His words, "You're out of shape. Exercise." No medications. So I'm avoiding exercise because it doesn't help; it makes me have anxiety attacks and during the school, I have 5 asthma attacks a week. I have seen a therapist who has given me advice for controlling stress; but none of them have helped. I still have to go to school, still get homework. I know that shouldn't stress me; but it does. My memory has been bad and I can't remember anything. I can take notes in class, understand perfectly. Go home, look at them, and it looks - foreign. I don't remember what to do, how to do it, etc. I know I shouldn't get stressed from school; but I do. I have mild bi polar and ADHD. With bi polar, times of chronic depression. I can't take anti-depressants or else the mania gets too bad. I can't take stabilizers without it bringing on the depression. My memory can get better with the ADHD medications, but taking them causes severe anxiety and depression. I just get the worst depression, the worst anxiety, etc with stress. My psychiatrist; I can't tell him anything. He always seems so happy, it kills me to tell him any side effects. So I don't. I've tried to find answers and the only thing I can find that really links everything together is the stress. The way I get anxiety attacks whenever under stress, I stop breathing under physical stress. And the way I need to cut, to scratch, etc (or drugs/alcohol) to get the stress to go away. I don't know anything anymore. I'm barely, barely getting through. I know how to kill myself and I keep listening to the imaginary friends; telling me things will be okay. I don't want to die; but I'm tired of the cycle. Stress, then anxiety attacks and self harming. Is there a such thing as "stress intolerance" ?

• Answer:

  Sure, it's called anxiety. I think you need to talk to your psych honestly. it doesn't do you ANY good to lie to him. He's there to make YOU feel better, not the other way around. Don't feel like you're bringing him down, again that's what he's there for. If he wasn't able to handle his clients being depressed and having issues, than he shouldn't be a psychiatrist. I think you should tell him about the cutting, your side effects to meds, your issues with memory etc., Keep a journal for a month and keep a daily log of your feelings, your health issues, etc., If you can, do it more than once a day, and keep note of the time (to show your moods fluctuating, proving the intensity of it and the rapid ups and downs). After about a month, I think you should come out about everything, and give him the journal. Tell him you are scared for your well being, and you WANT help. I'm sure he will listen and having a daily log of your moods and memory loss, etc., will help him better evaluate you. Chances are, due to you holding back info, that you've been diagnosed wrong. The "ADHD" may be mistaken for anxiety. Thing is with anxiety, it's hard to focus on one thing because so many thoughts are rushing through your head. You're scared. That's different than ADHD (which is over prescribed in my opinion). If you're on the wrong meds, they'll just make you worse. So, the more open you are, the faster you will be able to get REAL help. Good Luck, don't give up