Bipolar Affective Disorder

Bipolar Affective Disorder is the new name for Manic Depression.  It is a serious illness and sufferers need to be careful and mindful of it or it can destroy the sufferer, wreck careers and relationships.  It is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain which can cause massive mood swings from one extreme to the other.  A high mood will go far beyond general happiness and a low mood will go way below sadness.  In the middle is stability and for a manic depressive safe ground. Some of us experience mixed moods alternating between the three states.  Others have to cope with Rapid Cycling which means they experience the whole spectrum a number of times during a year. 

Some have psychosis (seeing, hearing or sensing something is there when in fact it isn't) with extremes of mood usually in the manic phase.  I know of someone who believes he is from the 5th dimension when he is manic/psychotic and another person whom may be Bipolar who sometimes speaks of the home town he lives in, having a space agency, these are examples of psychosis.  Bipolars who also have a psychosis can be extremely worried that they are schizophrenic.  I personally have never experienced psychosis.  What I endure is bad enough.

 I have had mixed mood symptoms and my general problem appears to be highs in summer and lows in winter. Indeed I originally thought I had SADs, Seasonable Affective Disorder.

Here are some of the symptoms I have experienced through the illness.

• Severe mood swings from extreme highs to lows. Sometimes in the same day.
• Chopping and changing ideas. Making decision making difficult.
• Feelings of guilt, depression, suicidal thoughts/attempts. Secret-ful feelings
• Being overly critical of one’s self. Low self esteem when at the same time feelings of power.
• Reclusive behaviour and then at the same time desires to be socially involved.
• Feelings of superiority, increased self-esteem, risky behaviour when at the same time lacking confience.
• Lethargy, feeling constantly tired, apathy.
• Hyperactivity, manic episodes, elation for no apparent reason.  Standing up and speaking at meetings on any topic.
• Extreme irritability, walking out on friends or family on the spur of the moment and then walking back in.
• Changes in sexual behaviour, drug use, alcohol use. Drinking can be seen as the actual problem and not a symptom of the illness.
• Sufferers experiencing mania may sleep less, be more talkative, and be energetic.
• Over-interest in hobbies sometimes to the exclusion of more important things
• An overriding belief that I am right.  The medical profession and the rest of the world are wrong.

The illness runs in families but that alone doesn't appear to be enough to make one a sufferer. I only know of one other member of my family to have it and she is a second cousin.  The illness can to be triggered off by high stress levels.  It isn't contagious because it is an illness not a disease.  You cannot "catch" manic depression it is in your genetic make-up.

Is there a cure?   

No. But it can be successfully controlled by medicines in the same way as Insulin controls diabetes a Mood Stabiliser helps to control Manic Depression.

Is being Bipolar all bad news?   

Not at all. There is a link between the illness and increased productivity and creativity.  If a person is good that will be their overriding trait in the extremes of mood.  St Francis, St Theresa & Florence Nightingale were Bipolars.  So being Bipolar is not that bad as long as the sufferer is a basically nice person to start with?  a high percentage of sufferers are musically gifted and others are poetic or artistic.

The medical profession have this to say: -

Although bipolar disorder usually begins in childhood or early adulthood, it is often not recognized as an illness. And, because it is sometimes misdiagnosed, individuals who have it often suffer needlessly although treatment is available. Left untreated, those with bipolar disorder sometimes experience serious complications, including an inability to keep a stable job, abuse of drugs and alcohol, marriage problems, and even suicide. Some turn to life changing interests e.g. religion, keep fit and vegetarianism etc.

Symptoms of mania can include:

decreased need for sleep; excessive feelings of euphoria; extreme distractibility; racing thoughts and rapid talking; drug/drink abuse; and a denial that anything is wrong. Depressive symptoms, (the flip-side of mania) may include: difficulty sleeping; loss of appetite; feelings of hopelessness; decreased energy; persistent sad mood; loss of interest in pleasurable activities; and thoughts of death or suicide.

It is important to recognize the various mood states experienced by individuals with bipolar disorder so that they can obtain effective treatment. Unfortunately, this illness often goes unrecognized by everyone involved, including family, friends, physicians, and even the patient.

An early stage of this illness often manifested is hypomania, in which the person suffering from it shows a high level of energy, excessive moodiness or irritability, and impulsive behaviour. Ironically, hypomania may feel good to the person who experiences it. Unfortunately though, if left untreated, bipolar disorder tends to get worse, and the person typically will experience episodes of full-fledged mania and clinical depression.

Fortunately, most people with manic depressive illness can be helped with treatment, specifically medications and therapy.

Medications play an important role in helping to stabilize the mood swings often found with this type of mental illness. Lithium has been shown to be very effective in helping to control mania and in stopping the recurrence of both manic and depressive episodes. Several types of antidepressant have also been found useful in combating the depression aspect of bipolar disorder. In severe cases, electroconvulsive therapy is often helpful in treating severe depression that fails to respond to medication.

Therapy from a qualified provider can also be helpful in educating the patient and providing support and guidance to all family members involved. It is important to remember that bipolar disorder is recurrent, and, as such, long-term preventive treatment is indicated in most cases.

Finally, it is important to know that bipolar disorder is a legitimate illness, and that it will not “just go away” if given enough time. Treatment is necessary to help keep the illness under control and a maintenance regimen (including both medications and therapy) may be required over the length of a person’s life

The following link is to a word document that can help diagnose the illness so if you think you or a friend or family member may have Bipolar print it off and complete it then discuss the result with the family doctor

diagnostic questionnaire

I scored 22 on the questionnaire,

John