FYI Health Tip
Though most associate "manic-depressive" with bipolar disorder, there are actually three types of the disorder.
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Tortured artists not only produce great art but also creative children who are prone to be similarly tormented artists. Psychiatry experts at Stanford University determined that parents with bipolar disorder are likely to pass creativity along to their offspring. Previously, researchers noticed that people with bipolar disorder tended to be highly creative, but by exploring familial connections, this study marks the first detection of a probable genetic link between creativity and bipolar disorder. That said, bipolar parents should still get proper treatment as bipolar disorder is under treated, according to Reuters. The illness can cause many life problems and there is treatment. The first step is getting proper diagnosis.
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Loading ...Diagnosis
Proper diagnosis of bipolar disorder is the first step in seeking treatment for this debilitating disease. Most people think that “manic-depressive” is the authoritative definition of bipolar disorder but there are actually three types of the disorder.
- Bipolar I Disorder with intense mania and major depression is the most well-known and severe type.
- Bipolar II Disorder does not involve mania but repeated cycles of major depression and hypomania.
- The third type, cyclothymia involves hypomania and mild depression. Cyclothymia is characterized by moods swings that are not strong enough to be termed major depression or mania.
For a more detailed description of the types read this FYI article on Bipolar I versus Bipolar II.
Like most mental health disorders, there is no definitive bipolar disorder test consisting of a blood test or other medical laboratory test to diagnose this condition. Lab work is often used in diagnostics to rule out other physiological causes for symptoms, but they cannot detect the disorder. Instead, doctors determine the presence of the illness through a variety of bipolar screening tests and questionnaires. Several diagnostic tools are used to help diagnose bipolar disorder.
Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General lists the criteria for major depressive and manic episodes, as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). Signs and symptoms of a major depressive episode include:
- Feeling depressed most of the day, nearly every day
- A loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyable
- Significant weight gain or weight loss without dieting, or an increase or decrease in appetite
- Experiencing either insomnia or an excessive amount of sleep
- “Psychomotor agitation” (for example, pacing, nail biting, or difficulty sitting still) or psychomotor retardation (such as walking and working at slower paces or speaking more slowly and less frequently than usual)
- Fatigue or a loss of energy
- Feelings of worthlessness, excessive feelings of guilt, or feeling guilty about situations for which you are not at fault
- Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions
- Suicidal thoughts
Manic episodes include:
- An elevated or irritable mood
- Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity (which can be delusional)
- Decreased need for sleep, sometimes needing only two hours of sleep to feel rested, and in some cases, being able to go three days with no sleep at all without feeling tired
- Being more talkative than usual, an urge to keep talking, or rapid speech
- Racing thoughts that often shift from one topic to another
- Being easily distracted by unimportant situations
- An increase in goal-directed activity, and often, the goals are grandiose and unrealistic
- Reckless or excessive involvement in activities that have a high potential for negative consequences (such as overspending, excessive gambling, or sexual indiscretions)
Treatment
Bipolar disorder treatment is most effective when a complete and comprehensive treatment plan, including complementary therapies, is followed diligently. Mood stabilizing medications are the underlying foundation in managing bipolar disorder. Correct dosage is extremely important and sometimes difficult to achieve. Regular visits with your doctor and following the recommended frequency of blood tests will tell if medication levels are within target ranges for effective treatment.
Medical research has shown that manic depression treatment with medication is enhanced by therapy. Because stress reduction is a major factor in healing, people on medications for bipolar disorder get better more quickly and experience longer periods of wellness if they receive therapy while on bipolar medication. For more information check out this FYI article on treating bipolar.
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Don't hate me because I am well,I will continue to tell my story when I deem it is needed.I went from a mental ward in the 70's to becoming a master mariner with 32 years of service and still counting.I go through very strict physical and mental evaluation every 5 years by the U.S. Coast Guard to maintain my documents as a Master Mariner.I do not encourage people to go off medication or to stop being seen by their doctor.I am one of more than you know who has obtained wellness by faith in God.I will not back down or be bothered by the likes of you,
Just about anyone living in today's "you can have it all!/The world is deteriorating faster than we can save it" world experiences mood cycles. Television constantly presents us both with "this therapy/lifestyle/diet/exercise regime will CHANGE YOUR LIFE" and "this previously unmentioned practice/pollutant/diet/lifestyle will KILL UNTOLD NUMBERS" on a rotating basis. The placebo effect can engender great enthusiasm for a particular practice/diet/lifestyle/religion/thinking mode--then when the effects don't pan out, a crash occurs. I think the constantly shifting and changing "diagnosis" of what is more likely a syndrome of learned behavioral responses is one of the biggest con jobs on the planet. How many people WOULDN'T be diagnosed as "bipolar" in some form or another based on the criteria listed above? All you have to be is depressed or happy, or both!
Don't forget the mj edibles. They work great. And, the smoking is good for asthmatic patients. It helps a great deal. They wanted to put me on roids. Not only did i get much better but I've also lost a great deal of weight. I've always been a finnicky eater but I made sure to have healthy foods to snack on.
poisontea4u
What are MJ edibles and roids. Which one helped u to lose weight? I am on tons of meds and have gained over 30 lbs in less than 6 months.
When I wrote that following my doctor's advice and taking my medications has helped me manage my illness. I guess I should have mentioned one of my prescribed medications is marijuana, prescribed by my psychiatrist.. I'm sorry some of you have never found a psychiatrist you can trust. But I believe mine cares about me and wants to help. I use marijuana as a mood stablizer. When obtained from a dispensery and dosed properly, it is a great medication. Also someone mentioned issue with their lungs and smoking, you should try a vaporizer. It makes a difference.
High and Low Vaporizers are pretty sweet!
You guys on the side of pot use are so right. I personally am tired of being a test-tube for the gain of the major pharmaceutical companies. I got two Bachelor's degrees on weed and got good grades (and still remember what I learned, yes!) I am tired of the establishment being able to practically run someone's life because of a bipolar diagnosis. Most of do know what works best for us. Sometimes it's meds sometimes it's weed. It should be our choice. Isn't that what all of our military and our veterans have fought for -- our freedom? What's freedom if we have no say about what goes on in our own body? If it helps us to function and doesn't cause anyone any harm, I don't see why we should be kept from it. I know weed works better than any psychotropics have since they dismissed me from the military for being a conscientious objector (and a bipolar) back in the 80's. Please!!!
stardust Word.
This forum is odd. I get messages about a reply and I can't find it, even when I hit reply.
People write me and say Bi-Polar II can be treated with counseling alone. I will say I went 15 years that way. Things were tough at time, but I made it. I discovered that during mania I was good at certain types of work (creative), and during depression I was good at others (cataloging, organizing big projects at work). But then the bottom fell out.
1 in 5 people with bi-polar disorder are "successful" in carrying out suicide. The number jumps when you only look at BP-II, which is at 30% (there are forms of cancer that have a higher survival rate). And I was staring suicide right in the face. I was scared and went to the hospital. This was more than a case of the blues: my blood pressure was 220/170. I was in serious danger of a stroke, heart attack or kidney failure. I was convinced suicide was the only way to cure the pain and I was terrified.
I spent a week in the hospital. I felt so safe, so very safe. They found this medications for me that worked so much better than the Paxil and Wellbutrin and that who group of nasty drugs. I hadn't heard of mood stabilizers, or the apparent relationship between bi-polar condition and epilepsy.
The drugs balanced me. For the first time since puberty I found myself smiling just for the heck of it. For forty years I'd never smiled without forcing it.
Those who say there is an alternative, well they are wrong. Unless they think suicide is an alternative. Suicide is a horrible, miserable way to die.
This forum is odd. I get messages about a reply and I can't find it, even when I hit reply.
People write me and say Bi-Polar II can be treated with counseling alone. I will say I went 15 years that way. Things were tough at time, but I made it. I discovered that during mania I was good at certain types of work (creative), and during depression I was good at others (cataloging, organizing big projects at work). But then the bottom fell out.
1 in 5 people with bi-polar disorder are "successful" in carrying out suicide. The number jumps when you only look at BP-II, which is at 30% (there are forms of cancer that have a higher survival rate). And I was staring suicide right in the face. I was scared and went to the hospital. This was more than a case of the blues: my blood pressure was 220/170. I was in serious danger of a stroke, heart attack or kidney failure. I was convinced suicide was the only way to cure the pain and I was terrified.
I spent a week in the hospital. I felt so safe, so very safe. They found this medications for me that worked so much better than the Paxil and Wellbutrin and that who group of nasty drugs. I hadn't heard of mood stabilizers, or the apparent relationship between bi-polar condition and epilepsy.
The drugs balanced me. For the first time since puberty I found myself smiling just for the heck of it. For forty years I'd never smiled without forcing it.
Those who say there is an alternative, well they are wrong. Unless they think suicide is an alternative. Suicide is a horrible, miserable way to die.
BrianRichards I agree with what you have to say. As someone else who is bi-polar, it has affected my life every step of the way. There were times when, as my Brother put it, I just shined. But then there were the other times, when I was very far from shining.
From the time that I was 7 years old until about a year ago, when I was 51, I had never had a day that the thought of suicide was not in my head. I tried to kill myself three times. I had some kind of idea that I could start over again that way, or that it would cause my family less grief.
As you have outlined, this is a serious disease. Very serious. And from what I've been reading it is chemical in nature, and that it more than likely runs in families.
Wellbutrin has worked wonders for me, along with Depakote and Seroquel. The three together have, literally, been a G-d send. I wish that I had been diagnosed, and treated, when I was much, much younger.
But as you demonstrated, not all meds fit everyone.
I have, also, discovered that once we find the right meds, that we need something like life counseling. We have reacted (usually badly) to stress the same way for most of our life. Once we get stabilized, we need to reteach ourselves the other ways to react. It has helped me a lot.
BTW, I lost my older son 4 1/2 years ago. I discovered that it does not cause less grief. It causes heart rendering grief. When I came down from the hysteria of finding out that my baby was dead, I asked my partner to watch and make sure that I kept taking all my meds, and at the times I am supposed to take them. I didn't want to get to be actively suicidal again. And I knew that losing my son would throw me right into if I stopped taking my meds.
The grief, at times, was overwhelming. Losing your child at whatever age is very difficult.
There is one thing you have left out on this post. And that is "Rapid Cycling"
sometimes in a "downward trend", some thing has to be available - either a med, but weed induces awesome sleep - live for that, a lot
You could try edibles instead of smoking. A good indicator of bipolar is light sensitivity. I was having nightmares and was suicidal by age four. Weed did not cause my psychosis. I was hallucinating by the age of five and was not using "street" drugs. Mood swings, while a part of everyday life are not normal when you can swing from one extreme to the other in a matter of minutes.
i dont smoke weed, makes me sick. im with you high and low..
I have been following this conversation since yesterday. I have read a lot of interesting opinions. The best advice I've read is see your doctor, be honest, and take your medications. I have been on at least ten different meds. I could write a book (ha-ha) about side effects and benefits. At this moment I am taking Saphris as my main mood stabilizer. It also had anti-depressant affects. I'm glad that someone had good luck with Abilify, but it made me crazy. The meds are intense, I have gained weight, it's slowed my thinking, and I have numerous aches and pains and so on. But at least now I'm not living in hell. I don't want to die everyday. I don't think I can do outragous things. My anger is under control. I sleep. I have a happy marriage to a sane person. I'm still very sensitive and emmotional. It's just who I am. Accepting that I have an illness (and that it's not that I'm a "bad" person), seeking help and doing what my doctor reccomends is sending me on a road to recovery and some sort of sanity. It's been a long road. i've been hopitalized and even had electirc shock therepy. At one point I never thought I would be able to function again. We don't have to suffer. There is help. Don't give up hope.
High and Low ambilify gave me severe tunnel vision.
I read a lot of the comments and notice that many people have issues regarding the right way to treat bi-polar disorders. There are about as many treatments as there are bi-polar people. Why? Because we all start with our own chemical balance and we each need a slightly different adjustment. What doctor can pick the perfect combination right off the cuff? None. They are not super-human, they are just more knowledgeable on the subject than most of us. Many of us have self medicated over the years. That is understandable. But what if someone could craft you the perfect fitting key?
Self medication worked for me for periods of time, but one of the big problems is that if you do not keep the doses the even you are farther irritating the disorder. Additionally, many drugs simply mask the issue (and help make life manageable) until a person blows one day. If you are honest with your provider about what does what for you it will be far easier for them to find your treatment. After years of back and forth, new docs, new meds, going it alone, praying for God to take my mania, lost relationships, jail time, and all the rest... I gave up and gave in. I got honest, both with myself and with my provider. She put me on something I had never heard of & skipped the anti-depressant. I am on a med now that isn't even considered a psych med. and it has been my gold for two years. Since being on the med and being completely open, we have re-diagnosed. Turns out I may not be bi-polar after all, but rather may be living with something almost identical called Borderline Personality.
Figuring out mood disorders takes time and diligence. Those who are opposed to the hard work or waiting for the benefit will simply not reap the benefit of being in control. Then, that is already true in many areas of their lives. How could they know the difference that complete follow through makes?
barefootandcrazy I'm Borderline, and you are right, many of the symptoms are identical. There are some very different and important distinctions between the two, but both BPD and BP can be equally disabling and devastating if not cared for properly by you and a mental health professional, with or without medication. I am lucky to have a psychologist who specializes in borderline personality disorder and also has personal interest in those with bipolar disorder. Luckily, medication, reassurance and some healthy doses of reality keep me functional. I hope you find your best diagnosis and are able to heal.
SamanthaL.Maynard barefootandcrazy
Intersting post. Is your psychologist who specializes in BPD aware that it is not only treatable but curable?
90% of the Psychiatrist are not trained any more on Dissociaive Amnesia. If they were there would be no diagnosis such as BPD. In fact, the NIMH is correcting the definition. They have a new Gold Standard for testing and treating. Yet, it is not publicized.
I hate to inform your psychologist who specializes in this but BPD is a "junk pile" diagnsosis. The medications are killing people.
Science and medicine change,,,,,,,,one death at a time.
Reading through the comments, several things come to mind. First and foremost, everyone has fluctuations in their mood. That is called life, not Bipolar Disorder. Also, there is no such thing as self medication, so people need to quit using that excuse for their drug use. It is a convenient rationalization to keep using drugs, but those drugs are much more likely to be the cause of the problem than anything else. I have seen literally hundreds of people who had no mood disorder after getting the drugs out of their lives. Thirdly, for someone who has the disease of Bipolar Disorder, there are no natural or homeopathic cures that are effective. For some people, the condition does resolve. This is actually true for almost a third, so if it happens it is not because of some magical cure that you have found or because you turned your life to some deity. It just happens, and is not that uncommon. If you have been on multiple medications and nothing makes any difference, there is a very good chance that you have a Personality Disorder and are not Bipolar at all. Unfortunately, most Psychiatrists and nearly all Psychologists do not know the difference. Bipolar Disorder is underdiagnosed and undertreated. It is also overdiagnosed and overtreated. People with the disorder do not seek diagnosis or treatment, and the professionals charged with providing care often give the label because it is easier than finding out what is really going on. The only way to know what is going on is to quit using drugs and see a professional who knows what they are doing. Good luck in finding one. I mean that sincerely, not as a flippant remark. Research quoted by the APA today reveals that the most common screening test for mood disorders overdiagnoses Bipolar, and the majority of professionals out there do not even go so far as using this test.
never tell anyone to get off their meds! turns into physcotic episodes...im bipolar and know the disease well. if someone is in doubt, they keep talking to the shrink, not just stop meds..theres a reason for it, i know from experience and seeing others stop it and spiral out of control. educate yousrelf and befriend a bipolar person..watch and learn, dont advise..that person is smarter then u think./ btmd
Carolyn32164 To be clear, I would never tell anyone to get off their meds. What I am talking about is the people using street drugs and justifying their use by saying it is "self medication." A majority of those people would have no mood symptoms if they quit using. Research shows that about 80% of addicts have symptoms that would qualify them for a mood diagnosis while using, while about 20% have a co-occurring mood disorder. That means that 60% of addicts would have no mood symptoms at all if they quit using drugs. We need to rid the world of the scourge of this term, and educate people that street drugs are not medication but actually the cause of disease.
btmd Carolyn32164 no, wrong, it is a symptom of the "disease"
Carolyn32164 btmd Unfortunately Conventional medications are far too often more damaging to the person suffering from bi-polar itself, and your right you shouldn't tell some one to stop taking their meds,.... however that is because they are designed in such a way that they greatly alter the brain chemistry, and quitting cold turkey is extremely traumatic to the mind,..... @btmd Marijuana truly does have medical value in treating Bi-polar disorder, not solely because of the THC that is in it, but it also contains many other biochemical molecules that normal brains often produce on their own to maintain, and SOME people with bi-polar disorder their brains can't produce the quantity of those necessary bio-chemicals to have normal brain function, and thus can be supplemented by consuming the plant, the brain stores those chemicals in the fat cells and uses them on a needed. That doesn't mean that marijuana is right for everyone with bi-polar, as bipolar probably has many causalities. There is lots of evidence that suggest marijuana is highly beneficial to people with bi-polar, and in places where marijuana is obtainable for medical purposes, it is used to treat it. All that aside, how about putting on your critical thinking cap just a gosh darn minute, and take into consideration how many casualties psychiatric medications have had on people with bi-polar disorder, think of how many lives have been lost because of poor decisions concerning dosage,.... or being prescribed the wrong medications by their physicians? The physicians don't lose any sleep at night because of their poor decision making, and more often then not, are never held accountable for it. How many lives have been lost from marijuana overdose,.... or from using it responsibly?,..... having been used since the beginning of civilization, none to date,..... sounds like a pretty clean record to me. And if you take in to consideration that SO many bi-polar sufferers have a tendency towards alcoholism, and turn to other much more harmful substances to self medicate, don't you suppose that the availability of Marijuana could reduce the other "scourge" that you speak of more dangerous substances? You have no business educating anyone, because you believe street drugs actually cause bi-polar disorder, Ill have you know, most of bi-polar's onset begins at the advent of puberty, often before ever using any kind of illicit substance. I m not here to argue its legality, but i am going to point out that the fear and disinformation spread about marijuana use, stems entirely from racism, the initial reason to make it illegal had nothing to do with it being perceived as a health risk, it was to isolate and persecute Hispanic and Black people. So, whether you know it or not, if you strongly oppose a the natural substance that contributed more to civilization then the wheel, I'm afraid that you are perpetuating an age-old racial persecution, and that btmd would make you a small-minded racist.
Thats right you heard it here first,... If you Strongly Oppose the use of Hemp or Marijuana for any utility, you might as well wear a white sheet and burn crosses. Because there is no legit reason to oppose Marijuana anymore then being opposed to tea, coffee,bread or butter.
ThisMachineKillsFacists Carolyn32164 you know i smoke my share of bud when need be. it keeps me from going into that state of "Oh No! I shouldn't have said this, or done that, and think about it all night long, instead i smoke a little and it really does help so so so much at night while i'm watching new movies, it's a great relaxation for me, also along with meditation. they do have synethic weed out in the market now. well, for some years now, and i did buy some last week and i actually found it too be okay for me, plus i didn't have to worry about cops etc. ppl need to get a grip. they won't pass the stuff we need, with a resonible amount of time. but yet, let's put phin-phin (not sure how to really spell the med.'s name) because losing weight the old fashioned way is just to hard, instead of passing the drugs that are needed for the individual to get in-touch with why he or she is eating to much etc....
but anyway , thanks this machine for the comment, i enjoyed the read ttyl, clinton bradley
clintbrad Carolyn32164 Okay I should point out that the Synthetic Weed is laced with a chemical and it's long term effects on the brain and body are still entirely unknown,.... I'm not saying I haven't tried it also,.... but It's probably safer bet, to stick to the age old, time tested original reefer,.... as far as it's illegality, I frankly don't care anymore,...... our laws, and system of government have become corrupted beyond all recognition from the Founding Fathers had intended,..... people should be more concerned with the moral and philosophical implications of their actions, ...... then living in fear of weather something legal or not and the repercussions of authority, we are entitled as Americans to be self-governing. Suppose they made it illegal to breathe? Imagine all the foolish people who might try to hold their breath!
The laws are entirely backwards, instead of being put in place to protect our individual civil liberties from all fronts,.... they are being designed to do just the opposite,..... while encouraging amoral practices of corporations to obtain simple, stupid, irrelevant monetary profit. I've just come to accept that if i'm jailed or imprisoned for using a substance that is necessary for me to function like the rest of society, and isn't morally destructive, and doesn't impact the civil liberties of my fellow citizens, then I suppose that is a cross I'll have to bear. As far as weather we manage to legalize the perfectly safe, multi-utilized, and environmentally friendly plant that is marijuana,...... Well, either way, I'm not holding my breath. : )
clintbrad ThisMachineKillsFacists Carolyn32164 There is nothing wrong with smoking for recreation or relaxation, other than the effects it will have on your lungs. Less harmful in the long run than alcohol. What I object to is people calling it "medication." There is no psychiatric use for marijuana, and very good evidence that it worsens and possibly can cause psychosis in susceptible individuals. It also does have a withdrawal that is characterized by anxiety and mood fluctuations, and can last for weeks. In contrast to what "This Machine" has to say, it causes much more long-term change to brain chemistry than any of the mood stabilizers on the market, and clearly interferes with the brain maturation process in adolescents. All of this is clearly documented in scientific studies, unlike the off the cuff opinion and propaganda that This Machine spouts. There has been benefit shown for marijuana in treatment of pain and some GI issues. Otherwise, no studies have shown it to have any medical benefit, despite many of the studies being done by people who support the ruse of "medical marijuana." Science just does not support the benefit, including the science done by the people who know what they are doing and looking for evidence to support its use. As I said, recreationally, there is nothing wrong with it, particularly in moderation. Just don't call it medicine unless it is being used for one of the few reasons that it has shown benefit. Even for those disorders, though, there are alternatives that work better without causing lung cancer.
ThisMachineKillsFacists Carolyn32164 btmd You really should learn something before coming and spouting your nonsense. Your leaps of logic are unfathomable, and show you to be nothing more than a small-minded person who is attempting to impress others with your wit and intellect. You are obviously undeducated and rely on propaganda for all of your information, and to spout your ignorant drivel in a place where people might not know better and believe what you say is irresponsible and dangerous.
btmd clintbrad ThisMachineKillsFacists Carolyn32164 Tell the Israelis there's no use for marijuana. No wait, don't tell them that. They treat brain injury with medical mj, it reduces swelling. Oh, and another thing...it treats my asthma. Two hits is better than any inhaler. And a relative is using it for her fibromyalgia. And, US soldiers in some states get it for various reasons. Mood stabilizers can cause diabetes not to mention all the other side effects.
ThisMachineKillsFacists Carolyn32164 btmd Thank you you're so right. Personally, I am tired of being a test-tube that gives the major pharmaceutical companies all the profits and this fascist governmental system the right to take my kids and treat me like hell because of it. I was able to get two Bachelor's degrees using pot and no I have never "overdosed" on weed. I was almost visited by the police the other day though because my blood test at the V.A. showed that my Depakote was a level to kill me. Hmmm......
btmd Carolyn32164 btmd......,and yet you still fail to demonstrate even a fragment of wit,..... Propaganda requires monetary backing which prescription meds have plenty of. You should learn how to think critically about stuff,...But I understand thats hard to do when you take designer drugs,..... I'm sorry your doctor turned your brain to mush.
btmd i still think you are a danger to a bipolar person. the docs dont use that test because they know its a chemical imbalance. i was educated on this by my shrink. its uncontrollable for most. hence the medications. i dont like being on them but if im off, i turn into another person who cant think straight. its like the brain thoughts are in a blender.im very intelligent as well and do weird things when in a manic phycotic episode. if some ppl can control their bp without meds, congrats, i dont see how cuz the older u get the worse it gets. but everyone is different.
Carolyn32164 btmd I am advocating not using street drugs and following the advice of your psychiatrist. Exactly what part of this are you saying is a danger to the bipolar person? I think that you are missing or misinterpreting what I am saying.
btmd I did misread, sorry, i just get uptight cuz a friend convinced me to go off my meds, that i dont need them, too many side effects. so i did and guess what? i lost my home, job, car and had to file bankruptsy..., there is a lot of bad advise on here and a good shrink does more then test. in one hour..that test isnt accurate as far as im concerned..overs some points but a lot is left out and needs to be put in the table..and who better but people who are bipolar that understand and recognize it for what it is and can do...it is to easy for some to be tested hourly thing but not when u have a doc that wants to rule out other things.
Carolyn32164 I have seen people die due to going off their meds on the advice of a well meaning friend. It is not an easy diagnosis, and there are no shortcuts to making it. Once made, following the advice of a professional who is experienced in treating the disorder is essential. I think that we are both saying the same thing all around. Sorry for my part in any misunderstandings.
btmd Carolyn32164 "following the advice of your psychiatrist." is exactly what is dangerous to a bi-polar person. they ignore their Hippocratic Oath to further the profits of the Medical Industrial Complex,.... They don't have their patients best interests at heart.
Carolyn32164 I am also unsure of what test you are referring to that the docs don't use. Screening for Bipolar Disorder involves asking questions and eliciting responses. There is no test that diagnoses the condition. There are screening tools, and the most common one (used by docs) has been shown to have too low of specifity to be valid. That was part of the e-mail update sent to Psychiatrists enrolled in the updates through the American Psychiatric Association this morning. That is the only test that I ever mentioned.
btmd screening, hospitalizations, counseling to check for rationality etc. not a standardized test. im not debating this anymore, all im saying is more needs to be done because its not as easy to dx as one thinks.
btmd
Great post.
"Pyschiatry is the ONLY profession in the world the customer is always wrong"
B1Boz, Thank you much! My daughter suffers from some sort of bipolar, and she hides it well except when she is around me. This is being going on since age 3, when she first started throwing fits on the way home from daycare in the car. She is 16 now, and will still throw the same fits if she gets too tired. Since most of her fits happen at home in the evening, it has been hard for doctors to exactly pin it down. She has destroyed doors, walls, cabinets, me, etc. All I know is that it is all tied to sleep. It seems that even when she sleeps, she is not sleeping, like she doesn't do all 4 stages of sleep, and is missing out on the deep sleep stage. Valerian root seems to work the best! When I can get her to take that, she wakes up smiling, and especially polite. They make a Celestial Sleepy-Time Extra Tea with Valerian root, which is especially good. I've also tried Catnip tea for her from the Health Food Store.
Tiser I admire your wise approach to help your daughter,..... God Bless.
Tiser Personally, this sounds more like a personality disorder. Nothing helped my sister until she started seeing a psychiatrist and got diagnosed.
Tiser Check her diet. Diets high in sugar and carbohydrates can have significant effects on mood. Children who are epileptic benefit from a "ketogenic" diet that is almost all fat, moderate protein, and very low in carbohydrates. "Tired" may mean that she's in a carbohydrate crash. Lack of fat in the diet can have deleterious effects on brain function too, and many teens think they'll stay slim on "fruit and fruit juice" diets that are sky-high in sugar and way-low in essential nutrition. (Oh, and "ketosis" is NOT NOT NOT the same as "ketoacidosis," which is what uncontrolled diabetics and terminal alcoholics get. I'm sick to death of the misintepretation of these two terms as a way to hold up crossed fingers to a low-carb way of eating.)
Tiser
May God take care of you and your daughter, mine is 35, beautiful, single, intelligent and now with a good doc and at least in the moment with the right medication, what help also is the gym were she is in every free time. But since she was a teen I crossed all the roads to hell. I think parents must suffer more then the ill person. Who knows...
Hey guys, i've been on med.'s since i was around 14, and before that my parents didn't have the money (which i knew) to get me real help. So, on top of that i was rapped repetitively by members in my family. So, i left school early with a diploma, and of course then led me into my 20's, and the major shit started happening. Staying up late, well and self medicating to try and mask how i felt inside. But now after all the drug trails and withdrawals from medicines that didn't help any. We need a concrete medication (if possible) just for symptoms of bipolar 1 or manic depression, instead of putting us on med.'s for illness we don't have. Clinton Bradley also on facebook.
There's no upside for the people living w/someone bipolar, especially when the besetting problem is mania or hypomania. :( I'm ready to leave my husband of almost 20 years because I can't handle the anger, the grandiosity and the resulting emotional, verbal and (occasionally) physical abuse any more. At least he takes his meds or he'd be COMPLETELY out of control. (don't mean to imply that severe depression is any easier to handle. It's not)
temeraire Bi-polar does not equal abusive. There is an additional issue with your husband. I hope you have spoken to his doc about this. An abusive person needs other therapy, medication will never fix that part of your husband. Mood disorders are just that ~ moods. Behaviors, whether they are associated with moods or not, are not caused by mood disorders. A person is prone to certain behaviors and a mood might set them off.
Does anyone know about MRI's being used to diagnose/treat Bipolar Disorder?
Tiser Look at Clements Clinic, Dallas and Amen or Amman Clinics (scattered around but based in California). They use functional MRI brain scans to diagnose. My spouse went to Clements and with the adjustments made to her treatment based on what the scans indicated, results have been much better. Dr. Amman is on PBS periodicaly and has a couple of books out, saw them in Barns & Noble just the other day, and looks to have kind of pioneered the process.
