Say a friend or girlfriend/boyfriend tells you they are bipolar... what would your immediate thought be to that? Even if they have always acted 'normal' to you? What would you think? I ask this question becuase I am bipolar and want to know what people think when and if i tell them. at work no one knows. its hard for me to tell in relationships when i should let him knonw. i want to be honest but at the same time want the person to truly know who i am before judging me by being bipolar. The word "bipolar" is simply a label used to categorise a list of psychosocial traits that Psychiatry considers to be improper or abnormal in society. Psychiatry defines these traits as a "mental illness", and promotes it as a "disease" that requires "treatment".
It is not a "disease", despite claims or implications made by certain people here. There is NO credible scientific evidence that shows the existence of what constitutes "bipolar" as a biological/neurological disorder, brain abnormality or "chemical imbalance".
"For a disease to exist there must be a tangible, objective physical abnormality that can be determined by a test such as, but not limited to, blood or urine test, X-Ray, brain scan or biopsy. All reputable doctors would agree: No physical abnormality, no disease. In psychiatry, no test or brain scan exists to prove that a 'mental disorder' is a physical disease. Disingenuous comparisons between physical and mental illness and medicine are simply part of psychiatry's orchestrated but fraudulent public relations and marketing campaign." Fred Baughman, MD., Neurologist & Pediatric Neurologist.
"Chemical imbalance鈥t鈥檚 a shorthand term really, it鈥檚 probably drug industry derived鈥?We don鈥檛 have tests because to do it, you鈥檇 probably have to take a chunk of brain out of someone - not a good idea." Dr. Mark Graff, Chair of the Committee of Public Affairs for the American Psychiatric Association. July, 2005.
Symptoms that psychiatry labels as "bipolar" (or it's related disorders), can stem from any number of variable sources. Many people, for example, have overcome "bipolar" through megavitamin therapy and effective nutrition. A growing wealth of evidence supports that underlying nutritional deficiencies can cause even the most severe mental disorders, including symptoms labelled as "schizophrenia" [See source refs]
Bottom line? Psychiatry is a belief-system, a "faith", not a science. Despite the huge marketing strategies, the so-called "research" and all the propaganda thrown at the world, there is not one iota of scientific evidence that proves that "schizophrenia" or ANY mental illness, in fact, exists as an actual --medical disease--.
If you have been told differently then know this: You have been lied to.
For more information, please visit:
http://groups.msn.com/psychbusters
Decoding Psychiatric Propaganda
For information on non-drug / alternative approaches:
- http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/a...
- http://www.pendulum.org/articles/article...
- http://www.truehope.com/_empowerplus/emp...
- http://www.mentalhealthproject.com/conte... To say that disease or illness is not real is foolish. Ask anyone who has trigeminal neuralgia for one thing. I'm bipolar and the meds I take have completely changed my life and opened doors for me. People s/be aware consumers. Mike's response is scary. Report It
Plenty of credible scientific evidence suggests a physiological basis for many mental disorders, including bipolar disorder, depression, and schizophrenia. You are ignoring overwhelming scientific proof. Go get an education, Mike. I bet you believe global warming is a fallacy too. Report It
It's sad to see that there are still people who are uneducated about bipolar!! Hello, Bipolar is Real!!!! Report It
Yes and no my dads bipoler, i'd call him phyco 4 sure. But i dunno about all bipolar ppl. Everyone has difficult days, theirs is just a more specific kind. Does not absolve them of their personal responsibility. Nope. Psychotic is a medical term that describes delusions and is not at all related to bipolar. Bipolar is a mood disorder. Technically, it is a psychological disorder, and NOT a psychotic disorder. There is a difference even though they may act 'psycho' at times. It is a chemical imbalance in the brain.
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Definition from WebMD.com (I LOVE this site)
Bipolar depression, also called bipolar disorder or "manic-depressive" disease, is a mental illness that causes people to have severe high and low moods. People who have this illness switch from feeling overly happy and joyful to feeling very sad, and vice versa. Because of the highs and the lows -- or two poles of mood -- the condition is referred to as "bipolar" depression. In between episodes of mood swings, a person may experience normal moods.
The word "manic" describes the periods when the person feels overly excited and confident. These feelings can quickly turn to confusion, irritability, anger, and even rage. The word "depressive" describes the periods when the person feels very sad or depressed. Because the symptoms are similar, sometimes people with bipolar depression are incorrectly diagnosed as having major depression.
Most individuals with bipolar disorder spend more time in depressed phases than in manic phases.
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It is a VERY hard thing to deal with especially when you don't know what it is and seeing these different moods. The question lies on the medication..are they aware of it in that they are trying every day to be "normal" in taking medication? Or are they just trying to deal with it on their own? In that definition there are highs, lows, and sometimes normal days. The normal days can actually last for a few months (6 or 7 months even) and nobody can tell the difference.
If this person is consciously aware of what the disease is, knows the "bad side" (having the mood swings) and doesn't want to go back (tries their hardest/does take meds every day)- I would have to say this person is normal.
If they think that they can just mentally control it, they can't. It's a chemical imbalance; it's like trying to control yourself from ever peeing again. You can hold it for a while, but it will come out eventually. So again it's a matter of medication.
Whether you're the one, or this other person, it is a hard thing to deal with just learning the news. It can take some time to realize that they are truely 'normal'. People go into a denyal state when they don't want to accept that something is "wrong" with someone else. And they had a bad reaction (say or do) to it.
Majority of the time people have a "bad reaction" to this kind of news because they don't know what it is, or how to act. Some people think that they would have to act different around that person after knowing. The best advice there is to learn everything you can about it. Realize the kind of person he/she is/was before you knew of it.
If after all this, this person thinks the bipolar person is still truely psycho, then they're being too ignorant. Once you've educated yourself on it, have thought about, you can rationalize that you can't or don't want to deal with it, only then it a true answer from the heart.
No not every one wants to deal with it even if they understand it. And that's ok. If the person misses a dose of meds, they can get short tempered. If they stop taking it all together they go into relapse and it will be worse- it being the mood swings.
If your looking for answers about it go to WebMD.com It's a great site for all sorts of 'problems' (you can also look up medications).
I give you this information because I am bipolar. I lived 20 yrs with mood swings outragous before I saught help. My mother walked on egg shells trying to keep me in good moods. When I was pregnant all the extra hormones kept me at a 'high' and I was actually at a normal state. After the birth, hormones dropping, I stayed depressed for a few months and realized that it's not the baby blues any more. I found a doctor, been on meds since. And now I have truely loved my life, and can take the little things to heart that others over look at times.
If you want or this other person wants to know more about this, how the person with bipolar acts, what their life is like I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY suggest that you read "Heather's Rage". It's a mom and daughter that wrote this together. There are passages that are from their own journals during their times. (not about me, but the mother spoke about it at the hospital my mom works at)
If you have any other questions, or want to know more about my situation I will check back here again and we can go from there...
good luck Normal is as normal does. What is normal for you is not normal for me. If someone you are involved with tells you this they may be trying to either scare you off (andthey are lying and immature), or they are giving you important information that you need to continue growing more intimate. I suppose it is also possible that they are being truthful and trying to push you away, too, especially in a depressive cycle. A person with bipolar disorder may present little or few symptoms, especially if they are under treatment, and can live normal lives and enter into relationships productively. Understand that there are no clear borders to definitions in treatment and disgnosis of mental disorders, but a person with bipolar disorder is not considered to be "psychotic" as you put it, although they may, if their disorder is very severe, exhibit symptoms of psychosis. See the writing below from the NMIC website for more explanation.
www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/bipolar.cfm
"Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function." But there is good news: bipolar disorder can be treated, and people with this illness can lead full and productive lives.
"Manic-depression distorts moods and thoughts, incites dreadful behaviors, destroys the basis of rational thought, and too often erodes the desire and will to live. It is an illness that is biological in its origins, yet one that feels psychological in the experience of it; an illness that is unique in conferring advantage and pleasure, yet one that brings in its wake almost unendurable suffering and, not infrequently, suicide."
Sometimes, severe episodes of mania or depression include symptoms of psychosis (or psychotic symptoms). Common psychotic symptoms are hallucinations (hearing, seeing, or otherwise sensing the presence of things not actually there) and delusions (false, strongly held beliefs not influenced by logical reasoning or explained by a person's usual cultural concepts). Psychotic symptoms in bipolar disorder tend to reflect the extreme mood state at the time. For example, delusions of grandiosity, such as believing one is the President or has special powers or wealth, may occur during mania; delusions of guilt or worthlessness, such as believing that one is ruined and penniless or has committed some terrible crime, may appear during depression. People with bipolar disorder who have these symptoms are sometimes incorrectly diagnosed as having schizophrenia, another severe mental illness." My ex wife is bipolar. Yes, they can be psychotic at times. Meds can smooth out the highs and lows. If your thinking about entering into a relationship with someone that is bipolar, be warned, there is no cure and there WILL be tough times. especially if they stop taking there meds. people who r bipolar can be just as normal as the next person cause usually the dr will issue meds to control it. I have bipolar disorder, and I can tell you from experience that this does not mean that your significant other is crazy. The good thing is that they have already been diagnosed, so they are probably already recieving treatment for their condition. I can attest to the fact that there was a time before I was diagnosed that my behavior wasn't that disrable, and I pushed alot of people out of my life during those dark days. But once I was properly diagnosed (after 3 different doctors), things were fine. I haven't had an episode in over a year due to taking medications daily and going to regular checkups. Bipolar disorder has many subcategories. I have Bipolar 2 which is generally a more mild form of the disorder. I have had many people turn away from me in ignorance because of this. It is really sad, because there has been nothing in my behavior to turn them away. WOuld you turn away from your significant other if they had cancer or diabetes...no because these are more socially acceptable illnesses. Educate yourself and know that if they have been "normal" to you in the past that that is a good indication of who they are as people. i am in treatment and take meds and I function fine. Most people are suprised when I tell them. SO do not turn away from this person because it probally took a lot for them to tell you in that they were risking rejection. Everyone deserves love and friendship...even those who are ill..DOn't you think? i told my boyfriend and i think it wad 4 the best because now he trys to help me with my problems There are various levels of the disorder but not usually psychotic. I believe that Psychosis in bipolars is separate from mania. |
