What is?

[beetlequeendiva]

What exactly is bipolar disorder?

 

[WeLikeSheep]

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/bipolar.cfm

 

[Old Believer]

Beetlequendiva,



I have been to the suggested site and it is a good site to learn about bipolar disorder.



My understanding of bipolar disorder, as a sufferer of the disorder, is this. The disorder used to be known as manic depressive since the person with this disorder cycles (swings) between being manic and being depressive. The cycling can be rapid or slow. The bouts (periods) of depression can be mild or serve. The more severe the depression is, the more manic the person usually is when he experiences his next bout of mania.



When a person is manic, he feels on top of the world and sometimes invincible. In the most severe cases he may even believe he is superman and leap out of the window of a tall building expecting to fly. Less severe mania simply impairs a person's judgment less.



Medication given to the bipolar patient is similar what is given to the depressed person, but it is not is not the same. Treating the bipolar patient as a depressed patient may make matters worse. Lithium has been a stable in the physician’s bag for treating bipolar patients for a long time and is still being used at times. New drugs for bipolar seem to be available all the time.



Combining counseling with medication, especially when the patient is under great stress (i.e. death in the family, unemployment, divorce) is wise. Counseling for family members can help them understand what the patient is going through and how they can offer support.



Non-drug treatments a person with the disorder can employ in addition to counseling range from forming good sleep habits, regular mild exercise, relaxation techniques to good diets. Any effort that decreases the severity of a bipolar patient’s bout with depresion generally decreases the severity of his next bout with mania.



I hove I have shed some light on bipolar disorder.

 

[LostnFound]

It is really important to know how BP manifests in children, also. My middle son and I both have BP II. For us, the depression is more pervasive, and the hypomania (a milder mania) is more of a "life-of-the-party" type of mania. We are euphoric, even rediculously silly, to the point of being obnoxious.

My oldest son and I both have ADHD. BUT...he has BP I. It is extremely important to rule out Bipolar BEFORE treating for ADHD, as many of the symptoms are misleading. In retrospect, the behaviors that lead to the ADHD dx were early BP rage. He has VERY rapid cycling (up to several times a day, lasting anywhere from +/- 30 minutes to several hours), and his mania is full blown rage, with psychotic symptoms. He has been known to have visual and auditory hallucinations, and periods like blackouts, when his rage is most severe. He has tried to burn down the house, jump off the roof, threaten myself and his brothers with knives and sticks, and run away from home (concluding in me having to restrain him in the dirt for about 45 minutes until the rage ran it's course). When the rage passes, he is conciliatory, tearful, and needs to curl up with me for reassurance.

He is now very stable on meds, and I am, also. Still working on middle son, but at least we don't fear for our lives anymore!

 

[Jeshu]

..My oldest son and I both have ADHD. BUT...he has BP I. It is extremely important to rule out Bipolar BEFORE treating for ADHD, as many of the symptoms are misleading. In retrospect, the behaviors that lead to the ADHD dx were early BP rage. He has VERY rapid cycling (up to several times a day, lasting anywhere from +/- 30 minutes to several hours), and his mania is full blown rage, with psychotic symptoms. He has been known to have visual and auditory hallucinations, and periods like blackouts, when his rage is most severe. He has tried to burn down the house, jump off the roof, threaten myself and his brothers with knives and sticks, and run away from home (concluding in me having to restrain him in the dirt for about 45 minutes until the rage ran it's course). When the rage passes, he is conciliatory, tearful, and needs to curl up with me for reassurance.

He is now very stable on meds, and I am, also. Still working on middle son, but at least we don't fear for our lives anymore!

Yes the above discription fits me quite well. What I feel still needs to be said however is the severity of the depression. I can get so depressed in my down cycle that I can't eat or drink, (I'll just chuck it up again) become totally suicidal and may end up on the floor in a fetus position crying for my mother.

 

[Zita123]

I have bp but, my sister's son does also..They say it is hereditary. You have described my nephew,( just turned 16 ). My sister is only 4ft 8 in. He hover over her and threatens her verbally and physically. She has gone from dr to dr Nobody wanted to help. She has even had dcf called on her because she kept going to the emergency room with him ( which she was told to do ). It's been a nightmare for her. He refuses to take his meds and that's when everything starts. Now, (as I said he is 16) He has decided to go to church with my sister and is becoming a great kid!!! He knows I have bp and calls me if he feels out of control. Just wanted to let you know your not alone and I will pray for You. GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!!!

 

[invisiblebabe]

He has VERY rapid cycling (up to several times a day, lasting anywhere from +/- 30 minutes to several hours)

Thank you for sharing this... it helped me shed some light on my own bipolar dx. My cycling is also very rapid... and at first the psychiatrist was not sure whether it was cyclothymia or bipolar or what.

I'm glad he and you are stable on meds now!

Blessings,
Kayli