Topic : 08/01 Extreme Highs and Lows

        Is Bi-Polar hereditary? We can trace it back several generations in the family. 

Cathy goes from zero to psycho in 15 seconds? I sincerely hope that the Dr. Phil show does not sensationalize this illness on national television. First of all, the term "psycho" is pejorative. To your average viewer that means out-of-control angry and violent. To be responsible, Dr. Phil must explain psychosis in a way that dispels the notion that we are violent and dangerous to others. Otherwise he runs the risk of making people fear us. 

This is a serious disorder, but it has been my experience as someone with the classic form, bipolar disorder I, that it manifests itself in altogether different way for many of us. I exhibited a great deal of delusional thinking and behavior when I was manic and sometimes when I was severely depressed. I saw secret meaning in movies, songs, books and other external media. I thought The Today Show was being produced specifically for my benefit and that Katie and Matt were speaking directly to me. I thought a lot of peculiar things. But I was never "psycho." Most of my fantasies were just in my head and were harmless to everyone but me. I think terms like "psycho" and "crazy" are going to upset a lot of bipolar people watching your show if that is what takes place. 

Are these people taking medication? Your show needs to touch on the difficulties of bipolar people who take their medication...not just those who don't. What about our prospects for love and acceptance? I don't know, I haven't watched the show yet, so I will reserve the rest of my comments for later, but I just hope so much that the illness will be characterized accurately. The Dr. Phil Show goes out to so many people and just sensationalizing the illness could do more harm then good in the way we are perceived. 

I will write more when I've actually watched the show. 

My understnding is that there are several genes associated with Bipolar Disorder.  The more of these genes that you have, the more chance you have of becoming Bipolar.  Additionally, genes 

are just part of the equation.  Having any number of these genes can make a person more 

suseptable to the disease, but life events, especially trauma and stress can be the catalist 

turns a few burning embers into a full blown blazing fire. 

If you are related to a Bipolar person it is imperative that take care of yourself physically and 

emotionally.  This means eating right, sleeping enough, stress reduction techniques, leading 

a low key, low demand lifestyle. 

I hope that Dr Phil addresses the financial burden associated with a mental illness.  Even though I 

am insured, there is still a problem with parity in insurance.  Most insurance pays for only a very 

small portion of treatment, especially if you don't  choose a therapist in their network.  I have been 

to plenty of therapists and phychaitrists.  It is in my best interest to see the person who is the most 

effective in treating me, as apposed to someone in the network who isn't as effective. 

Most of us with mental illness require several medications.  These medications are not cheap. 

Bewteen my therapy, my medications, my phychiatrist, I spend a small fortune just to get well and 

stay well.  If I have to choose , how to I determine what to give up; should a skip a few weeks of 

therapy or give up one of my medications. 

I didn't ask for this disease, I didin't get it because of a character flaw or because I did something wrong or bad.  I have the misfortune of  bad genes and a phathological childhood; neither of 

which is my fault. 

I am committed to healing myself and my children.  My 15 year old daughter is suffering from 

depression.  She is on medication and in therapy.  I have passed on my flawed genes and 

disfunctional behavior just as it was passed on to me.  It stops here and it stops now. 

My parents ignored my problems/issues. I will not do this.  My children and I deserve better. 

We deserve to live a life where our gifts can be nourchured and  our souls can shine. We deserve 

to live a life free of depression so deep it steals away your spirit and mania that steals your mind. 

I have been handed this HORRIBLE situation and I have passed it on to the people I love the most. 

I am trying so hard to heal us and treat us but the cost of this makes it very difficult and adds  

substantial stress. 

I was thrilled to see this topic on the show, and knowing Dr. Phil,  he won't sensastionalize the disorder.   I have been living with this my whole life, my older brother was Bi Polar and ultimately ended his life at the young age of 28.  When my son was diagnosed, by a very trained, highly specialized pyschiatrist almost 2 years ago, I had to become my son's best advocate and learn eveyrthing and more about this disorder in younger children.  I wish Dr. Phil would also show younger people living with bipolar and the effects on the entire family.   

With my son, everyday is a rollercoaster. He has called 911 on his oldest brother for changing the TV station, he has told me I was going to burn in hell, threatened to harm himself and others.  During his Manic periods, the stress level in our home increase aobut 100%.  Our medical expesese are through the roof (and that's just was our HMO won't pay)  

 He was admitted to a children's behavioral center last summer (one of the youngest they've seen), but still every day is a challange. He has a very hard time in school.  He sees a psychiatrist, two psychologists and is on meds.  Without the  meds, life in our home is an utter nightmare.   

My son, has co curring disorders, along with Bi Polar he is also ADHD, which makes for even more challages.  I would not wish this problem on anyone and hope that with educating the public and educators (our school still doesn't "GET IT", they still, after 7 months think he is only ADHD with some "behaviour" problems" even though I've printed out documents from the BiPolar Kids web page for the school!).  It's so unfair not only the person who has to live with this disorder but to their families who  have to deal with ignorance about it on a daily basis.  I had the unfortunate experience last spring of having a mother (whom I thought was a good friend ) report me to CPS about my son, she told the case worker it was munchusin sydrome by proxy and I was pursposely  making my son ill.....what a load of crap.  She has to this day, not apologized for what she did, for the hell she put not just my son, but my other two children, my husband and I through.  The case worker saw all my documentation and the records I keep on all my son's doctor appointments, his meds, and all that, and dismissed the case, but the fall out was horrendous. 

I am hoping with Dr. Phil's show some of the stimga wiill be removed from this disorder.   

Thanks for "listening"  

And keep up the good work Dr. Phil!  I was in the audience on Feb. 23 and loved it!   

Mommy to a bipolar 6 year old, Victoria 

Bi Polar can be hereditary. 

My 6 year old has it (sadly), but my older brother had it (it went undiagnosed for many year, because he snowed everyone about it) Sadly he ended his life 12 years ago at the age of 18.  On my husbands side his cousin suffers from bi polar disorder  and they are pretty sure his paternal grandmother had it also. 

Good luck with your family 

Victoria 

My son who is 6 has it and was diagnosed 2 years ago.  And he can go from perfectly fine to, well I don't like the word "Psycho" either, but exhibiting very disturbing behavior like the switch of  a lightbulb, he has had very delusional behavior and it just breaks my heart.  He is on some "antipsychotic" meds right now that help even out his highs and lows better than the Lithium did, so while the term is not really accurate, at my house some days it seems like it!  Not to make light of this disorder, believe me, I've spent the better part of 19 month reading almost every book I can on childhood bi polar and just bi polar in general, as a mother I have to be my son's voice best advocate.  One his really bad, highly manic days, he can seem to others (who don't understand what bipolar is, or who are just plain ignorant and don't believe it can happen in kids that young) he may seem "psychotic". Hopefully the preview is not actually Dr. Phil speaking, but just part of the video clip..... from the shows I 've watched since the beginning, Dr. Phil doesn't seem one sensationalize or trivialize anyone with a mood disorder or any other type of illness.   

I wish you luck on your journey.  If you can offer any advice to this lost mom for dealing with  my son, I would be eteranally gratefuly!  Oh, my son also has co curring ADHD, which makes it even more of a challange... but I digress....  He sees a very good psychiatrist, who prior to moving to this area, headed up the Harvard Children's Mental Health Facilty, he also has a degree in Pharmacology, so I trust him with the medications he recommends, I also have a child psychologist and an educational pyshologist for my son.  (along with about 15 books for me!)   

Take care, and we'll "chat" after the show! 

Victoria 

I was diagnosed with bipolar last year of May,  and I've been taken medication for almost a year, and it's finally starting to work.  The medications are helping me so much and I don't have those mood swings like I use to. The medication I'm on are Trileptal  has harly side effects, and it's a new safe drug and don't even put weight on you. Remember this medication is not for everyone, it takes a long time for the drug to get in your blood systom and work.  If you quit your medication whatever your on your mood swings gets worse I know I've been there too.  When I was in my late 20's I was diagnosed with bipolar and took lithium  and 6 months later I quit taking it. Thinking I don't need this anymore I feel better.  The bipolar in pretty much under control I still once in a while have my highs and lows and I know now and understand when I have them. I try to control myself and take a deep breath and try to slow down.  If your medication is work don't stop taking it!!!!   I heard on a show that Dr Phil said don't stop taking your medication if it's working for you, if we have a chemical imbalance then we need to take care of it and ourselves.  I've been so much out of control all my life and tired of feeling this way and tired of that roller coaster. How we can control that roller coaster inside is take medication and it will some of  that ups and downs, medication will not take care of all it we have to work with the medication.   

I also have boderline personality disorder, I struggle with that the most  that is one of the most severe illness to have. I'm working so hard to take of my illnesses. I was so angry when I found out I had them and now we have to take action to work on them. I have done a lot of hard work, but I still have a long ways to go.  I can relate with the RAGE inside, your up one minute the manic stage then you crash into a depression.  The medication has helped a lot,  I still struggle with the BPD illness. I'm ready to go to DBT classes for that and for a whole year. I've had rage all my life and now it's time to stop the cycle. It's so hard at times but now know what is wrong with me and now I got to do something about it.  I was in the ER last year several times and the crazy ward also wanted to die and ever morning last year I just want to wake up and just did not want to live.  I've been through so much all my life, the sexual abuse, physical abuse, drinking and drugging for years to stop the pain inside. I could not stay sober because the pain was so severe,  and the rage was so severe and I could not understand what was going on and had 50 jobs in 15 years and could not hold a job.  I get into a manic stage and rage then walk out and quit my job because I could not handle the stress and my job.  Life is not easy and with a mental illness does not help, I  see Dr Phil help so many people on the show and he is such a wonderful person. 

I have a mixture of bipolar that the worse to have  here is link to it for bipolar, I read, read and read on all my illnesses and learn as much as I can...... 

http://www.bipolarworld.net/Storm/2001/storm17.htm 

lostgirl 

Hi Victoria, 

Thank you for your response. I can't imagine having this illness as a child. To have it sometimes feels like someone has the remote control to your mind and is changing the channel at a rapid rate. It happens so fast and your thoughts fragment and twist off in every direction. I can't imagine how frightening and confusing that must be for a child. 

Can he articulate to you how he is feeling? An advantage I have as an adult is I can observe the thought patterns and the different types of feelings and react, learning all the time about the illness and how to combat it. Plus I can explain it to my psychiatrist. My psychiatrist and psychologist are awesome. It's great that you have great professionals working with your son. 

I think bipolar disorder mimics ADHD for a lot of people. That's because the disorder makes it difficult to concentrate. They thought I had the same dual diagnosis for a while, but it turned out to be just the bipolar disorder. I'm not saying that your son's diagnosis isn't correct at all, I'm just saying that the two illness are similar in a way. 

I respect Dr. Phil and I don't think he would sensationalize the illness, but the intro on this site concerned me which is why I wrote what I did. It is a tremendous responsibility to do a show like this and it isn't often that the illness gets this kind of exposure. 

You take care as well and I will write a follow-up after the show.