Messages By: bluesun

Reading the intro, and watching the introduction to the show, I am already frustrated.


"Dr. Phil explores the ups and downs of bipolar disorder. This illness takes its victims on an emotional rollercoaster ride -- from elation to extreme irritability, intense rage, or devastating depression. First, Cathy was diagnosed with Bipolar II, 10 years ago and claims she goes from zero to psycho in 15 seconds. Dr. Phil takes a look at the toll her disorder takes on her two boys, and brings the family together for a dramatic moment of emotional healing. Then, during various manic episodes, Fred has stolen a taxi, crashed into a Starbucks, and climbed to the top of a church. He hears voices and believes that movie stars like Denzel Washington and Robert De Niro are talking to him through their movies. Still, Fred thinks he’s ready to move out of his parents’ house and live on his own for good … but should his family let him? Talk about the show here."

Dramatic moment of emotional healing...
being bipolar or having any mental illness doesn't give you an excuse to be a jerk. Being frustrated with the maze of medications and the confusion of treatment options doesn't mean it's ok to give up an throw away your responsibilities. Having problems with emotional moderation does not give you permission to be abusive.

As far as ''letting'' someone move out of their parents' house and living on their own...
everyone deserves to be happy and heathy and functioning to the extent that they are capable.

There are many people who suffer from psychosis who, with the right management plans and coping skills and support network, live on their own.

Some one with a Mental Illness is not a child.
It is someone with a mental illness.
They should be treated as such- with all of the appropriate respect and expectations.
There *are* limits to what people can do, but if you set the bar low, you set everyone back.

People who throw temper tantrums and give up on their treatment contribute to this.
People who act as caretakers really are working against us.

And it pisses me off.


I seriously hope that there wil be some greater insights than in this program than I have previously seen elsewhere.

Though there seem to be so many damn commercials, and it is such a complicated issue, I am not sure how much I can expect.

There will probably be one or two good things but just the intro itself frustrates me.

 ...I guess that is a tangent, but this is a thread about bipolar, no? 

 

[I really don't appreciate how this forum needs to have its messages approved. I feel as though my message won't be seen. Its different if no one agrees] 

That makes me really sad.

You work with them as you would work with anyone else.
People with affective disorders have feelings too.
I talk to a lot of people who have to question themselves because it is a beautiful day outside, the sun is shining, and they feel good.
They have been driven to the point where they now need to ask themselves if that means they are going into a manic episode.

That's not fair.
If someone sneezes, I don't assume that they are infected with the Black Plague.

And as for alcohol and medications- different medications interact to varying degrees with alcohol.
Caffeine can interact with some of these medications. This person might drink coffee.
Grapefruit juice can too. Cola and tea can interact with some of them.

My advice is: it is their issue to deal with meds and alcohol. Unless you are really good friends, and you know what meds they are on and what interactions there are, there really isn't any thing that you should be saying or doing.

Just be a person?
I think a lot of people aren't aware they know someone with bipolar.

"Bi polar is just like having a heart condition- it needs to be fixed with a doctor, and meds... and there are complications until it is fixed.... "

I agree completely. In the context of a heart condition, there are personal expectations. You have to take care of yourself and pursue treatment.  If someone who had a type of heart condition did not pursue treatment, did not take care of themselves, and therefore where unable to support themselves *because* of that worssening condition, I am not going to agree that they have no responsibility in their current situation if they do irreversible damage to their heart.

It is similar to any mental illness. You recognize you have a problem. You still have some control over your behaviors. Yes, it is hard. No you don't always succeed until you have a real handle on a good treament/managment plan. But I still think it is a jerky thing to not persue treatment of any kind  especially when it has such devistating effects on your family.

I have it.
And a couple other things going on.

It isn't easy to deal with. I have already been through a lot of med combinations and I am still trying to get it right.  A lot of the side effects can be really harsh and sometimes it ends up that the med doesn't work.  But I am better and getting better.

It takes time and maintenance.

And not everyone is trying to be mean, I am sure.
But I think that there *are* a lot of ignorant people, and if someone would like to say that there is no organic basis than please reference your sources.

Doesn't mean I am not responsible for my actions- manic or depressed or mixed.
I can't just flip out at someone in a grocery store because they took the last container of organic strawberries and say that is perfectly fine because of my disorder and I don't have to apologize, even if my meds are being adjusted and I am dealing with a bad case of insomnia.

It makes me mad and sad sometimes that people just don't get it, but I can't just say 'you don't know what you're talking about' because that never helps anyone.

...

Bipolar Disorder is complex.
It's not a fun ride.   Hypo/mania can be addictive and the cycle is hard to break.
Because when you are depressed, you want to get help. A lot of times, by the time you decide that you are truly depressed and not just tired or cranky or the victim of some takeout that just ''didn't sit right'', you could be too depressed to actually go some where, seek help, go to work, call friends, leave the house, take a shower, get out of bed...

And then it starts to clear up and you feel better for a while and things are ok and you put it in the back of your head. A lot of times, BPII's have more depression than hypomania, and have several depressive episodes before that first hypomanic episode.

Which happens one of two ways- on it's own, in which case you are DEFINATELY convinced there is nothing wrong with you because for a while you don't need sleep and can think a lot more and read more and clean the house quicker and do things with all sorts of efficiency that you never did before.

Or you finally get help for your depression, sometimes you react to a med and it could elevate you a little too much.

Either way, it can start the up down up down.

But- your down, you may take meds. You feel better, ok. That passed, I don't feel so bad anymore.  I probably don't need meds. The hypo/mania is hard to pull away from because who needs meds when you feel *good*, right?

It can include obsessive thinking, compulsive behavior, problems with relationships and organizational skills, insomnia, cognitive issues, risk taking behavior.
The suicide rate can be very high.

So.
I'm not a professional. That is just what I pull out of my head for how to describe BP a little bit.

But it doesn't describe me.

If you are reading about the disorder, please keep that in mind. I am someone who has bipolar, but I am not the diagnosis itself. So when people say uneducated or ignorant things, I have to try to read it in that context.


And I may have, once again, wandered away from the original intent. not sure.

Could you cite your references about the origins of bipolar that you are refering to?

Particularly
"I believe Bi-Polar results from unresolved pain or feelings one has never expressed. When someone does not deal with their problems and stuff all  their issues down so deep believing they will not suface."

Many times [though not all, as you said] when bipolar or schizophrenia or epilepsy go untreated, it can get worse.
This is called kindling.
It suggests that behaviors/signals that are happening can have a tendency to keep happening if not treated.
they can get 'worse' and become more ingrained over time, which means that the bipolar, for example, can become more severe.
This is how untreated cyclothymia, in some cases, can lead to BPII.
or BPII, in some cases, can lead to BPI.

I tried to used a paths in the woods model but didn't get far:http://bipolar.about.com/cs/brainchemistry/a/0009_kindling1.htm

Even if there is no change in diagnoses, your brain still isn't happy with what goes on during a depressive episode or a manic episode.


I say all this because...
Bipolar has some enviromental factors, yes. Extraordinary amounts of stress can mess about with some of the thyroid hormones a bit. And outside forces can inflict enough stress to trigger a mood episode in those who are predisposed to it.
But the factors need to be present in the person. it is an organic disorder and it needs to be treated and addressed chemically.



prayer could help the stress and effects from the disorder, the chaos it may cause in our lives.
It won't protect your brain from frying.


http://www.mcmanweb.com/article-161.htm
http://www.moodswing.org/causes.html

"I can't say this is the case for all bipolar people, but I think in the case of some (many?), and in the case of my father, they don't want to be cured or truly get better."

Vegemite-

This is the case for a lot of people in a lot of different things.
I think when this happens it really has more to do with the person than the disorder. It's one thing to have a hard time getting help, or realizing you need help.

Some people just don't want to get help- that happens with a lot of different things.

.
Have you looked into any famiy support groups?

Forum with  a prenancy and meds board-
www.crazyboards.org

The pregnancy/meds support board:  http://www.crazyboards.org/index.php?showforum=22

In the very least, there are a lot of people going through the same thing

Which isn't fair or nice.
What exactly am I not living?
Bipolar?

I am bipolar.

Having an emotional abusive, chemically dependent parent in  denial?
Fit the bill for that also.

I wans't rude or mean.

     I am getting a little confused when people don't quote both messages if there are two that they are responding to-

Like an original message, a response,
and then they are replying to both of those?

How can I know what someone is responding to...   did I miss a button?

ugh. sorry.

You could try erowid.org  or  http://bipolar.about.com/cs/dualdiag/a/dual_ecstasy.html