Explaining to you what I am dealing with..
- Stripped down to basics, people with bipolar disorder have mood swings, from elation to depression, that don't necessarily have anything to do with what's going on in their lives.
- Bipolar disorder is also called manic depression, and it appears to be caused by electrochemical abnormalities in the brain.
- TV shows like to show people with bipolar disorder as criminals, but don't worry -- only a small percentage are ever violent, and I'm not one of them!
- "Mania" and "manic" don't mean "crazy" -- they refer to extra high emotions, full of energy, fast talking, not needing much sleep, excessive spending, brain racing.
- I am a slow cycler -- that means I cycle through my emotions slowly, for no obvious reason. I am Bipolar 2 which means I am mainly in a depressive cycle.
- I get into what are called "mixed states" when I seem to have a lot of energy but at the same time am really down, angry or panicky. I am here alot.
- There are a lot of possible medications for bipolar disorder.
- When I'm manic, I have particular problems with spending too much money, talking too much, not making a lot of sense, racing thoughts.
- Inappropriate anger can be a symptom of bipolar disorder. I might say or have said hurtful things that I really don't mean -- I'm sorry! Finding the right medication should help control that behavior.
- When I get depressed or into a mixed state, I sometimes feel suicidal. That's my illness talking -- but it's serious. You might have to get me to a hospital if I seem really bad.
- Bipolar disorder seems to be inherited but the exact cause is not known yet.
I really hope this helps explain things alittle better about what is going on...
No comments:
Post a Comment