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bipolar disorder manic depression

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Q: Any words of advice or comfort for the husband of a Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression) sufferer?
I have been married to my wife Josie for just over 7 months. She suffers from Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression), though only really suffers the “manic” cycles. She is currently displaying her trigger symptoms, which are “suspicious thoughts” where she thinks she is in some kind of spy story. Although I thought I’d be able to be strong for her, I’ve found myself very scared and worried.
I am obviously encouraging her to keep the specialist up to date, especially while she is aware of it, in the hope that they can suggest medication etc to stop it ballooning into anything as serious as she has suffered in years gone by.
Just wondered if there was anyone out there with any words of wisdom?
Thanks in advance for your time.
Martin
You may have to forgive my spelling here, but my wife’s medication is Lithium and Olanzapine. The latter has been increased in dose recently, as she is also taking beta-blockers to combat recent migraines.

A: I really feel for you, my husband has bi-polar and we have been married for 17 years.
I found a great book that has helped me to understand the illness a little better, if you can get a copy, it is well worth the read. “Loving Someone with Bi-Polar Disorder” helping & understanding your partner, By Julie A Fast and John D Preston, PSY.D.

Staying on meds and taking at the right time and right dose does not always keep someone with bi-polar stable, it will help flaten out the mood swings but not stop them altogether. If that is the case for your wife, you should both sit down with her doctor and work out a plan of action for when the cycle starts to change.

Q: What percent of people diagnosed with bipolar disorder/manic depression are girls?
I’m asking specifically about the diagnosis, not the percent of people estimated to have that…. Yes, there’s a reason for that. E-mail me if it’s bothering you, I don’t mind explaining it.

A: It is about 50%
Boys and girls are equally affected.

Q: What is the difference between borderlne personality disorder and bipolar disorder (manic depression)?
The two conditions are supposed to be separate, but if you look at a basic oversight of them (i.e. Wikipedia or similar) they seem extremely similar. I was just wondering if anybody with any knowledge about these matters would be able to point out what the differences are between these two conditions.
Thanks in advance for any answers.
Whoops, I obviously slightly mis-spelt ‘borderline’ in the title there.

A: Bipolar, or manic depression, is a disorder of mood. The person has mood swings which can be sudden and very forceful. Their behaviour can become quite out of control when they are ‘high’ because they are elated and thinking very fast. They can suffer extremely severe depressive bouts.
Borderline personality disorder is quite different, although the person may present initially with depression. It is a developmental disorder where the person typically has a poor sense of themselves and their behaviour in relation to other people. They find it difficult to form and sustain relationships because they find it hard to compromise and often have a poor anger management skills. They tend to blame other people for their problems and find it difficult to accept that their own behaviour affects outcomes. So they are often volatile in mood which is where the confusion occurs, but they do not have mood disorder.
Hope that helps.

Q: What is the difference between Bipolar Disorder and Manic Depression?
Every time I search for facts on Manic Depression, I get stuff on Bipolar Disorder instead, so is it the same thing?

A: I believe mental health professionals no longer use the term manic-depression, now it is officially called bipolar disorder.

Occasionally the DSM changes the names of certain disorders. For example there is no longer such a thing as ADD, now there is only ADHD with or without hyperactivity.

However, once a certain name has been used for so long, the name kinda sticks.

Q: How can I get diagnosed for Bipolar Disorder/manic depression?
How can I get the medication if I’m under 18 and don’t want my parents to know.

I don’t plan on abusing the drugs. I just need something to help with my mood swings and other symptoms

A: If you have enough money to pay for it yourself you can go see any psychiatrist yourself (initial appointment costs about $300)….. The drugs for Bipolar are not tyopically abused because most of them do not get you high……

Everyone has all the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder……. because everyone has mood swings, momentary loss of judgment, likes to go shopping, likes sex, feels down sometimes, gets angry now and then and is hyper on occasion. The difference is that all of these symptoms in Bipolar are so intense that they interfere with your ability to function. Think of a pole (biPOLEr) with 0 at the center (0 being normal) and 10 at one end (manic) and -10 at the other (deep depression). Most people have swings but stay within 3 to -3. I have fairly severe Bipolar 1 but since my psychosis is mild I go from -9 to 9…. Also depression that comes and goes is not bipolar but just recurring depression, you have to have mania for it to be Bipolar….. you have to go to both ends of the pole.

Rapidly changing moods or becoming angry or sad easily is not Bipolar. That is just having emotions. People with Bipolar Disorder do not change emotions quickly, they go through long periods of deep depression followed by long periods of mania or elevated mood, long periods meaning weeks or months or years. Mood effects everything about you…. your energy level, self esteem, sleep patterns, appetite, sexuality, emotional response, etc…..

This is what it is like to have Bipolar disorder:

Depression – too tired to get out of bed, shower, even to brush my teeth. Cry all the time, sleep 16 hours a day. Feelings of self loathing and guilt that drive me to think of suicide but I’m to tired to even think about how to go about killing myself. It makes you feel small and worthless and completely insignificant. It makes you think about how big the world is and how meaningless you are in it….. and it refuses to let you have any good thoughts or see any good things…. when you look in the mirror all you see is pain, you don’t even see yourself, you don’t taste your favorite foods anymore, see that flowers are blooming, whether or not the sun is out, you become so inward that you hardly even notice your surroundings….. You don’t even feel love for people anymore…. positive thoughts are just not possible…… it is a deep dark hole with no way out and no light for hope…. and most of all it makes you feel sooooo alone. And even if there were someone who cared about you they would be better off if you killed yourself……. because all you will ever be is a burden……. this can last from a couple of weeks to a couple of years.

Mania – Way too happy! PARTY GIRL! love drink and drugs. Talk really fast and pressured because my thoughts are going faster than my mouth can keep up with. Hypersexual – like I sleep with strangers and guys I just met on the internet or I masturbate 10 times a day. I once became bisexual because there were twice as many people to sleep with. down load porn and spend tons of money on sex toys. Spending sprees….. I once spent my mortgage money on african violets, yep, $1500 on African violets (then I got depressed and let them all die). Quit my job because I wanted my vacation pay for lottery tickets and I was so convinced I would win that I started shopping and writing bad checks because I’d be rich as soon as the numbers were drawn. Decided that I could replace the furnace in my home by myself… I mean how hard can it be….. Only sleep 2 or maybe 3 hours a night for months on end and never feel tired. In the end I was unemployed, $30,000 in debt, and had almost lost my home, which needed a new furnace because I had removed the old one.. or parts of it anyway. This can last for months.

I also have mixed states when I am depressed and manic at the same time which are truly the worst… By body and mind are depressed but there is this undercurrent of energy running all the time….. I’m highly emotional but the emotions tend to be negative (guilt and anger) I have intrusive thoughts and urges to mutilate myself (like wanting to stick my hands in the garbage disposal or cooking them on the BBQ), and I also have psychotic episodes where I hallucinate. This is when I am most suseptible to suicide because I am depressed, wanting to hurt myself, and I have the mental energy to plan and carry it out.

When I am on meds I am a normal 45 year old single mom of 3 and no one would even guess that

Q: Can a person with bipolar disorder/manic depression get disability?
I filed for disability in march..with diagnosis of panic disorder, severe depression, diastolic dysfunction, diabetes..was turned down! filed for reconsideration and was diagnosed with Bipolar/manic depression. I do not go anywhere. I will drive but as far as goin in place i dont go. I havent been in a store, resturant, etc since dec 2008. I stay home and wont even go to my friends or families homes. Im afraid of havin a severe panic attacks. Those do not feel good. I try to avoid them as much as possible. I have had plenty in my sleep. can someone help me?

A: I understand your panic disorder. I haven’t been able to travel for years because of the horror of panic disorder. You are really bad and you need to get disability. You may have to get some help, since you are not hardly able to leave your home, because this might have to be taken before a Judge in a court of law. I know a lady that has been getting disability for panic disorders for years. She can go around town and just drive a little bit from home. She has been right around her home since 1980. Can’t take vacations. I am fortunate that I have been able to work, but I have had to take jobs below me because of my disability. I have a personality disorder and can’t hardly stand being with people along with panic attacks and constantly being smothered because I have a fear of the sky.. They bother me so bad that I stay to myself most of the time. So I have to work alone, and sometimes I can barely do that. So I do know what you feel and how restricted you are in what you can or can’t do. People who have never suffered with this phobia can not possibly have even an idea. I wish I was normal and could take a trip somewhere. Don’t give up on the disability that you so deserve.

Q: whats the best way to deal with having bipolar disorder / manic depression ?
i have recently been told i suffer from bipolar disorder is there any tips people can give me on how to handle it im a bit scared .
becase i was resently diagnosed and also suffer from anorexia nervosa it makes it slightly harder

A: Ok try This

I have come up with seven ways to assist you in helping to eliminate or reduce your depression.

1) Eat properly : This means, most of all, remember TO eat! With depression, it seems that you either don’t want to eat at all or you gorge yourself constantly! The main thing that is important is that you eat healthy nutrients for your body in order for it to help to get back into balance. If you have trouble eating large meals then eat small meals divided up during the day. Remember to eat green vegetables, chicken, fish etc. You need your protein and especially your vitamin B which helps with stress. You can also take a supplement if your doctor doesn’t contraindicate it.

2) Get enough sleep: Again, with depression, usually the norm is that you either sleep too little or too much. What we are looking for here is a happy medium! Both too little and too much sleep can make you feel even more depressed! If you aren’t tired or you have repetitive thoughts running around in your head, try to read prior to going to bed, watch TV, exercise before bed so that you are tired. Take a hot bath, have your husband or partner give you a massage, use relaxation techniques. Try anything. Remember, don’t lie awake in bed if you can’t sleep. Get up and do something and then try lying down again. That way you only associate bed with sleep.

3) Get outside: Why? because that puts you back in the world of the living! It is especially helpful for me to go out to the woods and take in all of the scenery with all of the sights and sounds. There is something about hearing birds chirping that helps. Sunshine helps depression so get out in the sun and let it do it’s work! Breathe in the fresh air. Even if you have no desire to get off of your sofa or out of your bed, believe me, I have been there and I understand, trust me, you absolutely need to get outside! Go do an errand that needs to be done, even if it is just a small one. You CAN do it if you try!

4) Exercise: Ok, I KNOW that you have heard this one! I used to think “yeah, right! I can’t even get the strength to stand up from my chair but you want me to exercise?!!” I hear you loud and clear, but before you completely disregard it, let me inform you that exercise releases endorphins that naturally reduce depression so that it scientifically does help you! When I say exercise, I don’t mean that you have to start an aerobics class or anything that intense!! I am talking about just walking around the block to start with..or as far as you can tolerate the first time. Try to increase your endurance and distance every time you walk. You can also try the Wii fitness, if you have it. It can be quite helpful because it offers Yoga as an exercise, which I happen to use. The main point is get your body moving! It may be painful at first..but you definitely will see a difference in the end.

5) Use Relaxation Techniques: If you have not learned how to relax or any easy relaxation techniques, there are many videos out there that will walk you through a full body relaxation and it is something that you can also do for yourself. One example of this is to start at the top of your body, ( your head) tense by the count of three and relax by the count of three, and continue this with every muscle of your body down to your toes until you feel physically relaxed.
Relaxation also applies to whatever it is you do that is your passion. You may not be “feeling” it right now, but attempt to try it. Going through the motions can sometimes be helpful. Write in a journal, paint, go fishing, listen to music, dance…whatever it is to you that can give you peace of mind, even for a moment. Go to your “place of peace” or an imaginary place that you feel safe, secure and free of stress. Basically, it means try to imagine yourself in a place where you feel the most comfortable and safe. Imagine it and memorize it to the fullest detail. This will be helpful for you when you get stressed out. You can mentally take yourself back to that place quickly with practice!

6) Pet a pet: Sound simple? Well, it is! Research has shown that people who have pets are less stressed. Think about how relaxing it is to pet a cat or dog. They love you unconditionally and only want to please you. What more could you want? More and more hospitals, nursing homes, etc. are allowing “pet therapy” for their residents because they realize it’s value. Try it for yourself. You will be glad you did!

7) Act “As if..”: Most people who are in any type of recovery program knows only too well what this saying means! To explain it.. it means even if you are feeling completely depressed, try as hard as you can to act “as if” you aren’t depressed. Go through the motions of your daily life. It is important to keep up your routine. Depressed people tend to get out of their normal routine and find it difficult to resume it sometimes. This does not mean that you will automatically feel completely wonderful and not depresse

Q: What Is Bipolar disorder (Manic depression)?
My doctor wants to do some tests to determine weather or not, I have Bipolar disorder.
She gave me a pamphlet but its not very informative, just states the facts that I feel depressed alot and have for most of my life and I have mood changes which is true.
But not what it is caused by, how it can be treated and so on.

Any info would be great.

Thanks
Prince!

I agree with your answer.
Although I wasn’t coming to conclusions.

A: People confuse mood with emotion….. mood affects everything about you. Your energy level, sleep patterns, appetite, emotional response (which emotions you feel and how strongly), your judgment, sexual appetite, etc……. Bipolar is not about being happy one minute then sad the next then mad, that is just having emotions….. The mood swings in Bipolar last a very long time, weeks to months to years and the average Bipolar only swings once or twice a year.

People never never understand the true severity of bipolar disorder. They also do not understand that for an “episode” to be considered Bipolar it has to last all day every day for a week……. That’s the minimum, in reality the episodes last for weeks or months or even years. There are cases where a person can have more than one or two episodes a year but it is really rare. Also you HAVE TO HAVE the mania (or hypomania) for it to be bipolar. Without mania it is just recurring depression.

The mood swings in Bipolar do not usually have a trigger. They come and go very randomly…… If someone with Bipolar is depressed or manic there is nothing you can do to bring them out of their mood short of medication…..

This is what Bipolar is like for me.

Depression- to tired to get out of bed, shower, brush your teeth….. lie in bed and stare at the ceiling for days at a time, crying a lot, feelings of guilt, and self loathing, may be suicidal but are too tired to even consider planning it, sleep 16 hours a day or more, eating too much or not enough.

Manic – over the moon happy, hypersexual (like masturbating 10 times a day or sleeping with numerous men, strangers, your cousin…….decide you are bi because then there are twice as many people to have sex with, decide you are into BDSM and contract to be someones slave for a week), spending your mortgage money on african violets (or some other useless things), driving your car 120 mph, grandiose thoughts (like thinking you can put a new furnace in your house by yourself, or tearing the sideing of the house because youcan put ip new stuff by yourself with a hammer and a hacksaw), quitting your job because you are buying lottery tickets with your last paycheck and you know you will win…… only sleep 2 or 3 hours a night and feel completely rested, can’t concentrate, racing thoughts (it sounds like 50 people in your head all talking at the same time), talk really fast and loud because your mouth can’t keep up with our mind.

Q: Is this a sign of bipolar disorder/manic depression?
Every once in awhile I will either get very depressed and cry over small things “literally cry” and/or get angry.

I’m am usually never happy, only on very rare occasion do I feel happy.

Thinking happy doesn’t work, I can smile and laugh but not feel happy.

Meds don’t work either, some make it worst.

A: Usually with manic depression, you’ll have bursts of euphoria- extreme, intense feelings of happiness. However, you can only have one episode of mania and still be diagnosed with bipolar disorder so it depends. It sounds like you’re in a consistent mood, so mood swings seem to be absent. It doesn’t sound like bipolar, but I would really encourage you to go talk to a psychiatrist. Especially if you think you have bipolar disorder and think you’ve been misdiagnosed. They’ll take that into consideration.

Q: Manic depression or bipolar disorder?
Whats the difference between manic depression and bipolar disorder? I’ve done the research on both disorders and I seem to be suffering from both. What is the best medication to help bipolar disorder and manic depression? This is taking over my life and I need a good medication to help me.

A: manic depression is also known as bipolar, here is a site on depression and antidepressant as well, hope it helps:

Q: Are manic depression and Bipolar disorder really the same thing?
I was diagnosed with Manic Depression about three years ago. I stopped taking the meds after six months because I didn’t like what they do to me.

I have been having difficulty with my MD a lot lately–it’s been worse. Mood swings for no causes whatsoever. I was googling some alternatives to prescribed medication for Manic Depression and everything that came up was Bipolar disorder.

I knew that the two were similar–but are they really the same thing?

A: Yes, they are two names for the same disorder. Manic Depression is the old name for what is now called Bipolar Disorder. Professionals chose to discard the name “Manic Depression” or “Manic-Depressive Disorder” in favor of Bipolar Disorder because it is more accurate. Not all forms of bipolar cause manic episodes – bipolar II does not have manic features, but instead the patient suffers from “hypomanic” or “sub-manic” episodes. Cyclothymia also has these hypomanic features, as well as less profound depressive episodes. Because of the different varieties of the disorder, the name “Manic Depression” was misleading and inaccurate, so it was changed to Bipolar Disorder.

Hope that helps clear things up!

Q: BiPolar Disorder/Manic Depression?
I have BiPolar Disorder/Manic Depression and I’ve been reading a lot about some of your experiences on here. I’ve done a lot of research on the Illness, as I am a Psych. Major, and I was just wondering if those of you with this Illness, or any other Mental Illness at that matter, would like to share your experiences/story?
To Jessie K: I was trying to use terms that everyone knew. Some people know it as BiPolar, some people know it as Manic Depression.

Although, I’m sure that must be hard for you to grasp.
Don’t worry about the self-diagnosis, I’ve been diagnosed since I was 14, went into Psych. to help others, etc.

I just wanted to make a place for people to share their experiences, as I had read so many questions of people who were confused and reaching out.

A: I have suffered from Bipolar & Borderline Personality Disorder for 25 years. There were a lot of contributing factors that developed throughout my childhood. I was used, abused, ridiculed, teased, bullied & hit. I was sexually abused at 5 & 6 & gang raped at 17 (as a virgin), then a couple of months later abducted at knife point & raped again. I became a drug addict & I was a very angry person, self-harming & many suicide attempts, in & out of the psych ward, rehabs, counselling. Had a crap life, criminal record, lost my kids, lost jobs, cars & property repossessed, disowned by family, lost friends, became homeless, declared bankrupt 3 times-I tried everything to get my life back on track, I just wanted a normal life & to be happy. They say CBT therapy is best & I tried this for 5 years & it didn’t do much for me, plus statistics prove that 80% of people fail to maintain change in the long-term. However, when I started this new therapy called ACT, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, my life changed dramatically. I stopped taking drugs & I haven’t been back to the psych ward since. I had 65 admissions in a 5 year period, I’ve not had 1 admission in over a year now since I started ACT therapy. I participated in a group therapy once a week for 6 months & also an individual therapy session once a week for 9 months. I learnt so much about understanding my thoughts, feelings, & emotions & that I may not be able to control these but I can control how I behave in response to my thoughts, feelings & emotions. They teach many methods to enable you to deal with the most unpleasant emotions & feelings, yet still react & behave in an acceptable way. This dramatically helps with improving self-esteem, confidence & relationships too. I’m closely monitored & take medication which gets altered according to if I’m going ‘up’ or ‘down’, I know the warning signs & I’m able to control it before it controls me. I needed a combination of meds & therapy, one or the other on it’s own wasn’t good enough.I went from drug addict/basket case to a fully functioning, respected citizen who is now studying Drug & Alcohol Work & Counselling & running support groups myself now, I’ve become a role model-YES my life has improved dramatically!! BPD is not a permanent condition, I was tested & re-diagnosed recently & have no BPD symptoms at all, when they once were very severe. It is hard to live with, it’s a lot of hard work to keep symptoms at bay, but I’m in control now & enjoying my life, I’m not going to let it sink me again. I’m seriously thinking of going on & studying Psychology myself because the more I learn, the more I understand & that gives me the confidence to keep on top of it & I want to help others cope with it too.

Q: Bipolar Manic Depression Disorder ?
I was just told that i have Bipolar Manic Depression Disorder (BPMDD) and i am worried because i feel as if i am broken. I am worried because I don’t know anyone else my age who has it.

A: I’m 24. I have it.

Q: Would people who have bipolar disorder (manic depression) choose to keep the condition or get rid of it?
I have bipolar disorder (a.k.a. manic depression). I have the bipolar II type.
I was just wondering if other people who have the condition would choose to keep it, or would choose to get rid of it, if they had the chance?
For me the question would be difficult. Sometimes I get really demoralised and downbeat about being depressed, how it (sometimes markedly) messes up my academic work because I can’t be motivated to do anything, and can cause a stigma against me (I’ve lost jobs when I’ve admitted to being bipolar).
But then on the other hand, I really really appreciate my highs, when everything seems so vivid and brilliant. It makes me feel I am really experiencing life, and privy to things that people without the disorder would miss. And if I’m on a high it really really helps my academic work (I’m a postgrad) cos ideas come much faster and are better.
I was watching the Stephen Fry programme about Bipolar which aired in the UK. Most folks asked said they’d choose to keep it.
So my question is, if you have bipolar disorder, would you choose to keep it or get rid of it?
Thanks in advance for any answers.
p.s. this repeats a question I asked earlier, only because I guess there are new folks online now who weren’t earlier.

A: A psychiatrist once told me that in general the most gifted, artistic people suffer from manic depression and judging by the large number of famous, talented people who are affected by this condition I think he was right. While some of the lows are really black, the highs can be stupendous, ideas come thick and fast though sometimes this can cause sleeplessness 24/7

Q: Are bipolar disorder and manic depression the same thing?
Can some explain what manic depression actually means?

A: yes they are the same disorders just with and “updated” name. manic depression/bipolar is basically when you have periods of hyperness (mania) and periods of depression. sometimes this periods can last hours days or months depending on the type of bipolar.

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