Bipolar Affective Disorder: Gift or Curse?

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by David H. Wilson, Jun 28, 2002.

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  1. David H. Wilson

    David H. Wilson New Member

    Is manic-depressive illness the catch-all of wonderment or is it to be feared and treated.

    Dave

    KC7WGB
     
  2. levicoff

    levicoff Guest

    No, it is to be laughed at. :p

    Seriously, I work with bipolar patients every day. It is not to be feared, but it is to be treated. As with many physical disorders, you'll die with it, but not from it - it is not curable, but it is treatable.

    And, if you have a sense of humor, there can be a funny side to it. But not quite as much as there is to schizophrenia. Or so my voices tell me. :D

    As for multiple personality disorder, even that is treatable. That's what my friend Josh told me. All three of him.
    ______________________________

    Remember, you should not make fun of the mentally ill . . . even though they are nuts. (I can imagine the fan mail that will result from this response.)
     
  3. David H. Wilson

    David H. Wilson New Member

    Suicide in the regular population is 6 in 1000, Bipolar patients ( confirmed ) it's 1 in 5

    Dave

    KC7WGB
     
  4. irat

    irat New Member

    always an interesting topic

    I used to work in rehabilitation with a variety of individuals with diagnosed conditions. Bi-polar is a diagnosis. Many people live successfully with that diagnosis. Many people in a variety of jobs ranging from college teaching to fast food work. I think in my 12 years in rehabilitation medications were steadily improving. I think counselors were also learning better how to assist consumers/clients along a mutual path of coping, or making adjustments which maintain independent and productive lifestyles.
    I have great fears for many diagnosed conditions with the steady decline in funding for mental health services. Hospitals find it impossible to make a profit in emergency psychiatric services. Local community mental health centers have steadily had level funding, or funding increases lower than inflation.
    So much for the soapbox. I do believe that we need really competent people working in the mental health/psychiatry field. I had one client who appeared depressed. The gp prescribed prozac. It triggered a manic episode. Very hard on everyone. It was later reported to me that it was a known side effect of the medication, and that the full medical record showed there had already been a previous manic episode. ooops.
    I think along with good services, we also need people who can accept individual differences. As long as people are doing their jobs, how much do I need to know about their personal life.
    All the best!
     
  5. Bill Huffman

    Bill Huffman Well-Known Member

    Re: Re: Bipolar Affective Disorder: Gift or Curse?

    So is Narcissist Personality Disorder treatable or is their lot in life just to be laughed at? :)

    The first part of the question was serious. I hope that this isn't off the off-topic topic, someone once indicated to me that there were similarities between NPD and Bipolar but maybe that was only that they are both called personality disorders?

    P.S. Consider this a fan mail because I'm too lazy to email and say that I enjoyed your post.
     
  6. Jack Tracey

    Jack Tracey New Member

    Re: Re: Re: Bipolar Affective Disorder: Gift or Curse?

    Sorry Bill, you've been listening to the wrong people. If you'll consult your DSM-IV TR you'll find that Bipolar Disorder is an Axis I disorder whereas the Personality Disorders are all found on Axis II. The primary similarity between NPD and Bipolar Disorder is that the grandiosity that is frequently found in people while they are in the hypomanic state can have features in common with narcissism. In this regard, however, hypomanic grandiosity tends to be noticibly ungrounded in reality.
    Jack
     
  7. Myoptimism

    Myoptimism New Member

    Gift or curse?

    In my case I would say either one is accurate.

    Tony
     
  8. levicoff

    levicoff Guest

    Re: Re: Re: Bipolar Affective Disorder: Gift or Curse?

    Jack has provided an excellent answer, to which I need to add nothing (except that if any counselors are reading this and you don't know what the DSM-IV is, make sure you don't do any diagnosing).

    As for the direct question, I would only add that while NPD is real, it does not apply to persons with regionally accredited doctorates. We really are great. :D
     
  9. David H. Wilson

    David H. Wilson New Member

    The thread starters i.d.

    I have Bipolar 1, with mixed episodes and psychotic symptoms. I take: tegretol 1,800 mg a day, wellbutrin 400 mg a day, and topamax 300 mg a day. I used to take 2,000 mg a day of lithium for a year, and didn't die from the side effects. I have never attempted suicide.
    I am married for the fifth time ( a side benifit of manic-depression ), no children.
    My Myers-Briggs type is INTJ
    My I.Q. is in the at least 96 percentile

    I could go on...


    Dave

    KC7WGB
     
  10. Bill Huffman

    Bill Huffman Well-Known Member

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Bipolar Affective Disorder: Gift or Curse?

    I actually already knew this fellow was a "wrong people" and was skeptical. :) Thanks for the info.
     
  11. dlkereluk

    dlkereluk New Member

    Both.

    Darren L. Kereluk, B.P.A.D.(II-URC), G.A.D., A.D.H.D.(P.I.T.)
     
  12. zadudet1

    zadudet1 New Member

    As someone who has suffered from bipolar since I was 15, back when my family just shrugged their shoulders and said, "Must be teenage hormones." despite the fact that I was practically drowning in my own mind, I can say it is both. After being untreated so long, I can't seem to stay on meds which is fine when I'm manic, though there are downside to both, but the moment the depression sets in I regret not taking my lithium. So to answer to your question is as with most mental illness(Notice the most) there are both good and bad things that come along with it. To put this into perspective, some very well known artists, writers, poets, and musicians are or are suspected of being bipolar.
     
  13. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    yes to both
     
  14. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    BTW - I'm bipolar too. Diagnosed in 1988 (at age 26).
     
  15. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    How could anyone consider it a gift? Since you said "yes to both" and speak from experience maybe you can help me out with that one, Ted.

    I know a number of people with the disorder and they all struggle immensely because of it. It's a true testament to their respective characters and dedication that unless they came out and told you, you could never guess from the outside that they were fighting with their own minds and bodies every single day.
     
  16. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    Maniac: Anything can be either a blessing or a curse, depending on how you choose to deal with it. Is the glass half-full or half-empty? Do you see problems or opportunity? The last time I was on a psych ward, five years ago, I met a young lady who was a counselor (yes, she was one of the patients) who was manic-depressive. She was a borderline genius (134 IQ), as am I (a mere humble 131 IQ). We talked a great deal about manic-depression and about famous geniuses (genii?) of history. We came to the conclusion that many of the great geniuses (genii?) of history were manic-depressives. PS - This fellow manic-depressive genius is now one of my facebook friends and, as well, I count her as being one of my many cute lesbian girlfriends. We also talked a great deal about the idea of the wounded healer theory of counseling (though I have forgotten the name of that Catholic priest and Christian counselor who wrote the book on the wounded healer theory).
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 15, 2014
  17. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    There are some who think that manic-depression is a gift because those wild manic swings are so much fun.
    (I think that is just irresponsible, however).
     
  18. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    His name is Henri Nouwen, and his book is now on my Amazon.com wish list.
     
  19. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    A Few Interesting Things That Can Happen When You're On A Wild Manic Swing:

    1. I have noticed that when I am on one of my wild manic swings, I tend to apply for a bunch of credit cards (and actually get some of them) and then max them out very quickly.

    2. I have noticed that when I am on one of my wild manic swings, I tend to drive a lot, over long distances (that is, when I actually have both a driver's license and a car) for what outsiders might consider no good reason. For example, on one occasion I made the decision to drive from Seattle, WA (home to the University of Washington) to Pullman, WA (home to Washington State University), an eight hour drive. Once in Pullman, I bought a copy of the Washington State University catalog and bought some used history books at Bruised Books. Noticing that the University of Idaho (in Moscow, ID) is a mere 8 miles from Wazzu, I got on Hwy. 8 (I think) and went to Moscow, ID. Once there, I bought a University of Idaho catalog and bought some used history books at Twice Sold Tales. The next leg of the trip was to go north to Couer de Lane, ID, find I-90, and drive to Spokane, WA, and then on to Seattle. Well, it was getting late at night and I was getting tired and so I stopped in at a bar in Tensed, ID, and went inside. NB: Tensed, ID is on an Indian reservation. While at this bar, a Native American individual asked me if I'd like to sleep with his sister. I didn't know quite what to think about the situation. One part of me wondered whether offering one's sister was the Native Americans' way of showing hospitality to one's guest. But the other part of me was wondering whether sleeping with some Native American guy's sister just might be a good way for a white guy to get in deep trouble. So, I left the bar and drove down the road looking for a motel. Having located a hotel, I found that hotels cost a good bit more money than I had thought. So I called my father, who called in his MasterCard Gold number so I could have a hotel room for the night in Tensed, ID. The next day, I made the 8 hour trip home.

    3. On my wild manic swing of 2003, I made the decision that, while working on my master's thesis in history (on armor and weapons of the Trojan War), I took two additional courses on Art History and Biblical Philosophy at CSUDH as well as three classes (Civil War Society & Culture, Reconstruction After the War, and Civil War Cavalry, I think) at AMU. Needless to say, I ended up with a whole rash of incompletes that lapsed into F's a year later.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 15, 2014
  20. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    "Born under a bad sign --
    Been down since I could crawl; (2x)
    Wasn't for bad luck --
    Wouldn't have no luck at all." (Bluesman Albert King)


    Such car-trips by people on "wild manic swings" have been the source of interesting reading. - e.g. books by the late Jack Kerouac.

    Many times, over the past 50-odd years, I've come to be very familiar with depression - but I've never EVER experienced any kind of maniac swing - mild or wild.

    Dang - I've really missed something! :smile:

    Johann
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 16, 2014

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