Healing Instead of Dealing With: Getting Back in the Driver ’s seat With Mental Illness

We get visitors who know very little about bipolar disorder and so why not educate and arm readers with some basic information? < br / > < br / > Bipolar disorder is a mental condition that affects both mood stability and cognitive functioning. The condition is characterized by extreme variations in mood from elation and high functioning to depression and withdrawal. Those extreme variations are cyclical in nature. Some doctors have named the condition bipolar spectrum disorder(BSD) because of the continuum of characteristics. < br / > < br / > There is a genetic predisposition to BSD, it tends to run in families. Research has uncovered certain genes that may indicate BSD tendencies in the brain but there is no physical test for it. Diagnosis is by observation of behavior and self reporting of the manic depressive cycles. Often the depressive stage of BPS is identified and treated with medication but the manic stage is downplayed and attributed to the unique personality of the patient. As a result people suffer for years as episodes or cycles can last that long. BSD takes a toll on relationships and careers, because of the irrational and extreme behaviors that ignore consequences and boundaries. < br / > < br / > Treatment of BSD produces less than optimal results, because is difficult to diagnose correctly, some drugs have the reverse of the desired effect, and patients are not compliant in their treatment. Treatment usually involves drug therapy. Psychotherapy with a drug ...
Source: Weird Cake: Myopic musings from a bipolar survivor - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: blogs