Bipolar
– A ROLLERCOASTER RIDE.
Biopar
disorder is often referred to as the ‘roller-coaster-ride ‘illness,other
well known terms used are Manic depression and bipolar affective disorder.
Bipolar is a lifelong condition that can affect both
how you feel and how you act. It is a mood disorder thought to be caused by
chemical imbalances in the brain that can result in extreme swings in mood—from
manic highs to depressive lows.
To be diagnosed with bipolar disorder, you must have
experienced a high period (mania). Bipolar mania is described as an
"extreme high," or feeling unusually great. Most people with bipolar
disorder, when ill or when symptomatic, experience more lows than highs.
Bipolar has quite a colourful history, it is classed
as one of the oldest known illnesses. It was recognised as far back as ancient
Turkey where symptoms of mania and depression were thought to be linked.
w These findings went largely unnoticed until
1650 when a scientist named ‘Richard Barton’ who focused specifically on
depression and wrote a book ‘The Anatomy of Melancholia’ his findings are still
used by many today in the field of mental health, Barton is known as the father
of depression.
w In 1854 Jules Fairet coined the term ‘folie
circulive’ (circular insanity) Faret established a link between depression and
suicide. He also found a distinction between depression and periods of
heightened mood. In 1875 the term ‘Manic depressive psychosis’ was recognised
as a mental health disorder. Another find he made was in some families that
there was a genetic connection. Around this time Frances Ballarger founded the
term bipolar and it received its own classification from other mental health
disorders.
w In 1913 Emil Krapelin established the term
Manic depressive studying effects of depression and the manic state. Over
fifteen years this ideology was fully accepted into mental health study.
w Throughout the 1960s many with the disorder
were institutionalised and were given little help as the disorder was
officially not recognised . It was only in the early 1970s that this changed.
During the 1980s research finally made a link between child and adult bipolar
disorder.
Even today studies
are needed to find the probable causes and the possible methods to treat the
illness.
Bipolar is thought to be caused in several ways for
example through life changes such as childbirth, medicines such as
antidepressants or steroids, poor sleep pattern and overuse of recreational
drugs
Bipolar disorder affects
men and women equally. It usually starts between ages 15 - 25. The exact cause
is unknown, but it occurs more often in relatives of people with bipolar
disorder.
In most people with bipolar disorder, there is no
clear cause for the manic or depressive episode.
The treatments for people suffering from bipolar are
varied according to the individual’s needs. They stretch from medication such
as mood stabilisers ie. Lithium, Carbamazepine, also anti-depressants, there
are anti-psychotic drugs and anti-anxiety drugs typically known as benzodiazepines .Running in conjunction
with these are psychotherapies.
There are also support programs put in place.
Family treatments
that combine support and education about bipolar disorder (psychoeducation) may
help families cope and reduce the odds of symptoms returning. Programs that
offer outreach and community support services can help people who do not have
family and social support.
Teaching in how to administer and manage medication
correctly,education on correct sleep patterns and helping sufferers recognise
the signs and symptoms when there disorder starts to present itself.
There are also treatments for children but these are
not that well studied. There are several self-funded support agencies available
such as AWARE, Samaritans etc.
Sadly through studies periods of depression or mania
return in most patients, even with treatment.
David Hayes is a senior psychiatric nurse who is
based in the busy environment of mental health services at Mayo general
hospital.
According to David, patients are often referred by
their GPs or by other health professionals when they are at crisis point with
their illness. David said ‘many patients were treated with medication which are
very effective alongside counselling’, He continued ‘trigger points can bring
on this manic behaviour such as stress, misuse of drink and drugs, though the
illness can appear at any time and in some cases is believed to be genetic
.He
added ‘in more serious cases a patient would require hospitalisation sometimes
sectioned under the law’
.
It is estimated
that one in four of us will experience some mental health problems in our
lifetime, from a low period, to a more serious depression, to a small number
who will experience severe mental health problems.
Most people use
their GP as a first point of contact and are treated by their GP alone. If the
GP thinks the person needs more intensive treatment they will refer them to day
and hospital services for mental health sufferers where they will receive
therapy and more intensive treatments. Some will also access support groups
available to them within their area or nationally.
It appears to be that many people still do not seek
help with bipolar (depression). They tend to suffer in silence.
This could be down to several
factors, perhaps they feel they do not have an issue and the feeling is
natural, that they are unaware of the resources available to them or that they
think that there is a stigma attached to mental health problems.
It also appears through sources that the illness is far more common than
people think.
It should not be under estimated the burden this
illness has on families and in some cases they require as much support as the
sufferer.
As mentioned earlier this illness in many cases is
recurring and obviously places a drain on family members.
Famous Bipolar sufferers : Vincent Van Gogh, Spike Milligan, Kurt
Cobain, Winston Churchill, Jimi Hendrix, Robin Williams, Sting, Robbie
Williams, Jim Carey, Richard Dreyfuss, Ozzy Osbourne, Frank Bruno, Adam Ant,
Carrie Fisher
References
Wikipedia – History and definitions of bipolar
AWARE website – support available for people with bipolar
Citizen Advice Bureau – Publication on people with Disabilities
HSE – list of services , Interview with Mental health services
Stephen Fry – The secret life of the Manic depressive parts 1&2
(video)
DBSA – Depression and bipolar support alliance
Aware support group
Citizen Advice
Bureau
Mayo General
Hospital – Mental health services
Interview with
Senior psychiatric nurse dealing with Depression
Newspapers – The
Independent, Guardian, Irish Times, Daily Telegraph
AWARE, Samaritans,
National institute of Mental Health
Youtube : Bipolar overview (6.29), Bipolar: A manic
depressive, people discuss their illness(46.40), Stephen Fry : The secret life
of the manic depressive(58.48)part1,2(58.53)
Famous Bipolar
sufferers : Vincent Van Gogh, Spike Milligan, Kurt Cobain, Winston Churchill,
Jimi Hendrix, Robin Williams, Sting, Robbie Williams, Jim Carey, Richard
Dreyfuss, Ozzy Osbourne, Frank Bruno,
Adam Ant, Carrie Fisher
Books : I love you, I hate you ‘A Bipolar marriage’-
Alison Madison Young , The Bipolar Spectrum ‘Diagnosis or fad’- Joel Paris, I’m
not crazy, just Bipolar- Wendy K.Williamson, Bipolar ‘The ultimate guide’-
Sarah Owen & Amanda Sanders
Internet : caregivers.com , www.bphope.com , www.leanonme.com , DBSA – Depression and bipolar support
alliance – Facebook, www.the balancedmind.org (non-profitable organisation),
internationalbipolarfoundation.org, bipolarscotland.org
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