Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder
characterized by alternating states of
depression and mania that follow each
other in a repeating cycle.
People with bipolar disorder may cycle
through these states quickly or may
experience long periods of depression or
mania. Often one mood state predominates,
while the other occurs only infrequently
or briefly. The cause of bipolar disorder
is unknown.
Symptoms of the elevated mood stage of
bipolar disorder include an exaggerated
sense of confidence and well-being, racing
thoughts, excessive talking,
distractibility, increased desire for
pleasurable activity, decreased need for
sleep, impulsivity, irritability, and
impairment in judgment. The depressed
phase includes symptoms of sadness,
fatigue, pessimism, feelings of
helplessness, low self-esteem, and loss of
interest in life, possibly with thoughts
of suicide.
Symptoms of the elevated mood stage of
bipolar disorder include an exaggerated
sense of confidence and well-being, racing
thoughts, excessive talking,
distractibility, increased desire for
pleasurable activity, decreased need for
sleep, impulsivity, irritability, and
impairment in judgment. The depressed
phase includes symptoms of sadness,
fatigue, pessimism, feelings of
helplessness, low self-esteem, and loss of
interest in life, possibly with thoughts
of suicide.
Lifestyle changes that may be helpful
exercise influences the production and use
of neurotransmitters and hormones in the
body, and its antidepressant effect is
well known.1 a preliminary study of the
effects of vigorous exercise on the body
chemistry of patients with bipolar
disorder found that exercise increased a
specific chemical associated with better
mood.2 however, exercise may adversely
influence the effectiveness of some
medications used for bipolar disorder.
Many people with bipolar disorder take
lithium, and because lithium is lost in
sweat, exercise that involves significant
sweating may change blood levels of
lithium. Such a change has been reported
in one person;3 therefore, people taking
lithium who intend to start a vigorous
exercise program should be monitored by
their doctor.
Vitamins that may be helpful
people diagnosed with depression may have
lower blood levels of omega-3 fatty
acids.4 5 a double-blind trial found that
bipolar patients taking 9.6 grams of
omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil per day
in addition to their conventional
medications had significant improvements
compared with those taking placebo.6
i hope these tips could be useful.
|
spacie
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 08 Nov 2007 Posts: 1
New Relationship Posted: 11-08-07 09:56am
I am 2 weeks into dating someone who is
bipolar. I believe it was love at first
sight and he feels the same.
He told me his condition before he ever
kissed me~!
I am very strong and patient person who
has anxiety myself. So I understand mental
issues. I have been depressed and have
learned to live so that I dont get
depressed.
He has been completly honest and I have
actually helped him keep a journal for his
DR. of his symptoms.
He has wonderful. He says he thinks he is
in a manic stage right now if not
"norman". But can feel himself slipping
into the depression.
He has a high sex drive and sleeps a
little more than I. However, we go for
walks and lay in the sun. He is always
very greatful for me making him go. I say
making its not that hard. He would rather
take a nap.
I want advice on how to help.
I find that no matter who the relationship
is with. Its hard, emotional, stressful
and takes work.
I am willing to work as he makes me feel
amazing.
|
Still Confused
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 26 Nov 2007 Posts: 1
to Spacie Posted: 11-26-07 13:40pm
The fact that he was honest about his
condition up front is a good sign. I was
"involved" with somebody this past summer
(and I use the term "involved" loosely,
because the entire relationship, if you
will, lasted two months, during which time
we only actually saw each other three
times. In retrospect, it seems I was
involved but he wasn't). I mean
absolutely no disrepect to anybody here
who has bipolar, but this was undoubtedly
the most bizarre "relationship" I have
ever experienced.
There were a number of red flags and
little warning signals going off in my
head throughout, but I dismissed them. As
I look back, the entire relationship was
on his terms and he was extremely
manipulative, yet in a very charming and
disarming way.
In the beginning, he presented himself as
this wonderful, caring, loving man (and
brilliantly smart) and I became hooked.
During the first three weeks or so, we
would chat endlessly on-line. But a
couple of times, he would simply
disappear, right in the middle of a
discussion and then wouldn't reappear for
one to two days. When I would ask him
about it, he would fabricate outrageous
stories about his "absence", which I would
later learn were lies. After about the
third time, I decided I had enough and
wrote him that I got the impression he was
no longer interested, so I was bowing
out...and I wished him well. The next
day, he used the guilt approach by
apologizing and telling me that something
terrible happened to his son (again, found
out later it was just a lie), and that he
was sorry I was bowing out because he
really liked me and he would never just
"end things by disappearing" because he's
a good, caring person. Of course, I was
sucked back into this cyclone, and the
pattern continued and even got worse.
The sweet, charming words that he used in
the beginning to reel me in were
eventually replaced by mean-spirited,
cutting and accusatory remarks. When I
would question him about his behavior or
actions, he said I was being paranoid;
when I would ask if he had a change of
feelings and wanted out of the
relationship, he said I was "projecting".
Needless to say, I was completely
confused and hurt by this extreme change
in his personality.
The last time I saw him, he had invited me
over and we had, what I thought, was a
nice, enjoyable evening. The next night
we spoke on the phone and he became
beligerant with me for asking him a
question, and he abruptly ended the
conversation. That was the end of it. I
tried several times after that to reach
out to him, but to no avail. He would
never respond, even though I saw him
on-line (and very active on the various
internet dating sites!). Finally, a
couple of weeks ago I saw him on line
again and decided to try one more time.
He actually responded, and admitted to me
that he was bipolar, and that he was very
sorry for his behavior.
So, my point to this very long message is
just to be careful. From what I've been
reading on this and other related sites,
is that if a bipolar person is not
following their medication, they can be
extremely erratic in their emotions and
behavior. I would not have walked away
from him in the beginning if he told me
about his illness (he had admitted that he
suffered from depression in the past but
was "better now", and that didn't concern
me). What really bothered me was that he
withheld this information from me from the
start, and also all of the lies he told
along the way. If I had known about his
medical condition, at least I would have
had a much better understanding about his
odd behaviors, rather than thinking that I
was the one who was being paranoid. So
just continue to do your research, and
watch out for the warning signs if he is
having an episode. At least he was honest
with you about it from the start. Best
of luck!
|
emedtech
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 15 Jan 2008 Posts: 1 Location: Kalispell, MT, USA
You guys have even helped me... Posted: 01-15-08 17:22pm
I have been reading through all the posts
that everyone has put on here and I think
it might even be helping me. I'm dating (I
think) someone that, due to symptoms and
characteristics talked about here, I think
might have BiPolar Disorder and I'm trying
to figure out how to deal with it.
I'm in love with this woman. We've been
seeing each other for quite some time now
and her behavior is indicative of someone
that I think (my personal opinion) might
be BiPolar. She's very erratic in her
behavior. One minute she's very
touchy-feely and the next she's real
stand-offish. One day in particular she
came out of the shower in a towel and
latched right onto me, after about an hour
or so she seemed real drawn-in and
reclusive and wouldn't let me touch her or
anything. She's real compulsive about
things. She loves to go out and party,
she's always going through mood-swings,
she feels as though the world is against
her. Those are just a few of the things
that I'm dealing with. Right now we're
separating, trying to see if it will work.
But I still love her with all my heart and
she knows this. I would appreciate
anything that any of you could tell me
that would help me help her overcome this
or at least let her know that she's not
alone when it comes to dealing with it!!
I failed to mention that she is on
medication for depression, but I'm not
sure if this is doing any good. She's the
sweetest woman in the world and I want to
help her in any possible way that I can,
regardless as to the depth or expense of
the matter. I keep telling her that I love
her and that I'll do anything for her but
she says that she doesn't believe me, is
this normal or should I be concerned about
something??
I can't tell you how frustrating this
is, but she means the world to me! I must
apologize for rambling on here, I just
hope that you all can realize how much she
means to me and how much I'm willing to
help her, regardless as to what it takes!!
|
im-n-luv
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 02 Jun 2008 Posts: 1
To anybody that can help me! Posted: 06-02-08 17:11pm
Hey,
I've been dating my boyfriend for about
six months now, and from the beginning he
has told me that he is Bipolar and that it
is just something that I am going to have
to get used to. Being a phsycologist
patient and having to take medication for
depression and anxiety, I understood that
that was just who he is.
But the difference between us is that I
have excepted the fact that I have a
problem and take my medication. He on the
other hand used to take medication before
he met me, and something happened to make
him stop taking it. So one moment he tells
me he loves me and the next he's back to
telling me that he is going to break up
with me.
The only thing that gets me, is that he
still doesn't trust me. I have told him so
many times that I love him, have never
lied to him and I never will. But he
continues to believe that I am just like
every other lying girl that he has dated.
Everytime that he get's angry or when he
begins to worry he breaks up with me. We
have broken up several times over little
things that has nothing to do with me. And
later that day or even the next day he'll
feel bad for hurting me and cry to me for
my forgiveness.
Each time I take him back and forgive him,
because I know that sometimes it's not his
fault and that he doesn't mean it. But in
the end I still know that he hurt me. And
I can still remember what the pain that he
causes me when he breaks up with me feels
like.
I'm writing this message to see what you
guys have to say. My family, friends and
sometimes I think that this might not be a
very healthy relationship and I wanted to
know your opinions.