Positively Bipolar

Tazz says it took him seven years, from to , to fully accept that he has bipolar and needs to stay on medication. In A First-Rate Madness, Ghaemi summarizes the psychological view of resilience as an interaction between temperament and adversity. In conversation, he points to research that suggests having a hyperthymic temperament provides insulation against post-traumatic stress disorder.

In his view, mood shifts create a petri dish for cultivating resilience. Are traits like creativity and leadership inherently linked to the disorder or merely enhanced by elevated mood? The jury is still out on those questions, and the chicken-and-egg debate spills over to the qualities of spirituality and empathy.

Is there a neurological relationship between depression and empathy, or does personal suffering increase compassion for the suffering of others?

They become more sensitive to the world and to the pain in the world. Miklowitz prefers to focus on a different aspect of the Tufts study: In his view, traits like spirituality, creativity, and resilience are worth cultivating as protective buffers. Having a supportive faith community, or a satisfying outlet like painting or playing an instrument, provides a life-affirming counterweight to mood extremes. Beth says she grew up in a Christian household, but her faith was not very strong when she went through a series of hospitalizations for depression throughout the s.

If anything, she says, she was angry at God for messing up her life. Her outlook began to change after a particular exercise during inpatient group therapy. Then they had to figure out which items on the list they could actually influence that day. Beth recounts her illumination: In turn, she says, spirituality helps her see having bipolar as more of a blessing than a curse. When he was first diagnosed, he recalls, it was the worst of news. He was convinced he would never own another business, that everything he tried to do would fail.

As he got more involved with the peer support community, however, he found a power surge to rival hypomania. Ghaemi backs up his argument with a wide body of research that makes for interesting reading. He never held a job longer than a few months. He often disappeared on fishing trips for weeks at a time. Autumn had finally arrived to the Arizona desert and I thought it would be nice to have an oven meal. I planned a roast chicken dinner with stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans.

The thighs were still frozen.

Finding The Positive Side of Bipolar Disorder

In a half of a milli-second my bright yellow kitchen turned dark and the blackness returned, my mind swirled with confusion. How would I stuff it? The thighs were frozen to the body. What would I do now? It would never roast, the meat would be raw. I only knew that my dinner was ruined.

My day way ruined. My life was horrible. What was I supposed to do with a stupid half-frozen chicken? Tears began to stream down my face and I plunged to the floor in a lotus position. I sat there with my legs crossed and that half-frozen chicken in my lap and I cried. I thought for a moment and suddenly I knew, deep down inside of myself, like a metaphysical moment, I felt that I knew the reason for my dark grief.

During the following weeks I relied on my new little voice to help with every decision I faced. It also told me how my father died. The hallucinations and stories continued for thirty days, thankfully now was the time when I had a follow-up visit with my family doctor. I had been prescribed a beta-blocker for my blood pressure, and it was time to see how the drug was working.

5 Positives of Living with Bipolar Disorder (Besides Creativity) | International Bipolar Foundation

My little voice was still giving me daily instructions for living and it told me to tell the doctor what was going on inside my head. My voice explained to me that my doctor also had a little voice and he would understand and help me. A few hours later I was talking with another doctor. After some conversation and a miserably failed attempt at a written test, she prescribed lithium.

She also removed the beta blocker since that drug has a side effect known to cause hallucinations in some people. I told her about my Grand Canyon experience. She explained how lithium worked not as a tranquilizer and not as an anti-depressant, but as a mood stabilizer. In less than a week my little voice disappeared forever. Now I had to explain to my friends that I had no idea where my father was, there was no Rhett Butler code name, no CIA, and no spies were chasing me. I had to trust that they would understand, and they did.

We also sat in amazement that no one had recognized a very serious case of mental illness.

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Some of my friends were law enforcement officers, one was a medical transcriber, another was my pastor. Bipolar I and bipolar II are the most common diagnoses. Bipolar I is considered more severe than bipolar II because people with bipolar I experience at least one episode of mania, while individuals with bipolar II experience hypomania, a milder episode of elevated mood and energy. People with bipolar I are more likely to experience symptoms of psychosis than people with bipolar II, and psychosis is more likely to occur with mania than with depression.

In rapid cycling bipolar, individuals experience four or more episodes of mania, hypomania, or depression in a year and may or may not return to a euthymic mood in between. The appearance of these episodes is used to help make a bipolar I diagnosis. The mood change also is characterized by three or more of the following symptoms: Hypomanic episodes can follow a manic episode for people with bipolar I or characterize a bipolar II, cyclothymic, NOS or bipolar disorder with rapid cycling diagnosis.

Hypomanic episodes may be shorter than manic episodes, lasting at least four consecutive days. Depressive episodes are characterized by low mood or anhedonia — a lack of pleasure in all things. Five or more of the following symptoms can indicate a major depressive episode: These symptoms last at least two weeks and make social, work or other situations challenging.

Missed diagnoses of bipolar disorder are not uncommon. Seven out of 10 patients are misdiagnosed at least once. The persistent myth that people with bipolar disorder are inherently less capable of managing careers or family responsibilities is simply not true. With effective treatment, people with bipolar illness can be productive, happy people. In some cases, people with bipolar disorder may be uniquely qualified for certain situations because of their lived experience and perspective. Treatments for bipolar disorder focus on therapy and medication.

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For most people, the combination of the two approaches is more effective for achieving long-term positive outcomes. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is an evidence-based therapy proven to be effective in treating bipolar illness.

CBT therapy focuses on understanding how your thoughts, behaviors, and mood are connected. Patients who engage in CBT learn strategies to improve their mood — how they feel — by changing their thought and behavior patterns. CBT therapy can help people recognize thoughts and behaviors that may signal that an episode of depression or mania is developing. CBT empowers clients to use learned skills and strategies to prevent or mitigate the mood episode.

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Through CBT, people also often are able to identify strengths and personal assets they can use to navigate mood episodes and prevent relapse or hospitalizations. Patient-to-patient peer support groups are also impactful as bipolar disorder treatments. Support groups also teach you to recognize that your diagnosis does not have to limit your potential or require you to expect less out of life. Group discussions can help show you how to leverage your personal strengths and the unique way your mind works to achieve your goals. There are several medications for bipolar disorder. Your psychiatrist will discuss the best medication strategy to address your symptoms.

The process can be trial-and-error and take several weeks or months to identify what works best for you. Genetic testing may be a helpful tool for selecting initial medications and dosages.

Electroconvulsive therapy ECT and transcranial magnetic stimulation TMS are two non-pharmacological treatments that are very effective for people with treatment-resistant depression as part of their bipolar diagnosis. Additional treatment plans for bipolar disorder also focus on lifestyle changes, such as avoiding drugs and alcohol, establishing a healthy and consistent sleep schedule, exercising regularly, and maintaining healthy supportive relationships.

With treatment, the prognosis of bipolar disorder is positive. Dedication to your treatment plan, as well as working with compassionate and educated health professionals, can improve your day-to-day life and empower you to feel in control of your diagnosis, your treatment, and your future. Bipolar Treatment at Skyland Trail.