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Friday, November 15, 2013

Some Myths About Bipolar.

10 Common Myths About Bipolar Disorder



People who have bipolar disorder face a lot of misunderstandings by the public, adding with the everyday strains of life with a very serious condition. Due to unfairly widespread misconceptions of what bipolar actually means as well as the stigmas attached with it, many may run in fear from the help they need.

1. Bipolar disorder is merely mood swings: While it is true that bipolar disorder is, in fact characterized by mood swings. It count as a potentially dangerous mental illness due to their extreme intensity. unlike normal people who mood are fluid, transient, people who suffer from bipolar disorder experience uncontrollable surges into forceful, severe episodes of mania, depression, irritability, lethargy, or an inexplicable blending of many vastly different emotions call Mixed states. Mentally healthy individuals do not experience emotions with this degree of sheer, occasionally disruptive force.

2. Manic episodes are characterized by extreme happiness: Manic episodes do not necessarily always involve a wholly positive and uplifting euphoria. Irritability, hyperactivity, racing thoughts, and other trait of mania also factor into the equation as well. Those in a manic state can also be liable to give-in to id-driven impulses such as making poor finance choice, reckless spending, or ill-advised business prospects as well, occasionally brought on by delusions and hallucinations in severe cases. Mania certainly includes happiness, but it shown more of a jittery, rash, and almost uncontrollable blur of overwhelming mental, emotional, physical, and external stimuli that remains extremely difficult to slow down.

3. Bipolar shifts happen very quickly: Not so much, The reality is that the shifts vary from individual case to individual case, some obviously more severe than others. Some can shifts between Manic and depressive phase in as little as a few hour, some shifts every few day, some every few weeks.

4. It is okay to quit taking medication during manic episodes: quitting medication without the approval and care of an experienced psychiatrist can potentially result in even mild cases of bipolar growing ever more severe, and worsen symptoms of depression, cause suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and result in more pronounced, intense, and rapid mood swings than usual. But many people enjoy the mania and feel they only need their medication during depressive phases and depressive phases alone.

5. Bipolar disorder is very rare: 2.3 million Americans, or .747% of the population, suffer from bipolar disorder. While not as big as anxiety disorders, eating disorders, or clinical depression, bipolar disorder still affects a serious number of individuals every year. Unfortunately, because it shares symptoms with other mental illnesses, a proper diagnosis may sadly take years – thus making it entirely possible that many who struggle with bipolar disorder may not be fully accounted for.

6. Bipolar disorder is not an illness: bipolar disorder is listed in an officially recognized diagnostic manual in the field of professional medicine. Because of this, it fits the profile of an illness and should be treated as nothing less.

7. People with bipolar disorder are inherently unstable or violent: Like all other mental illnesses, bipolar disorder comes packaged with its own set of stereotypes stemming from society’s perceptions of the most dangerous cases. Many perceive bipolar disorder as characterized by highly erratic behavior, even violence. While the illness itself does involve worse mood swings than average, milder cases may be difficult to detect when an individual does not display severe outward signs. The truth is, elements such as instability vary from patient to patient.

8. Most people with bipolar disorder are women: Bipolar disorder manifests itself about equally between men and women. the root cause of the mis-thinking of this is the fact that hormonal disorders in women share a few common symptoms as the bipolar spectrum. In actuality, hormone balances play no role in the onset of the mental illness. Genetics and brain chemistry, shape, and activity stand as the true source of bipolar disorder.

9. Prolonged substance abuse can eventually lead into bipolar disorder: Not true you can not get bipolar disorder from an addiction to alcohol or drugs. the thing is those suffering from bipolar disorder, mostly people who are left undiagnosed with bipolar disorder end up resorting to abusing drugs or alcohol as a means of controlling the symptoms. It is true that extended periods of substance abuse may eventually worsen the symptoms of bipolar disorder, and they do enhance the symptoms in a highly negative way.
The roots of the disorder stem from genetic factors as well as abnormal brain function, shape, and/or chemistry.

10. People with bipolar disorder cannot hold down jobs: Another misconception about bipolar disorder stems from the same source as the one which touts its inherent instability and violence. Only individuals suffering from the most severe instances of bipolar cannot function well enough to work a steady job. It is entirely possible for the disordered to pursue and excel in their elected career path. However, doing so most frequently requires a disciplined adherence to an appropriate medication routine as well as regular psychotherapy sessions. those with bipolar disorder can secure and thrive within an industry provided they stick to the principles of hard work, integrity, and determination both inside and outside the office.

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