Bipolar Disorder

Hello Everyone,
I hope this week has treated you well.
I received an email requesting that I speak about Bi-polar disorder. I was quick to respond to this as I have seen first- hand the struggles that an individual with Bi-polar disorder goes through. It is especially difficult in Guyana as treatment, particularly mental health specialists, are not available in all health centres. What makes it even more difficult is the individual’s lack of social support due to a lack of understanding of this disorder. This is what I would most like to remedy today. To have everyone understand exactly what it is and how to deal with it.

So first, we have to know exactly what it is.
Bi-polar disorder is a type of mental illness that causes unusual changes in a person’s mood and behaviour. It causes them to be full of energy or have a complete lack of energy with little notice. It mostly consists of manic and depressive episodes which are characterised by extremely happy/up moods and extremely unhappy/down moods respectively.

Bi-polar disorder can occur at any age but often diagnosed in teenage years. It is typically a co-occurring condition which means it is usually paired with other conditions such as anxiety disorders, ADHD, substance abuse or eating disorders. It makes individuals more susceptible to physical issues such as headaches, diabetes, heart disease etc. This makes it difficult for these individuals to obtain and maintain jobs, healthy relationships and even to carry out regular day to day activities.

What are the signs and symptoms of bi-polar disorder?
It is quite difficult to diagnose bi-polar disorder because the symptoms are similar to other illnesses such as schizophrenia, psychosis or depression. The changes in mood/emotion are an obvious tell but there are more aspects that can be considered.

There will be general changes as well as changes based on the type of episode experienced that day. General signs would be severe changes in sleeping and eating patterns. There may be a lack of judgement and heavier drug use to deal with the emotional and behavioural changes.

If the individual is experiencing a manic episode, they will have an unusual amount of energy and talk incessantly. They will seem overly happy and confident. This eventually causes trouble sleeping and anger and irritation if their moods are matched by those around them.
If the experience is a depressive episode, the symptoms will be almost the opposite. The individual will seem very down, may sleep for most of the day, not talk at all and may seem emotionless. They may isolate themselves, have no interest in any activity, not eat, feel worthless and may even consider suicide.

It is possible that the individual feels both of these at the same time, called mixed episode. This can potentially bring on psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations (hearing voices etc.) However, this is rare.
All episodes will of course affect the individual’s relationships, judgement, productivity and efficiency. How often episodes happen depends on the individual, their diagnosis and stress level.
There are four types of bi-polar disorder which are Bi-Polar 1, Bi- Polar 11, Cyclothymia and ‘other types’.

Bi-polar 1 occurs when an individual has experienced an episode of mania which has lasted over a week. They may or may not have experienced a depressive episode.
Bi-polar 11 occurs when you have experienced both manic and depressive episodes.
Cyclothymia occurs when you are experiencing both episodes rarely and is considered less severe than the previously mentioned diagnosis.
Other Types means that you have bi-polar symptoms that have been brought on or made worse by other mental illnesses such as substance abuse.

How do we develop bi-polar disorder?
Research suggests that there is no single cause for bi-polar disorder.
We know that brain structure/functioning and genetics are huge factors when it comes to any mental illness. Children with a parent or sibling with bi-polar disorder are much more likely to develop it themselves. Other factors known to increase the possibility of bi-polar disorder include heavy stress or trauma such as a death of a loved one, severe neglect or any kind of abuse.

Treatment
There is no cure for bi-polar disorder- it is a lifelong illness that needs to be treated with medication and psychotherapy. However, people with bi-polar disorder should not feel hopeless. With proper counselling and medication, the individual can lead a normal, productive and happy life. This means that if you feel that you or a friend/family member may be suffering from bi-polar disorder, please go to your nearest health centre to discuss your concerns as soon as possible.

As usual, treatment is most effective with all information so I suggest to start journaling and take it to your doctor. This means writing down your daily moods, when and why it changes, sleep patterns etc. Knowing this will keep you a few steps ahead.
Of course treatment requires medication and counselling but there are personal steps that can be taken along the way to better manage this disorder.

Most importantly, know yourself. Know your moods, triggers and warning signs. What is likely to cause what episode and how do you know it’s about to happen? Being aware means being properly prepared. As always, look after your physical health. Exercise, eat and sleep well. Do so at the same time every day- stick to a routine.

Find calming activities to do daily or weekly to manage potential stress. Use your support circle. Let your family and friends know when you are experiencing an episode and allow them to help any way they can. If you are a friend/family member of someone with bi-polar disorder, keep in mind how they feel after an episode which is unhappy and ashamed and unable to cope- that is, if they even remember their episode. Also, research shows that people are more likely to seek help during a depressive episode so it might be better to approach them then.

Why get treatment?
Bi-polar disorder left untreated will more often than not lead to additional mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and substance use. It may also cause financial and legal issues, strained relationships and suicidal thoughts. So, again, please go to your nearest health centre today

Thanking you for reading. Please keep sending any topics you’d like to talk about to caitlinvieira@gmail.com Or come in to see me at:

Georgetown Public Hospital: Psychiatric Department:
Monday- Friday – 8am- 12pm

Woodlands Hospital: Outpatient Department
Drug and Alcohol group meetings – Mondays 4:15
Good mental health group meetings- Wednesdays 4:15
Suicide Prevention Helpline numbers: 223-0001, 223-0009, 623-4444, 600-7896

Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs! Always

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