As a reminder to those who already know a lot about the disease, and as a resource to those just learning the details, I’ve posted the following facts about bipolar disorder as published at bringchange2mind.org

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. Symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe. They are different from the normal ups-and-downs that everyone goes through from time to time. Bipolar disorder symptoms can result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, and even suicide. But bipolar disorder can be treated. A combination of professional counseling and medication helps most people return to productive and fulfilling lives.

Bipolar symptoms may seem like separate problems, not recognized as parts of a larger problem, so it can be years before a person is properly diagnosed and treated. Bipolar disorder often develops in a person’s late teens or early adult years, and it has been reported that at least half of all cases start before age 25. Some people have their first symptoms during childhood, while others may develop symptoms late in life. Like diabetes or heart disease, bipolar disorder is a long-term illness that must be carefully managed throughout a person’s life.

Bipolar mood changes are called episodes, and people usually shift from manic to depressive episodes.

Some common symptoms of a manic episode are:

* Excessively “high”, euphoric mood
* Extreme irritability
* Unrealistic beliefs in one’s abilities and powers, such as feeling able to control world events
* Decreased need for sleep without feeling tired
* Racing thoughts or fast speech
* Distractibility or difficulty concentrating
* Agitation

Some common symptoms of a depressive episode are:

* Spending sprees
* Feeling very “down” or sad
* Feeling worried and empty
* Having trouble concentrating
* Forgetting things a lot
* Losing interest in fun activities and becoming less active
* Having trouble sleeping
* Thinking about death or suicide

If you or someone you know suffers from several of the above symptoms,  a visit to the doctor is in order. Bipolar disorder is treatable. Help is available. Seek it out.

Advice from Dr. Steven A. Weisblatt

Dr. Steven A. Weisblatt, MD, a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at S.U.N.Y. Downstate Medical Center who also has private practices in New York and Pennsylvania, recently wrote the following article for  bp Hope Magazine.  He is a leading consultant regarding accurate psychiatric diagnoses and effective treatments.

“Treating someone with bipolar disorder without meds is as primitive as treating a patient with a seizure disorder without medication. If anyone advises you to avoid medication, run-don’t merely walk away-from such dangerous counsel. Although not by any means the only ingredient in a comprehensive strategy to live a life free of any bipolar symptoms, it is an essential and necessary component. What follows are some answers to common questions about medication treatment that may make your path to remission faster and more comfortable:

What is the goal of treatment with meds?
Optimally, the goal is getting rid of all your symptoms over the long term (remission), while having no adverse effects. Meds may give you partial relief from symptoms within several days or weeks, but full remission can take months or even years of active treatment.

What if my meds don’t work?
If you feel this way, rest assured it’s not usually because your disorder is failing to respond to appropriate treatment. More often, I see the problems as being misdiagnoses, clinicians who may be unfamiliar with specifically helpful combinations of meds, and patients who are challenged in their ability or willingness to follow through with treatment.

Aren’t meds dangerous in the long term?
Appropriate medication therapy may be lethal in one patient out of two hundred thousand (the same odds of getting hit by lightning). In contrast, people with untreated or partially-treated bipolar dis- order have up to a 25 percent lifetime risk of suicide. Far more have lost years of their lives, jobs, friends and family connections due to ongoing symptoms. It’s a bit of an unreasonable comparison to claim that one doesn’t want to take medication due to the risks, when not taking medication itself increases the risk of suicide, let alone the risk of other losses. Weigh risks and benefits fairly.

Is it OK to miss my meds occasionally?
Compliance is key. Assuming your illness is in remission and you are having no adverse effects, there is little reason to consider altering your treatment, except in certain circumstances of weight change, aging, pregnancy, or specific medical treatments. Just as in
controlled diabetes, where any change in insulin dose (or missed doses) is likely to result in instability, the same is true in bipolar disorder. However, unlike in the case of diabetes, where blood sugar will stabilize quickly when meds are resumed, in bipolar disorders a medication that was previously effective may no longer work.

Do I need to do more than take meds to achieve and stay in remission?
You can do a lot more! Along with lifestyle changes like Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT), yoga, exercise, and healthy eating, various supportive individual, family, and group psychotherapies are associated with better short- and long-term outcomes.

Do I really have to tell all my clinicians about all the medicines I’m taking?
Absolutely! The reason for this is that there are many effects of non-psychiatric medicines on bipolar disorder (e.g. steroids, antihypertensives, etc.) as well as interactions between other medicines and psychiatric medications that are not necessarily available for review in texts or on the Web, but will hopefully be familiar to your clinician. It is critical to avoid nutritional supplements, over-the-counter meds, even prescribed medications until the prescriber has reviewed the new medicine with your psychiatric clinician.

Can I still have a drink from time to time?

That’s a really bad idea. While this may not be the best-received advice, it is important to abstain completely from alcohol, illegal substances, herbal medicines and even caffeine. These substances can actually make you more ill, in addition to confounding the question of whether or not you can be treated to remission with less medicine. You will be relieved to know that chocolate is still OK!

As always, active treatment requires collaboration between an engaged and informed patient and a psychiatric clinician skilled in the treatment of bipolar disorders. You can increase the odds of being treated properly by being well- informed and actively participating with your clinician at regular appointments.”

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For more information on the diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder, visit the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance website.

I sometimes consider shutting down this site to focus on other writings, particularly when I look at cost. I’ve resisted monetizing through ads because I want to remain unbiased. I don’t want my readers to think I endorse particular drugs or treatment approaches, and pharmaceutical companies are the only big money donors interested in “pay per click” support for sites like this.  But every time I think I’ll just pull the plug, I get a letter like the one below: and I realize that every bit of advocacy and support contributes to improvements in treatments and in the lives of others. And so for now, we’ll continue.

Please read on…

and if you have a positive story of tale of support to share email me!

Hi Kate!

I’m a 28-year old doctor from the Philippines & I have a sister who has bipolar disorder. I’d just like to say thank you for creating this website & thank you for pursuing your advocacy.

Viewing this site brought tears to my eyes & I deeply feel that something has to be changed about the stigma of mental health. Seeing the videos here made me realize that society must be liberated by this stigma, as much as there was also discrimination for people before w/ leprosy or even for black people.

This is a start & I am positive that change is coming & little by little, we’ll all grow as a better society by accepting this change.

Thank you again so much & never tire of doing good, cuz you never know how many lives you have touched every single day.

Kudos & God bless!

View additional videos and learn more by going to:

www.bringchange2mind.org

Fighting the stigma of mental illness…

For additional videos and information, go to:

www.bringchange2mind.org

Acceptance

~A Poem~

She denied when first informed.

When she heard the girl was sick and always would be.

“Not my daughter.”

“She’s brilliant. We prize that.”

~

She raged as illness unfolded.

Living the day-in, the day-out, fearing dreams would never come about.

“This is not our life!”

She had such plans. She cherished them. She clung.

~

She trembled when the crazy bubbled up.

When her fear, fueled by helplessness, boiled on over with it.

She’d always had control.

That’s how she lived.  She controlled.

~

She prayed when hope refused to settle in.

When getting through a day sans crisis was success.

“God can do miracles.”

“We need one. I’ll do whatever it takes.” She begged.

~

She mourned as miracles failed to manifest.

When she knew the girl was sick and always would be.

When she knew that her mind was truly ill.

She, they, so prized it.

…time…

She loved when they spent time together.

When the girl chose to live and she chose to live beside her.

When she knew their plans had changed, but that the change was right and good.

They would move on. They would be well.

~

And now.

They rejoice.

She is ill, but lives, stays, well.

Lives, loves, learns. Well.

And ~ blessed be ~ brilliance, bravery, beauty ~ accompany.

They, too, are here to stay.

My beautiful son Michael has his own beautiful son.

After years of struggling with addiction and bipolar disorder, Michael has spent months working hard at sobriety and medical compliance. He’s in school, working and dedicating himself to his young family.

I share this to encourage you.

If you or someone you love deals with a serious mental illness, addiction or both, take heart, have faith and maintain hope. Michael was terribly ill for nearly 7 years. His dad and I were repeatedly told to “let it go” and “give it up.” We didn’t. We’re glad.

I’m not telling you to tolerate the intolerable, but I am urging you to maintain relationships, continue to love, and offer help and support when it’s solicited.

The rewards are SO worth the challenge.

And if you ever need to share your story or vent your feelings, I’m just a click away.

Lovingly,

Kathy Larson, author and illustrator of “Dancing Crazy,” generously agreed to an interview about this recently published children’s book aimed at helping kids understand bipolar disorder. Here is an excerpt from that exchange:

What motivated or inspired you to write “Dancing Crazy?”

I really had no choice.  Our daughter experienced the most challenging event in the course of her disease.  Doctors feared she was moving into a permanent catatonic state; we feared she was dying.  After spending three months in a secured setting, Susan was released from the hospital.  The world immediately became a different place-for her and her husband, their children, all of us, really.  Each of us helped as best we could-praying, baby-sitting, cooking meals and doing the laundry, all the while seeking reassurance in words we could understand.  There were many excellent books on the market for adults, but none for little ones.  So I wrote one.

Please share your personal experiences with serious mental illness.

Although never diagnosed with depression, my mother spent long hours staring out a window or napping on the couch.  As children, we figured she was just worn out from raising the five of us.  Now, as adults, we wonder how Mom even survived with such responsibility and little support.

Over the years, many of my students have suffered physical or emotional abuse from mentally ill family members.  Others continue to live with the results of parents or siblings who have either attempted suicide or been successful.  I think of one little fifth grader who stopped coming to school after excerpts from her father’s trial were detailed in the local newspaper.  She was positive everyone would figure out she was the person he’d raped and “stare at her”.

On a personal level, several members of my family take medication for anxiety or depression; and a few more probably should. Looking at the myriad of mental illnesses-from schizophrenia to borderline personality disorder to just plain naughty-we’ve got it all somewhere.

What do you hope to accomplish by publishing “Dancing Crazy?”

“Dancing Crazy” will reduce the fears of many children as they deal with Bipolar Disease.  Kids’ worries are so much the same.    Did I make my parent act this way?  Can someone “catch” bipolar?  What’s going to happen to me or my family tomorrow or the next day or the next?

What do you want people, especially children, to know about bipolar disorder?

Bipolar Disorder is a disease caused by a chemical imbalance in somebody’s brain. Your mom or dad did not get it because they work too hard.  Nor did they get it because they have too much fun.  The truth is everyone in your family will still have good days and not-so-good days, just like they did before someone got diagnosed with bipolar disease.

To learn more about Ms. Larson’s book, or to order it for yourself, click here. And if you know of other books about mental illness written specifically for children, please contact me.

Fondly,

Children whose parents suffer with serious mental illness have very few resources to help them understand and cope. Now, thanks to educator and author Kathleen Larson, they have one more. Larson, who spent 35 years as an elementary school teacher, has penned and illustrated a book explaining, in the simplest terms, a mother’s mental illness.

“Dancing Crazy” tells the story of three children and their mom’s symptoms and hospitalization. Without fear or stigma, Larson illuminates the realities of managing a serious mental illness within a family.

The children learn the basics of a chemical imbalance and how they can help their mom stay well as other loving adults in their extended family care for them.

Larson does not sugar-coat, nor does she dramatize. “Dancing Crazy” is a wonderful starting point to help kids understand adult mental illness.

A valuable resource to parents, doctors and therapists, “Dancing Crazy” should be included in the library of anyone working with children affected by mental illness, as well as every elementary school’s collection.

I received an email from a young woman who attended one of my lectures with her parents. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder in her mid-teens, she’s struggled with addictions for nearly as long.

After hearing from her I felt simultaneously sad and encouraged.

I felt sad because she described an abusive romantic relationship in which her illness is used as a point of shame and degradation.

I felt sad because she’s actively using methamphetamine and cocaine, with no inclination to quit.

I felt sad because she no longer sees her doctor or takes the medication that could eventually keep her stable and well.

I felt sad because she sounded isolated and frightened and sad, herself.

But my feelings of encouragement dominated.

I felt encouraged by the fact that she was honest about the mistreatment she received. She was not hiding or denying it. Recognizing something is wrong is the first step toward righting it.

I felt encouraged because she knew she used illicit drugs to manage her illness and to maintain her romantic relationship. She made no excuses and realized her behavior and choices were unhealthy.

I felt encouraged because she admitted that she needs to see a doctor and asked for low-cost options in her area. She was reaching out, searching for help, asking for resources.

I felt encouraged because, stuck in a darkness of her own creation, this sweet soul seeks something better, seeks the light.

She will find it.

She will overcome.

She will get well.

I am encouraged. I have hope.