Is life free from bipolar episodes possible?
Bipolar affective disorder, also known as manic depression, is an extremely common mental health condition and has been recognised since earlt ages. Unlike people with other psychotic disorders, patients with bipolar disorder don´t show deterioration associated with schizophrenia.. Not managed properly, bipolar disorder is one of the most common, most severe, and most persistent and relapsing mental health conditions. Bipolar mood disorder is characterized by periods of deep, prolonged, and profound depression that alternate with episodes of excessively elevated and irritable mood known as mania.
These episodes can result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, and even suicide. Manic-depression can distort moods and thoughts, incites unpleasant behaviours that are regretted after recovery from an episode, destroys the basis of rational thought, and quite often erodes the desire and will to live. It is a health condition that is biological in its origins, yet one that is psychological in the experience of it; a health condition, not an illness in nature in that it is unique in conferring advantage and pleasure, yet one that brings in its wake almost unendurable suffering and, not infrequently, suicide.New medical treatments have developed since two decades ago, but pharmacotherapy alone is still far from promising, and without extensive life style change, and psychosocial management of sufferers´ life, relapses will continue to recur and often.
BUT THIS DOESNT HAVE TO BE THE CASE ANYMORE
All necessary information and expertise is available these days to help bipolar sufferers NOT be a LIFELONG VICTIM of this health condition and live a productive life full of creativity, stability and happiness. HUNDREDS of bipolar sufferers have changed their lives, benefiting from a combination of pharmacotherapy and information available on psychosocial management of bipolar disorder, and have remained DIS-EASE FREE for many many years.
BIPOLAR DIOSRDER IS NOT A HOPELESS GENETIC ILLNESS BUT A UNIQUE BUT VULNERABLE HEALTH CONDITION THAT CAN BE MANAGED EFFECTVIELY AND PROACTIVELY.
Everything cannot be simply blamed on biology and genes, and too much cannot be solely expected from medication alone. Bipolar disorder is probably the only psychotic mental health condition that is not a simple unifactorial physical illness to be simply and solely treated by pharmacotherapy. Family patterns of high expressed emotions, unfavourable social factors, diet, level of physical activity, isolation, stigma and a number of other environmental factors play a part in escalation of bipolar disorder.
Our life came to be as a result of certain favourable physical and biological conditions. Conditions like appropriate temperature, enough supply of oxygen, tribal associations and bonding, healthy and uncontaminated energy producing nutrients and minerals, water, and minimal exposure to toxic substances. We need all these other favourable conditions to maintain our emotional equilibrium, and bipolar sufferers in particular. The need for security, feeling loved and respected, sense of belonging, and actualisation of our potentials are among those other conditions we need, and bipolar sufferers need more.
Our present life style is quickly losing touch with those conditions which made life possible in the first place. We need to track our roots to meet life necessities to survive and thrive, and people with bipolar disorder need to optimise their life style, and social rhythm according to their needs.
The medical professionals and psychiatrist are increasingly aware that highly intelligent and creative bipolar patients don´t like to be deeply sedated all the time, and work along with psychotherapists and psychologists in teams to combine a minimum dose of new generation major tranquilizers with psychoeducation and this has changed the outlook of this condition that could be, but doesnt have to be a destructive life long condition.
Bipolar disorder typically develops in late adolescence or early adulthood. However, some people have their first symptoms during childhood, and some develop them late in life It is often not recognised as a serious health condition, and people may suffer for years before it is properly diagnosed and effectivley managed. But the sooner the sufferers come to terms with it the better. Like diabetes or heart disease, bipolar disorder is a long-term health condition, but unlike them not a purely physical illness, but a dis-ease.However, bipolar disorder must be carefully monitored throughout a person’s life and cannot be taken lightly or it will take control of all aspect of your life, until it destroys you toally.
I have every confidence that given the option, no medical doctor, psychiatrist, mental health professional or researcher would deprive himself or a loved one from psychoeducation and “psychosocial management” of a serious health condition like bipolar disorder, and only suffice to consume medication. Learning about this health condition, educating oneself on relapse signature, and finding right and well calculated strategies to survive and thrive is a MUST for sufferers of a severe health condition like manic depression.
BIPOLAR DISORDER DOESNT HAVE TO BE YOUR LIFE LONG DESTINY, AND THERE IS A WAY TO REMAIN FULLY STABLE, FUNCTIONAL AND DISEASE FREE.DON´T LET IT BE YOUR DESTINY.
Dr Eden Fazel
