Bipolar Affective Disorder

Question: What does a diagnosis of Bipolar Affective Disorder mean? I am currently in therapy and have been for the past year. My therapist suggested I see his company's psychatrist for possible management of my then depression. So I went to see this doctor. He has since diagnosed me as being Bipolar Affective Disorder without ever telling. What does this mean?

Answer: Bipolar Affective Disorder, aka, Bipolar Disorder (used to be called Manic Depression) is a mood disorder. Bipolar refers to the moods of depression and mania. Depression is characterized by sadness, fatigue, loss of interest in life, weight loss or gain (without trying), low self esteem, feelings of hopelessness, thoughts of suicide, etc... Mania is characterized by rapid speech, decreased need for sleep, racing thoughts, hallucinations, grandiose ideas (feeling like god or a celebrity), being easily distracted, poor judgment, etc... There are two main types of Bipolar Disorder- Bipolar I Disorder- which includes episodes of depression and mania and Bipolar II Disorder- which is depression and hypomania (a more mild form of mania). Having this diagnosis means you have had episodes of depression and mania (or hypomania) in your life and it is most likely that you will have them again. It is a long-term illness. There seems to be a genetic component to Bipolar Disorders- it seems to run in families. If you like your therapist then stay with him and with the psychiatrist. If you do not like them then find ones you like because this is a disease that needs long term treatment and support. It is a good idea to find a support group for people with this type of mood disorder. Good luck and I hope you find the help you are looking for.

Question: Has anyone else had enough of medication based answers to bipolar affective disorder? I am interested especially in speaking to anyone with a professional or research background who, like David Healy, thinks that simply medicating people is a short-sighted approach to bipolar affective disorder (whatever that actually means). I would be interested in any views whether positive or negative. I am also interested in finding out WHY therapies other than medication are given so little budget.

Answer: tracey you have asked a very insightful question and because of that here is your answer Western health care has evolved in some very detrimental ways to our health ,All treatment recommended by the doctors should be tested and approved and quite rightly so. That makes sense right Obviously it costs vast sums of money to test and approve treatments because of the possible damage to people and the subsequent litigation costing millions of pounds. drug companies. Fund most research By and large only and I mean only treatments, which show the promise of good deal of a profit, will even get examined. So many of the thousands of therapies which they see as having no profit potential do not get approved or even looked at …….and thus do not get recommended by your local doctor or hospital. You wont hear a word about them from your doctor Despite The fact that some of them do have overwhelming benefits some, which have saved needless operations, needless amputations, needless pain and trauma, needless kidney failures and much loss of life. – Do you really think they would invest thousands or millions of pounds in any therapy which did not show the promise of good profit. This does not help you does it though. when you are ill and suffering—not hearing about therapies which can help from a person you look up to and trust Have you heard your local doctor recommend, Massage Spiritual healing, Knieisiology Herbs, Light therapy, Colour therapy, Regression therapy, Osteopathy, Zappers, Magnetic devices, Electrical Frequency devices. The rife machine The bob beck protocol Colloidal silver Reiki Karma therapy has he mentioned detoxing , , colonics, enemas, sweat baths , accupuncture, tai chi, yoga, hypnosis. not to mention castor oil packs epsum salt packs etc etc. Has he ever mentioned the power of nutrition what you eat how much protein, carbo, vitamins, water you take in etc. Depression protocol but these therapies will work for many complaints of a so called mental nature Hi well I do quite a bit of research and practice the art of healing , my research centers around the teachings and study of the Edgar cayce material , with added principles where appropriate. we have thousands of testimonials and results showing years of successful applications of the Edgar cayce material. Please make no assumptions or aspersions unless you have studied the material at hand . I give this freely as it has been given to me Do this and I will guarantee improvements to you inside a day its that simple, of course getting these things in place can be much harder. But we have personnel experience of the effectiveness of them and they do work. Every one of them can have a very beneficial influence on you. Print this all off save it and enact it and share it --- of course someone to help you get these therapies in your life is invaluable but do not be swayed by them trying for short cuts …. 1. get someone to massage your back and legs at least 3 times a week use peanut oil or a mix of 50-50 olive and peanut oil. 2 use the violet ray machine and edgar cayce google search this --- 3 times a week on the other days especially on the spine….we use it with very positive results Edgar Cayce recommended this many times 3.get a tent sleep out side 3times a week utilising earth energy - nature can help big time especially with how you feel how much energy you have 4 ensure your diet is good raw salad once a day ideal or 5 portions veg or fruit daily 5 ensure e adequate protein 6 ensure your thyroid is working well 7 ensure you do at least I hr per day some kind of voluntary work when you are able..the reasons you are ill , or poor or have allsorts of bad things happen to you is because of karma -----usually from past lives but some from this one –voluntary work will offset--- how much it offsets well that is down to god and how much you do ……. Ask for opportunities to be of service .I have proved this concept on a daily basis and feel that this concept is so important in all types of healing and to achieve other effects like having friends ,enriching experiences, money and other effects which we all need. Just a few examples of how we can be of service –giving Sharing our being, our wealth, sending our thoughts, giving to charity, sharing a joke, uplifting someone, giving listening time, giving healing, giving labour, giving love, giving entertainment, giving food, giving information and a million more ways.Edgar cayce gave many thousands of examples of karma at work ,he even told one person who asked to be healed that to cure him of this thing would be to no avail as another would surely come . ---all our healing yours mine is linked right alongside our efforts and contribution to others. Healing us is in direct proportion to the help we give others ie your healing comes with helping o

Question: Can bipolar affective disorder cause you to stop taking your medicine? I am bipolar and know I should be taking my medicine for it, but my medicine made me sick. I got it straightened out with my psychiatrist, but for some reason I still refuse to take it. I tell myself I should and I'm not doing well, but my mind still refuses to take it. Is it strictly a lack of initiative, or can bipolar cause my fear or refusal of medicine?

Answer: Lots of mentally ill refuse to take their meds, for various reasons. The problem is nobody can force you to. But if you don't, you have psychotic episodes, to you terrible in school and at work, you get yourself in trouble for acting out, etc. etc. etc. So, the best thing to do is to take your meds.

Question: What is the best treatment for the depressive stage of Bipolar Affective Disorder? I'm mostly interested in responses from people who have personally experienced a positive response to treatment. Everyone who knows someone with bipolar or who experiences it themselves knows that the "low" cycle of bipolar can be literally a killer, and many will not take medications because of some of the nasty side effects they have. Which, if any, of the current medications or other treatments have provided you or your loved one with measureable relief with the least negative side effects?

Answer: i am bi-polar and on meds it is important to stay on your meds tell who ever that an anti-anxiety and anti-depressants mine is Prozac my mother is on paxil really helps but remember you have to treat the mania as well as the depression and the mania is the part none of us want to loose that is what the anti-anxiety med does for me i hope that this helps some

Question: What's the difference bertween Bipolar Disorder and Bipolar Affective Disorder?

Answer: Absolutely nothing! The term Bipolar Affective Disorder is the one that appears in the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual. The word 'affective' refers sort of to mood. The term Bipolar Disorder is the one that is now in common usage. In the past Bipolar (Affective) Disorder used to be known as Manic-Depressive Illness, or Manic Depression. Whatever it's called, it's important to realise that it's not just about mood, but also about a person's activity and thinking.

Question: What are the causes of Bipolar Affective Disorder?

Answer: There are only theories about what causes Bipolar D/O; however, there does appear to be a genetic-environmental interaction that occurs to "cause" these symptoms. Having blood-related relatives with severe mental health problems (e.g., schizophrenia, severe depression, bipolar d/o) increases the likelihood of some one in your family having Bipolar D/O, but then this disorder only occurs in about 1% of the population. Thus, the genetic component does not appear to be the be all end all of the story. There is some evidence that suggests the combination of a genetic predisposition combined with a high level of parental distress and inconsistency may lead to bipolar, but these are only correlations.

Question: What is the best medication/treatment for bipolar affective disorder?

Answer: Lithium is a common medication.

Question: Is it possible to have a kind of seasonal affective bipolar disorder? My moods are pretty hectic all year round, but this is the third year in a row that they've started to get really out of control at around this time. I know about SAD but I thought that was just depression? I'm ultra-rapid cycling bipolar, and in the winter months my moods cycle faster and are more extreme. Is it a coincidence or is it the same sort of thing as SAD?

Answer: I think it is very possible to see seasonal effects. I have exactly the same issue: End of September through early April...my absolute worst time. It gets progressivly worse, with December and January being the toughest. It is not just depression either. Its rapid cycling at its most vicous, and has in the past included hallucinations and delusional thinking. They treated those specific symptoms, and it helped with those most pressing issues, but not really with the rapid cycling. I would definatly discuss this with your doctor/therapist. There is alot that they can do if pressed. Good luck!

Question: Is affective disorder a sign of bipolar disorder? I have been diagnosed with a affective disorder through a soc.security dr. but never by my new primary dr.but I have been treated for depression for yrs.how do I go about finding out if I am bipolar .My brother and cousin were diagnosed as bipolar can it run in family and how do you tell the difference between depression and bipolar

Answer: "Affective" is just another word for "mood." "Affective Disorders" can pertain to either Depressive or Bipolar Disorder. If you think you might be bipolar, tell your doctor. Then tell your doctor why you think you might have bipolar disorder. It's up to a doctor to decide if you have it or not. I have been diagnosed with two different depressive disorders, Major Depression, Recurrent and Dysthymic Disorder. My brother has Bipolar II. I have cousins with depression and bipolar. Sometimes I feel like I might have bipolar disorder but my understanding is that the "manic" symptoms are severe enough and don't last long enough to qualify for true bipolar disorder.

Question: What is the difference between bipolar disorder and schizoid affective disorder? Obviously, I can read the DSM … what I am looking for, in a nutshell, is what separates the two disorders, or even personal anecdotes. Thanks.

Answer: The essential difference between Bipolar Disorder and Schizoaffective Disorder is the timing and context of the symptoms. Both include mood symptoms and Bipolar Disorder may evidence psychotic symptoms during a manic or a depressed episode, however with Schizoaffective Disorder the psychotic symptoms continue in the ABSENCE of prominent mood symptoms. In other words, mood symptoms are secondary to psychotic symptoms (perceptual abnormalities and thought disorders) in Schizoaffective Disorder and the reverse is true with Bipolar Disorder-psychotic symptoms (if present at all) are secondary to mood symptoms. Schizoaffective Disorder has a poorer prognosis than does Bipolar Disorder as well. That's it in a nutshell.