Bipolar?

[shuntaro603]

I know this is a silly question, but what does "bipolar" mean? I know it's a psychological term, but what is it?

[Sexychiick16]

chemical imbalance in a persons brain...

[cleverme123]

It's a chemical reaction in the brain. It is also called manic depression. You go through cycles of depression and then mania doing things you wouldn't normally do. Some people see dillusions, some people hear things. You think people are out to get you constantly. You think everyone is against you. There is a variety of stuff that it can do to someone. It usually requires heavy anti depressants which due to side effects have to be monitored.

 

For me it's like a chronic depression. Then other times I get so much energy and thoughts racing through my head I don't sleep or eat for days, trying to carry out all these things. When I go into the depression, it feels like everyone hates me, I get sad, want to commit suicide for no apparent reason, and I cry. I have battled it for years. It's not something fun to deal with.

[sisterlynch]

It used to be called manic depression. It involves mood swings that are un-predictable, going from depression to the highest highs, just on the chemical swings inside their own brain or systems.

 

 

They may be happy and bubbly in public, but their private issues can be exhausting.

 

It is treated with lithium.

[peanut15]

I don't know about hearing voices or delusions but I know a family that has a history of it and basically it is an extreme high and an extreme low that can be unpredictable but if you observe the person intently, you can get an idea of when each episode occurs. Billy Joel the singer is a manic depressive.

[fantasia2004]

Yeah,

 

but sometimes it could be outside factors that can lead and play a major part into setting it off causing this depression and unless you are able to get help or have someone be supportive of your battle with it, it can make it worse and almost destroy you emotionally and psychologically Chemical imbalance or not.

[fantasia2004]

I know this is a silly question, but what does "bipolar" mean? I know it's a psychological term, but what is it?

 

 

no question is silly unless you choose to not ask it.

[sisterlynch]

Someone had a question if hearing voices is part of bipolar, and I would have to say that no, that would fall into another category called schitzophrenia, my spelling may be off, delusions and hearing voices -- talking outloud (to no one), talking to god, feeling like you can control the minds of others, this would be classified as schitzophrenia, which is the worst type of mental illness. People can have episodes of schitzophrenic behavior, but go back to normal after a while.

Drug over dose can cause you to feel crazy and out of control, as can extreme dieting, also extreme fatigue and illness with high fevers. All these can bring on episodes of hearing voices or seeing things that are not there.

[cleverme123]

There is a movie that was made on a lady that was bipolar, it's called "for the love of the child" it involves a woman who has bipolar that wants to get pregnant so she stops taking her meds.

 

As she progresses from being off of it, she starts to hear voices and what not. Bipolar people can get this without the cross over to schizophrenia, it is a reaction that happens usually when you suddenly stop taking your medications.

 

And there is more treatment options now then just Lithium

[sisterlynch]

Hi Clever me!!

 

Other than Lithium, what are they taking?

[sisterlynch]

I put it on my happy list...I sometimes wonder if I am bipolar...who really knows, we cannot really know until everything is said and done, right??

[cleverme123]

they can use depakote, effexor, paxil, zoloft...geesh there are a lot

[sisterlynch]

I have heard so many bad things about paxil.