BIPOLAR IS A JOURNEY OF HIGHS AND LOWS

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Bipolar is associated with suicidal behavior. One in three people with bipolar either attempt suicide or complete it because living with extreme mood swings become unbearable. The annual average suicide rate is 10 to 20 times higher than in the general population  — Novick, Swartz & Frank, 2010

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Bipolar, previously known as manic depression, is one of the most complex mental health conditions that occurs in about one per cent of the population (in New Zealand). It tends to be a recurring condition which affects how a person feels in a number of ways.

 

Although we all have fluctuations in our mood, for people with bipolar the changes are often more pronounced and sometimes unpredictable. There will tend to be alternating periods (or episodes) of feeling high (mania) and low (deep depression) with periods of normal mood in between.

 

When a person is ‘high’ they are likely to behave in ways that are typically quite out of character. They can become very active, talk non-stop, feel super confident and are filled with an elated sense of wellbeing. The need for sleep decreases, their appetite may decrease, and concentration on one thing becomes difficult.

 

During this time the person is likely to rigorously seek out company and may become involved in more reckless activity such as spending sprees, unsafe driving, unwise business ventures and inappropriate sexual behavior. Mania can last from days to months. In it's more extreme state, the mania presents safety risks to self (and possibly others).

 

During the ‘low’ a person may feel sad and hopeless. If their low follows a high, they may feel a deep loss and embarrassment for some of the actions that took place during the mania, and/or an incapability to complete the ambitious projects initiated during the ‘high’ phase.

 

They may feel helpless or simply feel nothing at all. Appetite becomes disturbed (either over-eating or under-eating), sleep is disturbed (too much or too little) and pleasure and interest in life disappears.

 

The person may feel exhausted, worthless, filled with guilt and concentration is difficult. This mood may begin gradually, developing over weeks or months.

 

At it's lowest, the person is likely to experience suicidal thoughts, and may begin developing a plan to action these thoughts. Like the extreme high, the extreme low also presents risks to the safety of self (and possibly others). People need excellent support and care at these times.

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“It’s horrible to contemplate a futureless future and so you just want to step out of it, the whole race, the whole business, the monstrosity of being alive overwhelms you.” — Stephen Fry

 

“My bipolar is too much for me. It is far worse than I have treated it. I feel hopeless in that I don’t think I can live a happy life. I am sorry for this selfish move. I feel utter despair for this… I have gone on major ups and downs for many years and now reflect I cannot find the balance… I’m just leaving to find a new place, resting for a while.” — Matthew Skellern.

 

 

The frequency, duration of episodes and degree to which mania and depression affect an individual varies - and will also differ between individuals.

 

Some will experience similar types of mood fluctuations but in much milder, less noticeable forms. Others will experience mixed states where symptoms of mania and depression are sudden and present in the same period of time. For some with a rapid cycle pattern, these waves of intense emotion can change in a matter of minutes.

 

The condition usually occurs before a person reaches 30 years but can occur at any time in life. It can be genetic, it has a chemical component and stress is a contributing factor.

 

There is no one 'cure' for bipolar. However, there are some people who will never experience another episode of mania or depression again, even without further treatment, but this is rare. Usually there are periods when the individual’s mood remains stable for a given period of time, and the strong mood swings re-occur, often triggered by a series of stressful life events.

 

Much can be done to reduce the severity or length of an episode, or even the number of episodes experienced. People with bipolar can learn how to effectively manage their more extreme moods, reduce their impact, and maybe even learn how to leverage the qualities of the `high’ and `low’ to suit different activities in their life.

 

The best treatment is usually a combination of therapeutic solutions and self-management (healthy lifestyle).