what is bi-polar disorder?
2006-09-28 16:44:38 · 6 answers · asked by eo 2 in Social Science ➔ Psychology
NO they are not the same! My husband has bi-polar. They can be really up or really down. When really up, they are considered "manic"...but it is not manic depression. My husband suffers from severe bi-polar disorder. When he is manic...it's like letting someone out of the looney bin for a while. That only happens when his medicine ceases to work properly and they have to change it. When he's really down, he sleeps every moment he can get away with it. They are careful what meds they give him to combat his depression because some have a tendency to bring him to that "really up" point, which sends him into the mania state. I have a very good friend who is manic depressive. They have very little drive when not medicated. And tend to do a lot of self-medicating. Which can be very disastrous. When she was off her meds(thought she was cured) she got upset about something and drank and sniffed coke for two days. Then she freaked out cutting herself and I had to sign involuntary commitment papers on her(I had to or the hospital would've kept her indefinately rather than based on her recovery). So manic depression is where you act manically to deal with your depression. This is a confusing topic because these types of mental illness tend to run together.
2006-09-28 16:56:13 · answer #1 · answered by emeraldlily_82 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hey there.
To answer your question. There are going to be a lot of people that will say yes to your question because I have heard it in the mental health field that I work in. But, have you ever heard of the DSM IV that is the diagnostic book we use for disorders. There is not a disorder called manic depression. But the manic depression describes someone that has the highs and lows of this. Bipolar can be broke down into several different ways. Some just have depression. some can have the mania and the depression.
2006-09-30 19:07:54 · answer #2 · answered by Psychogirlfrog 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is a difference in having a Manic Episode than having bi-polar, but I assume since you have put manic-depression you are referring to the extreme mania then the deep level of depression. In that context, yes they are the same thing. Are you just wondering if they are the same thing or what they are specifically?
2006-09-28 16:52:39 · answer #3 · answered by Amy C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bipolar is the new, "politically correct" term for the disorder that was previously defined as manic-depressive. Manic is too easily confused with maniac, and thousands of people who suffer from depression never exhibit a manic phase, so it was felt that a new term was needed.
This is opinion based on hearsay. I think it's pretty close, but take it with a grain of salt.
2006-09-28 17:08:34 · answer #4 · answered by Helmut 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yes manic-depression is layman's terms bi-polar is the professional term
2006-09-28 16:53:02 · answer #5 · answered by wvgal 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes they are. Manic depression was the original term used.
2006-09-28 19:13:41 · answer #6 · answered by sugar507 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋