Is bi-Polar a real disease or an excuse?

Question

Hi -

I have Bipolar and have noticed some interesting perspectives from the "Mentally Correct" population. Please answers these questions truthfully. Read on...

It seems everyone is "Bipolar" nowdays and the term is losely used. Are you afraid of people who have this disease and how do you feel about them? Are you truly supportive of them or do you avoid them and talk behind their backs? What is your view and description of someone with bipolar and how do you know they are not simply using it as an excuse? Do you know someone who has this disease? Are you fearful of them?

Answer 1

Its real. I suffer with it every day. I will get on these kicks where I don't need to sleep or eat, all I want to do is spend money, which I don't have. So now the credit cards are thru the roof. Then when I "come down" I don't want to do anything but sleep and vegetate. Its very real.

Answer 2

I am a bona-fide bipolar. Diagnosed about 13 years ago and reached the extreme ends of both poles back then, hospitalized, had to start life over again broke, no job, broken relationships etc... Now highly functional and an overachiever as a result of my downfall. So many people I know have been "messed up" or on pills or alcoholics, or are close to someone who is, so I don't feel stigmatized in my little world and I don't care either. I also worked in mental health for years, so I know there are many more of us out there than most people realize.

Yes, I do think the word is loosely used and not always understood as a medical condition that requires chemical treatment and close monitoring.

Honestly, yes I was fearful of bipolar before I was diagnosed - the disease, not the person who had it. Some part of me just always knew something wasn't right "up there".

Answer 3

Hi bi polar is really a disease. No I am not afraid of ppl that have this disease. I myself have major Depression and have had it for a long long time but I am on medication for it and it keeps me in perspective so I don`t feel ashamed or bad about anyone who is bi polar or has a chemical imbalanced in their brain. I have an aunt or I should say a great aunt and she was in a in sanitorium...think of it this way if she would or could have had medication for her mental illness she could have lived a beautiful life...She had major Depression also. It seems to run in my family but I am no ashamed to talk about it. No I do not fear them as I am in there category. Yes there is more Bipolar and all other mind diseases that can be teated now and ppl should be happy for the long medical history that help the mentally population.

Answer 4

Yes, bi-polar is a real disease. It's caused by a chemical imbalance in one's brain, and unfortunately, too many people are labeling themselves with this term to excuse away their behaviors, or to hide from the truth about what is really going on with them. I have known a few people who are bi-polar, and I'm not now, nor have I ever been afraid of them, even though I have seen them become physically aggressive during a manic phase. I am very supportive of someone with any type of illness, because bi-polar, like many other diseases, is no one's fault, and no one ever asked to be bi-polar. I don't hide from them or talk behind their backs. What good would that do, except ostracise them even more from society than the label of being bi-polar already does? I think that some people falsely label themselves as bi-polar as an excuse for behavior or social problems, and I think that's a shame, but those who are truely bi-polar don't use it as an excuse, they genuinely try to get better and to control their disease, because no one likes to be labeled as crazy or insane, and no one likes to live their lives that far out of control. I hope you have a good doctor, and that you're committed to helping yourself. I'm sure you have a great support group of family and friends who love you very much, and that's the best medicine. Good luck.

Answer 5

It is a mental health disorder and not an excuse or disease.

How I treat someone has a lot to do with what is wrong with them and how they treat me. I don't agree that it is something that everyone is being diagnosed with, it is just that more people are seeking out counseling. I am not saying that psychology is perfect, by any means.

I am only fearful of people who give me reason to be fearful...or really cautious. I know people with bipolar I don't think they use it as an excuse. I don't talk behind their backs and I don't actively avoid them. Are they my favorite people if they aren't taking their meds, heck no, they can be really lousy to deal with. That is why proper diagnosis, medication and counseling is so important. So they can live a normal life and not cause problems for others in their life too.

Answer 6

Bipolar disorder is an imbalance in the chemicals of the body which causes a person to have serious mood swings. No, I do not fear anyone with the diagnosis. Yes, I have a family member with the diagnosis who is working on a masters degree. Those members of the family who are aware of the diagnosis are very supportive and glad to know now that all those years of mood swings including anger and withdrawl had a biological reason.

Only a psychiatrist can make the diagnosis, all other mental health professionals and laymen who thinks they can judge others can only diagnosis what is called "displays symptoms similar to bipolar disorder."

I don't think it should be used as an excuse, rather as a stepping stone to making changes in a lifestyle to stabilize the mood swings.

Answer 7

I also have Bipolar disorder. I have spent the last 3 years on an emotional rollercoaster. I think I finally have the right medication now, and I'm looking into going back to work. As with any mental illness, there are some people who don't actually have it and just use it as an excuse for bad behavior. We call them malingerers. They are the reason some people don't believe the rest of us who actually have a mental illness.

Life's tough, just try to make the best of it.

Answer 8

Who are the "mentally correct?" No, everyone is not bipolar. Some use it as an excuse for their faults and have never been diagnosed. BPD is difficult to diagnose. There must be a detailed behavior history and current workup. Why would anyone be afraid of anyone with this illness? There are 2 types of BPD, 1 & 2. One is more severe with the bizarre features. I have had friends with BPD and I have it myself. As I said, there are different types and behaviors that manifests. There is no reason to be afraid. Ask someone you know with the disease what its like. The more educated the public is on this matter the less ignorance such as this will occur.

Answer 9

I know people who are bipolar, although it is not severe enough to be dangerous and destructive to themselves and other people. It just makes functioning very difficult and unhealthy. To me, bipolar disorder could range from someone staying up all night for several days because they're having a brilliant idea, and then dropping it the next day and feeling completely unmotivated or unable to see the idea realized...it could be that they feel great for a week and shop a lot, very compulsively, and then they feel overwhelmed and don't want to anything. For some their mania can be so severe that they are dangerous and hallucinate and threaten people. Their depression could be equally as severe. It is NOT an excuse; it is a chemical imbalance. We will be talking about it in length in my drugs and behavior class but I already know enough about it to say that it's a physiological disorder.

Answer 10

I was diognosed with bi-polar 8 or more years ago and I feel at times it was real. But others it werent. I still have highs and lows but manage them better then i used to. I used to do things without thinking like cursing out a police officers or driving my car into a wall... But now i think to myself why do i want to do that? I will have to pay for my actions. Anyways i really do think it has a lot to do with your own mental thinking. If everyone around you is always telling you that your sick and have to be on medications for the rest of your life and people are letting the things you do slide simply because you are bi-polar, then you are going to act out and not care to even think about what your doing. I think that all has some part in it. But i also do believe bi-polar is real, but nowadays i think people are reading WAY to many books and researching these things THEN going to there docters. Knowing they put all the sypmtoms into there own heads already and then they act on them. I think its all just way to out of hand these days on how fast a doc is to diognose someone.

Answer 11

If yo have a job, you will feel the discrimination. If you tell others, they will talk behind your back.
People have acceptance for medical problems but don't like it if it affects the brain.....but they do accept brain cancer, but not brain thinking problems.

It's important to take your medication and get the proper amount of sleep if you have bipolar affective disorder, and any other depression. Otherwise you cut back on your sleep more and more and then you start to lose focus and reality changes drastically!

Good nutrition, moderate exercise, taking the correct dosage of medication, and getting enough sleep can bring back your control of your life....and don't forget to give all of your fears to your doctor in the form of statements that you feel and questions that you have about ANYTHING!
This is your life, your body, and YOUR mind and you deserve any answers you need from the medical profession.
Keep going and take care of yourself...now and forever!