psychology What does Independence Mean for a Person with Bipolar Disorder

July 4 is considered the day that America gained her freedom. It is called Independence Day. What does it mean to be independent? Some synonyms for independent are: free, self-governing, and self-reliant. I have heard others with bipolar disorder complain about their medication describing it as a mental straight jacket. I do not think that is an accurate picture. Without medication, most people with bipolar disorder are on a constant roller coaster ride resulting in Dependence on family, friends, or others to take care of them. That is not freedom or self-reliance. I believe and have experienced the freedom that comes with a good medication regimen. This occurs when your symptoms are under enough control to be functional yet not so drugged that you do not feel like yourself. When you finally get to the point where you can strike a balance between symptoms and side-effects, you then feel free and can become self-reliant. 

I know that this process can be hard, frustrating, difficult, and could take a long time, but the rewards of sticking with it are fantastic. How do you achieve this may be your next question. You must first have a good psychiatrist or doctor that specializes in mental health treatment. If you are not getting the attention you need or feel that your doctor is not working well with you, then you need to fire that person and get a good one. To do this, you need to interview at least three doctors that you have good references for. Ask them for 15 minutes of their time so that you can decide if you want to work with them. You are the "customer" in this regard, and have to right to hire or fire someone. For now, I will assume that you are working with a good doctor or psychiatrist. Then what?

Your doctor should have you on a therapeutic dose of any number of quality medications that are available to us today. We have come a long way since Lithium although Lithium can still be a medication of choice for many patients. Next you should monitor your moods and physical symptoms (side effects) for a period of time usually 2 - 3 weeks. It may be much shorter if the medication is causing side effects that are not tolerable which can usually be discovered within 1 week. You should tell your doctor how your mood is, how your physical symptoms are, and if they are improving or getting worse. Based on that information, your doctor will most likely make small changes. Big changes have their own negative consequences, so small changes are best. Again, monitor your mood and side effects for 2 - 3 weeks. You will need to continue this process until you feel good, but not manic, and have no side effects or so minimal that it does not interfere with your day to day functioning.

What then? Once you are on a stable medication track, you should be able to start seeing your doctor less and less to the point where you only need to go in every 3 - 6 months for a prescription renewal. The exciting part about this is that you will start seeing your self-reliance and freedom increase. If you have been living with care givers because you were not stable enough to take care of yourself, now is the time to start looking to striking out on your own. You should be stable enough to hold down a job which will provide you with the income you need to sustain yourself. This should be a fun, exhilarating, and maybe even scary time. But freedom feels great!

I am in the process of opening a store and will have the interview scripted form for psychiatrist and a mood and medication journal available for download. Keep checking back for the grand opening at www.ThrivingWithBipolarDisorder.com The store should be open soon. You can also find a FREE article on how to be a happy, contributing, highly respected employee that includes more details on how to be a good employee which in turn will help you keep your job.

I wish you the best in all your pursuits.

Author: Cassandra L. Good

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psychology Get Wonderful Information on Delusional Disorder

Delusional disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis denoting a psychotic mental illness that involves holding one or more non-bizarre delusions in the absence of any other significant psychopathology (signs orsymptoms of mental illness). In particular, a person with delusional disorder has never met any other criteria for schizophrenia and does not have any marked hallucinations, although tactile (touch) or olfactory (smell)hallucinations may be present if they are related to the theme of the delusion. 

The types of delusional disorder include. First Erotomanic-Someone with this type of delusional disorder believes that another person, often someone important or famous, is in love with him or her. Second is Grandiose-A person with this type of delusional disorder has an over-inflated sense of worth, power, knowledge, or identity. Third is Jealous-A person with this type of delusional disorder believes that his or her spouse or sexual partner is unfaithful. Forth is Persecutory- People with this type of delusional disorder believe that they (or someone close to them) are being mistreated, or that someone is spying on them or planning to harm them. Fifth is Somatic-A person with this type of delusional disorder believes that he or she has a physical defect or medical problem and last is Mixed: People with this type of delusional disorder have two or more of the types of delusions listed above. 

Causes of Delusional Disorder 

The cause of delusional disorder is not known. Some studies suggest a biological component due to increased prevalence in first degree relatives of individuals with the disorder. There is a tendency for their family relationships to be characterized by turbulence, callousness, and coldness yet the significance of the patter is unclear typical defense mechanisms seen in these patients include denial, projection, and regression. 

Signs and Symptoms of Delusional Disorder 

The presence of non-bizarre delusions is the most obvious symptom of this disorder. Other symptoms that mighty appear include:

* An irritable, angry, or low mood 

* Hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not really there) that are related to the delusion (For example, a person who believes he or she has an odor problem may smell a bad odor.) 

Treatment of Delusional Disorder 

Common Treatment of Delusional Disorder 

Medication and psychotherapy (a type of counseling). Psychotherapy is the primary treatment for delusional disorder, including psychosocial treatment which can help with the behavioral and psychological problems associated with delusional disorder. 

Individual psychotherapy can help the person recognize and correct the underlying thinking that has become distorted. 

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can help the person learn to recognize and change thought patterns and behaviors that lead to troublesome feelings. 

Cognitive therapy has shown promise as an emerging treatment for delusions. The cognitive therapist tries to capitalize on any doubt the individual has about the delusions; then attempts to develop a joint effort with the sufferer to generate alternative explanations, assisting the client in checking the evidence.

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psychology Many Famous People Suffer With Bipolar Disorder

There have been many famous people with bipolar disorder, or are now thought to have had it based on their lifeworks and stories. There have been so many, in fact, that it is considered by some to be a mark of genius. That may or may not be true, but it is easy to see why the connection in made after a look at the many famous people with bipolar disorder.

Writers have been some of the most famous people with bipolar disorder. Mark Twain was one such writer. He, like many other writers, was highly functional in his writing. However, he could be depressed-seeming and pessimistic sometimes. He also had grand business ideas which. like many manics ideas were never accomplished.

Kurt Vonnegut, who wrote the classic Slaughterhouse-Five and many other books, and William Faulkner, who created an entire fictional place called Yoknapatawha County as a setting for his novels, were two other famous people with bipolar disorder. Some of the most well-known names in modern history have been also thought to have had this disorder. These famous people with bipolar disorder include such names as: Winston Churchill, Abbie Hoffman, Edgar Allen Poe, Beethoven, Van Gogh and Isaac Newton. 

The world would not have been the same place without these and the many other famous people with bipolar disorder. Many famous people with bipolar disorder have written about it. Patty Duke wrote a lengthy book on the subject of her own illness. There have been other famous people with bipolar disorder who have also written books about the subject. Kay Redfield Jamison, a psychologist well-known in her field wrote two books, including a memoir and a treatise on the connection between the illness and creativity. Besides these, there have been many other books written about their experiences by famous people with bipolar disorder .

A number of famous people with bipolar disorder have been posthumously diagnosed to have had it. Many are current stars and have actually received the diagnosis from their doctors. Some of these are actresses Linda Hamilton, Margot Kidder, Carrie Fisher, and Patty Duke. Others are musicians such as Kurt Cobain, Ozzy Osbourne, Axel Rose, and Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails.

In the past, famous people with bipolar disorder usually lived very difficult lives. They may not have known that they had any kind of disorder at all. They would most likely have thought that mania and depression was just the way of the world. These days. famous people with bipolar disorder are under a huge amount of pressure to work through their cycles of mania and depression. The case of Kurt Cobain proved that bipolar disorder untreated can be a disaster. On the other hand, many feel that the medications stunt their creativity. Therapy is seen by some as a way the powerful force of their expression is lost. 

This is a controversial topic, and many doctors feel that great strides have been made in medications that are not as debilitating to creative people. Therapy, has changed in many quarters. One thing is certain. The prognosis is better these days than it ever has been for famous people with bipolar disorder.

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psychology Panic Disorder

Do you have sudden moments of intense fear accompanied by palpitations, breathlessness, dizziness and other physical symptoms?

Do you have Panic Disorder ?

A panic attack is a sudden surge of overwhelming fear that can come without warning and without any obvious reason. It is also accompanied by some or all of the following symptoms:

1. heart beating fast

2. difficulty breathing

3. dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea

4. trembling, sweating, shaking

5. choking, chest discomfort

6. fear that youre going to go crazy or are about to die

7. tingling sensation in fingers or toes ("pins and needles"), numbness

Panic attacks can occur without warning and can also precipitated by situations and thoughts that are anxiety provoking. Because it is associated with many physical symptoms such as palpitations and breathlessness, many sufferers think that they have a medical condition such as a heart attack.

Do you need assessment and treatment? 

If you have the above symptoms and they are causing distress and affecting your life, it is time to consult a doctor. Panic disorder is a chronic condition and as it progresses, the sufferer may become very fearful of having another panic attack in a public place. This may lead to refusal to leave his or her house, a condition known as agoraphobia. Hence Panic Disorder can impair the social and occupational function of the sufferer and can lower the quality of life of the sufferer. 

What happens in a psychiatric consultation?

An in-depth interview by a psychiatrist will include asking questions on the symptoms, your background history and medical history. Further investigations may be done if needed to ensure that a physical illness is not a cause of the panic attacks. After the diagnosis is made, the psychiatrist decides on the treatment for you. All information shared during the consultations is strictly confidential.

How is Panic Disorder treated?

Panic disorder is treated using medications and/or psychological therapy. Medications effectively help to reduce anxiety. These act on the serotonin receptors in the brain to reduce the level of anxiety and do not result in addiction. Other short-term medicines such as sedatives and sleeping pills may also be given to abort the panic attacks, improve sleep and allow you to relax . This is usually combined with cognitive behavorial therapy (CBT) and relaxation therapy. 

Remember: Panic Disorder can be treated and you can feel better. Do not postpone treatment and suffer needlessly.

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