How To Explain Bipolar Disorder to Others

Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: One hour estimated



Here's How:
Stripped down to basics, people with bipolar disorder have mood swings, from elation to depression, that don't necessarily have anything to do with what's going on in their lives.
Bipolar disorder is also called manic depression, and it appears to be caused by electrochemical abnormalities in the brain.
TV shows like to show people with bipolar disorder as criminals, but don't worry - only a small percentage are ever violent, and I'm not one of them!
"Mania" and "manic" don't mean "crazy" - they refer to extra high emotions, full of energy, fast-talking, not needing much sleep [add appropriate symptoms].
zSB(3,3)I am a rapid cycler - that means I can be ultra-excited one day and deeply depressed the next, for no obvious reason. [Modify this to fit the person's cycle pattern.]
I get into what are called "mixed states" when I seem to have a lot of energy but at the same time am really down, angry or panicky.
There are a lot of possible medications for bipolar disorder. My doctor has started me out on _____, but if that doesn't work, we'll just try something else.
When I'm manic, I have particular problems with [choose symptoms like: spending too much money, talking too much, not making a lot of sense].
Inappropriate anger can be a symptom of bipolar disorder. I might say or have said hurtful things that I really don't mean - I'm sorry! Finding the right medication should help control that behavior.
When I get depressed or into a mixed state, I sometimes feel suicidal. That's my illness talking - but it's serious. You might have to get me to a hospital if I seem really bad.
Bipolar disorder seems to be inherited but the exact cause is not known yet.
Don't worry if I _________ [behavior you and your doctor agree is symptomatic but not dangerous by itself].
If I start ________ [behavior you and your doctor agree is dangerous], tell me to call my doctor, or take me to the hospital.
Tips:

All of the above can be modified to be about someone else, not yourself - e.g., "He is a rapid cycler" or "she gets into mixed states."
Educate yourself as much as possible about your condition by reading up on it, and urge close family members to do the same.
Give careful consideration to whom and to what extent you share these very personal details about yourself. There are those who will simply never understand. If you lose a friend, it is their loss!
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Jesus man, now I am even more confused....in a different way like, the more you know the less you understand...

Thanks for sharing this post and giving useful advise

The was a long ADHD thread some weeks go about "You have ADHD if you......" fill in the blank.

Which was amusing, very informative and some parts highly creative...

Would you be able to start that here for Bipolar? Seeing the good side of it maybe. There must be...

wow ... i really needed this years ago. i'm going to give it to my wife, who gets it, but doesn't always get it, if you know what I mean.

There is also a book that is called Loving Someone with Bipolar disorder. It has helped my wife understand a lot more about my condition.

There is a book that was published by psychology today called Taming bipolar disorder. It goes in great detail about the disease. There is also a section of the book that talks about how to deal with telling others about having the condition. I liked this book because the structure of he text, and the lay out make it easier to read than just pages of text upon text. :(:mad::confused::p:eek::o

I think it's important to differentiate between Bipolar (type) I and Bipolar (type) II. These two conditions are very different. I have been diagnosed with bipolar type II. I don't get crazy manic highs....My main issue is recurring depression and anxiety. Therefore, if I have to explain my condition to anyone, I usually just avoid the word "bipolar" entirely. Basically, everyone with a mood disorder falls somewhere on the bipolar spectrum.

In Bipolar I, some people do get full blown, florid psychotic manias (probably the reason Bipolar has been associated with "crazy")....There's just a huge range/ spectrum of combinations and severity of symptoms under the umbrella of bipolar disorder. Therefore, I think it's important to maybe describe the "textbook" idea of bipolar first, but then differentiate your own particular version of it.

Oops.....I didn't realize this thread was so old before I posted. Rookie mistake, I guess.

That's ok. Some information never gets old.