God chooses people to be prophets, but ignorant people call it madness only to confirm it with medication.
Instead of answering God's call, these poor individuals become the schizophrenic and the bipolar, which are only man-made labels. In the end they die before a cult can be established around them.
For this is how the modern world deals with God's chosen ones.
Even though a few people become schizophrenic, this is due to stress and the inability of the person to cope with it. However, few schizophrenics develop religious delusions, because most of them are unbelievers.
In contrast, people with bipolar personality disorder make up the bulk of people with religious delusions. This is because, contrary to schizophrenics, only their mood is affected. Were it not for the moodiness, people with bipolar might have become prophets. It depends on how well they handle stress.
However, these are but medical labels which is rejected by the religious masses due to their man-made nature.
In my opinion, a person would only become schizophrenic or bipolar when she does not heed God's calling but instead treats it as a mental condition. Indeed, the atypical antipsychotic risperidone is given to schizophrenics and bipolar people. People given it develop tolerance, and need to be weaned off it. If they don't, then schizophrenic symptoms such as anxiety, delusions, and hallucinations may develop as a result.
This is why medication should be a last resort, and any psychiatrist who insists that a patient has to take it for life is incompetent.
However, from the religious viewpoint, medication is useful only when it helps to induce visions. Therefore risperidone is almost as good as fasting, though there is anecdotal evidence for marijuana and other soft drugs. Even so, because risperidone is legal, it might be useful for the new visionary to use as would phenibut. YMMV.
Just think of risperidone as a doctor-approved entheogen that only works when you take as directed up to the recommended dosage for a few months, and later try to wean yourself off them. It is during the "cold-turkey" period that the visions may appear.
So, please give risperidone a try if you are bipolar and wish to become a God's chosen one. Otherwise, avoid the booze and pot, man.
Showing posts with label bipolar disorder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bipolar disorder. Show all posts
20140111
My Mental Health So Far (satire)
When I reflect on the borderline personality disorder diagnosis I was given over 20 years ago, perhaps it was only accurate in 1991.
After discussing the diagnosis with my doctor, we decided to preserve my mental health by not opting for medication. At age 33, I was still young and immature for my age.
Overall though, my delayed maturity was due mainly to my limited social experience before moving out of my parents' home.
At age 39 I left home to live on my own. It's been over 15 years now that I've lived independently of my parents, but only five years since I have developed a mature understanding of the roles my siblings (one older brother, one younger sister) and my parents played in my emotional and psychological development.
During that time, I lost a friend in 2006 to pancreatic cancer and my father in 2007 to old age. As well, I met and fell in love with four different women in 1994, 2000, 2001 and 2007.
Today I'm sure the borderline personality disorder is in remission.
By the end of 2012, I have been in remission from depression that lasted from 2009 to 2011. From 2010 to 2012, I chose psychotherapy combined with medication of my choosing to see if it would help me.
From my perspective, I am sure that psychotherapy was helpful in the beginning. Yet it was becoming less useful over time due to my unwillingness to fully commit to total disclosure. At some point near its end, I developed a fear that continued therapy would undo the improvement in my life.
Even so, I learned a lot from my psychotherapist and my choice in medication. All that can be confirmed about medication is that mirtazapine is a strong sedative and did what it was meant to do (relieve depression).
After discontinuing mirtazapine in 2012, I have relied on gabapentin two 100 mg capsules daily and one 10 mg tablet of flexeril to aid in relief of insomnia.
Gabapentin (Neurontin) is used for neuralgic pain in low doses. Flexeril (cyclobenzaprine) is a muscle relaxant with sedative effects is used to reduce pain for the osteoarthrosis in my left shoulder. Together, both drugs reduce the subtle effects of pain in my body to help me to sleep at night.
After doing a thorough research on borderline personality disorder, I know that I have outgrown a lot of its symptoms over time. That include no recent incidents of self harm and only rare occurrences of impulsivity.
As for idealization and devaluation of others, alternating between high positive regard and great disappointment, it rarely occurs. Instead I maintain a high positive regard for most of my friends and as much positive regard for my GooglePlus followers.
Additionally, I know that the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder implies the personality of a person is flawed. In response, I feel that perhaps the psychiatrists who voted on keeping borderline personality disorder in DSM-V would rather have the ignorant believe in the myth of a flawed personality associated with this debilitating personality disorder than actually overcome the stigma associated with it.
Indeed, I do not believe that my personality is flawed since it is based on myth rather than fact. Rather, a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder may be based on a lack of information about the person being diagnosed including cultural heritage.
Had I been exposed to medication earlier, I am uncertain that it could have helped me at all. For my research on various medications led me to conclude that very little of the medical trials on antidepressants, anti-psychotics, and sedatives included enough Asian volunteers to validate their safety.
I feel that whenever flaws in my personality appear, it is when I am stressed. A person truly cannot isolate himself from the world for long. Even being at home for two days would lead me to develop insomnia. In order to remedy such a situation, I will spend more time away from my computer in the future.
As for now, I would rate my mental health as good with room for improvement.
However, regarding bipolar disorder and other mood disorders, medication and psychotherapy may be warranted when coping strategies do not work.
In my case; I rely on exercise and meditation as coping strategies to relieve stress.
For exercise, I get outside to walk up to five days of the week. Meditation only takes up about 15 minutes of my day.
My hobbies are listening and making music, reading, and writing on my blog.
As for computers, I enjoy both my time on-line and especially off-line. Indeed, being away from the computer is a relief. As well, not using my phone is a bigger relief than using it used to be.
For the moment, because of insomnia, I will consider sleep the best coping strategy of all.
After discussing the diagnosis with my doctor, we decided to preserve my mental health by not opting for medication. At age 33, I was still young and immature for my age.
Overall though, my delayed maturity was due mainly to my limited social experience before moving out of my parents' home.
At age 39 I left home to live on my own. It's been over 15 years now that I've lived independently of my parents, but only five years since I have developed a mature understanding of the roles my siblings (one older brother, one younger sister) and my parents played in my emotional and psychological development.
During that time, I lost a friend in 2006 to pancreatic cancer and my father in 2007 to old age. As well, I met and fell in love with four different women in 1994, 2000, 2001 and 2007.
Today I'm sure the borderline personality disorder is in remission.
By the end of 2012, I have been in remission from depression that lasted from 2009 to 2011. From 2010 to 2012, I chose psychotherapy combined with medication of my choosing to see if it would help me.
From my perspective, I am sure that psychotherapy was helpful in the beginning. Yet it was becoming less useful over time due to my unwillingness to fully commit to total disclosure. At some point near its end, I developed a fear that continued therapy would undo the improvement in my life.
Even so, I learned a lot from my psychotherapist and my choice in medication. All that can be confirmed about medication is that mirtazapine is a strong sedative and did what it was meant to do (relieve depression).
After discontinuing mirtazapine in 2012, I have relied on gabapentin two 100 mg capsules daily and one 10 mg tablet of flexeril to aid in relief of insomnia.
Gabapentin (Neurontin) is used for neuralgic pain in low doses. Flexeril (cyclobenzaprine) is a muscle relaxant with sedative effects is used to reduce pain for the osteoarthrosis in my left shoulder. Together, both drugs reduce the subtle effects of pain in my body to help me to sleep at night.
After doing a thorough research on borderline personality disorder, I know that I have outgrown a lot of its symptoms over time. That include no recent incidents of self harm and only rare occurrences of impulsivity.
As for idealization and devaluation of others, alternating between high positive regard and great disappointment, it rarely occurs. Instead I maintain a high positive regard for most of my friends and as much positive regard for my GooglePlus followers.
Additionally, I know that the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder implies the personality of a person is flawed. In response, I feel that perhaps the psychiatrists who voted on keeping borderline personality disorder in DSM-V would rather have the ignorant believe in the myth of a flawed personality associated with this debilitating personality disorder than actually overcome the stigma associated with it.
Indeed, I do not believe that my personality is flawed since it is based on myth rather than fact. Rather, a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder may be based on a lack of information about the person being diagnosed including cultural heritage.
Had I been exposed to medication earlier, I am uncertain that it could have helped me at all. For my research on various medications led me to conclude that very little of the medical trials on antidepressants, anti-psychotics, and sedatives included enough Asian volunteers to validate their safety.
I feel that whenever flaws in my personality appear, it is when I am stressed. A person truly cannot isolate himself from the world for long. Even being at home for two days would lead me to develop insomnia. In order to remedy such a situation, I will spend more time away from my computer in the future.
As for now, I would rate my mental health as good with room for improvement.
However, regarding bipolar disorder and other mood disorders, medication and psychotherapy may be warranted when coping strategies do not work.
In my case; I rely on exercise and meditation as coping strategies to relieve stress.
For exercise, I get outside to walk up to five days of the week. Meditation only takes up about 15 minutes of my day.
My hobbies are listening and making music, reading, and writing on my blog.
As for computers, I enjoy both my time on-line and especially off-line. Indeed, being away from the computer is a relief. As well, not using my phone is a bigger relief than using it used to be.
For the moment, because of insomnia, I will consider sleep the best coping strategy of all.
20130516
Update: adapting to no medication and observations of bipolar patients
Although I've been battling insomnia, the lack of flexiril and gabapentin hasn't cause insomnia. That's a fallacy. Rather, the insomnia has come and gone during those two weeks mainly due to how much time I've been online.
Overall, though the the end of the fortnight, I've been getting adequately amounts of sleep, by going to nap when I want to. My reasoning for going off the medication is twofold: 1) gabapentin and flexiril are being used to give a hint to sleep, since neither is a sleep aid, and 2) to understand that without the gabapnetin, I don't get quality sleep, and without the flexeril, I don't fall off to sleep.
As well, I've tried the hypoglycemic reaction, to observe the role of high glycemic foods in sleep quality
I'm sure after a two week washout, both the gabapentin and flexiril will do their job.
In other news, anti-histamine effects of mirtazapine and quetiapine are directly related to binge eating. You just never see it with first-generation antihistamines due to the strong sedative effects.
However, low doses of quetiapine have no effect on the manic part of bipolar disorder except to stabilize the mood. It's more likely alcohol consumption has a lot to do with a bipolar patient's recovery as the less consumed, the more stable the patient is.
Sadly though, a lot of bipolar patients are moderate to chronic alcoholics. As well, the higher level of anger observed in bipolar patients is a good indication of their level of stress.
It appears that the psychiatric staff have no means to deal with the alcoholism that the bipolar patient retains. However, it is associated with anger and stress.
Overall, though the the end of the fortnight, I've been getting adequately amounts of sleep, by going to nap when I want to. My reasoning for going off the medication is twofold: 1) gabapentin and flexiril are being used to give a hint to sleep, since neither is a sleep aid, and 2) to understand that without the gabapnetin, I don't get quality sleep, and without the flexeril, I don't fall off to sleep.
As well, I've tried the hypoglycemic reaction, to observe the role of high glycemic foods in sleep quality
I'm sure after a two week washout, both the gabapentin and flexiril will do their job.
In other news, anti-histamine effects of mirtazapine and quetiapine are directly related to binge eating. You just never see it with first-generation antihistamines due to the strong sedative effects.
However, low doses of quetiapine have no effect on the manic part of bipolar disorder except to stabilize the mood. It's more likely alcohol consumption has a lot to do with a bipolar patient's recovery as the less consumed, the more stable the patient is.
Sadly though, a lot of bipolar patients are moderate to chronic alcoholics. As well, the higher level of anger observed in bipolar patients is a good indication of their level of stress.
It appears that the psychiatric staff have no means to deal with the alcoholism that the bipolar patient retains. However, it is associated with anger and stress.
20130501
Bipolar World (poem)
In a world of manic depressives,
everyone self medicates,
be it alcohol,
recreational drugs,
religion, shopping or sex.
everyone self medicates,
be it alcohol,
recreational drugs,
religion, shopping or sex.
20130101
Subway Pusher Admits to Hate Crime and Misdirected Bias
“I pushed a Muslim off the train tracks because I hate Hindus and Muslims. Ever since 2001 when they put down the Twin Towers I’ve been beating them up.” — Erika Menendez's reason for pushing Sunando Sen onto subway tracks at Flushing 7 in New York City.
My first reaction to Ms. Menendez's statement is "What? That kind of behavior got old when you graduate high school!"
This is another case of misdirected bias which this woman has been doing since 2001. Even though she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, her violence towards men who look like "Hindus and Muslims" verifies the misdirected bias phenomenon.
Her initial criminal charge in 2000 is related to a stolen credit card. However, evidence of her psychiatric disorder does not appear on her police time-line until 2005.
Although she has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, her erratic behavior is more consistent with her drug use (cocaine and marijuana). The escalation of violence combined with harassment suggest elements of anger and rage preceded her attack.
However, her condition deteriorated in 2005 when she went off her medication. In the recent case, the trigger appears to be conflict with her mother. This was back in February 2012. It is likely her violence and non-compliance with medication is due to either the manic phase of her disorder and/or recreational drug use.
Her reasoning for killing Sen indicates psychosis. Even though I sympathize with her psychiatric condition, I find her reason for killing Sen irrational and harmful to others.
Yet a closer look at what precedes each assault — first in April 2003, she scratches and slaps a 28-year old man and later in June 2003 she punches a 55-yr old man — along with the non-compliance with medication, it indicates misdirection of aggression and violence against her loved ones towards an innocent bystander who is male, targeting a racial group. In December she was arrested for cocaine possession.
In the case with the 28 yr old man, she assaulted him in her home. The case was dropped. But the case of the 55 yr old man being assaulted shows the typical signs of cocaine psychosis. She accused him of having sex with her mother, and of stealing jewelry from her in high school. After filing assault charges, and two restraining orders against her, the man never saw her again.
Here's the description of her first day in court: "She laughed and snickered so much during her court hearing last weekend that the judge admonished her. The attorney who represented her only for her arraignment said she acted the same way with him when he tried to speak with her. He had no further comment."
Mass media reports from the Wall Street Journal indicate that the defense lawyer who represented her in court at arraignment will not be handling her defense case, due to Ms Menendez's present state, which indicates either bipolar mania or, most likely, cocaine psychosis.
I really feel for the Menendez family, but their right not to make public comment to mass media indicates that the stigma of mental illness makes their privacy necessary. It also indicates that the Menendez family are afraid of public scrutiny due to the nature of Ms. Menendez's crime.
Ms Menendez's case also shows that her family may not have the resources to place her in a private psychiatric clinic.
Her non-compliance shows that she is in denial of her psychiatric condition, mainly due to the social stigma caused by her erratic and often violent behavior.
Since her diagnosis with bipolar disorder, her use of violence in committing her hate crimes indicates the possibility of recreational drug use. It also indicates that she strongly resents her diagnosis, as indicated by non-compliance of medication.
In light of Ms. Menendez's behavior before her arrest, she needs to be rediagnosed. The Wall Street Journal's news article makes no indication that this has been done but the Huffington Post indicates that a psychiatric evaluation has been requested and will be presented when court determines if she is fit to stand trial on January 14, 2013.
My synopsis regarding Menendez is, Hispanic woman kills South Asian man due to misdirected bias against South Asian and Middle Eastern men in wake of 9-11. Her psychiatric history indicates psychopathic escalation of violence. When she becomes manic, she goes off her medication and resorts to cocaine abuse.
Her past behavior suggests unresolved issues with fathers, brothers and male cousins. Thus, Ms Menendez could be cast as a victim of the patriarchy, since she may have been exposed to anti-Muslim propaganda without confounding information. Thus she fell for the logical fallacies inherent in such propaganda. However, she acted as a bully in reaction to hatred for Hindus and Muslims because the propaganda confirmed her misdirected bias — it is safer to hate Hindus and Muslims than to hate loved ones such as fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters since the former are outside the family group.
By spreading the propaganda of anti-Muslim factions among the right-wing politicians with the aim of unjustly daemonizing Muslims, mass media only sows the seed of hate crime in a young mind warped by decadent hedonism and unwilling to mature into a woman in control of her life.
...
In a related murder on the subway weeks earlier, Ki-Suck Han, 58, was pushed onto subway tracks by Naeem Davis. I bet mass media is going to suppress reporting on the enmity between the Korean community and Black community in the wake of the Rodney King riots. My rant on the Davis / Han subway murder is pending.
Subway suspect's past includes mental health problems and violence: http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2012/12/30/subway-suspects-past-includes-mental-health-problems-violence/?mod=WSJBlog&mod=WSJ_NY_NY_Blog
Erika Menendez, Alleged Subway Pusher, Arrested For Hate Crime: tttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/30/erika-menendez-alleged-su_n_2384757.html
NYC Subway Push, Ordered To Take Psychiatric Exam: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/31/erika-menendez-suspect-in-nyc-subway-push-psychiatric-exam-_n_2387776.html?utm_hp_ref=new-york
My first reaction to Ms. Menendez's statement is "What? That kind of behavior got old when you graduate high school!"
This is another case of misdirected bias which this woman has been doing since 2001. Even though she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, her violence towards men who look like "Hindus and Muslims" verifies the misdirected bias phenomenon.
Her initial criminal charge in 2000 is related to a stolen credit card. However, evidence of her psychiatric disorder does not appear on her police time-line until 2005.
Although she has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, her erratic behavior is more consistent with her drug use (cocaine and marijuana). The escalation of violence combined with harassment suggest elements of anger and rage preceded her attack.
However, her condition deteriorated in 2005 when she went off her medication. In the recent case, the trigger appears to be conflict with her mother. This was back in February 2012. It is likely her violence and non-compliance with medication is due to either the manic phase of her disorder and/or recreational drug use.
Her reasoning for killing Sen indicates psychosis. Even though I sympathize with her psychiatric condition, I find her reason for killing Sen irrational and harmful to others.
Yet a closer look at what precedes each assault — first in April 2003, she scratches and slaps a 28-year old man and later in June 2003 she punches a 55-yr old man — along with the non-compliance with medication, it indicates misdirection of aggression and violence against her loved ones towards an innocent bystander who is male, targeting a racial group. In December she was arrested for cocaine possession.
In the case with the 28 yr old man, she assaulted him in her home. The case was dropped. But the case of the 55 yr old man being assaulted shows the typical signs of cocaine psychosis. She accused him of having sex with her mother, and of stealing jewelry from her in high school. After filing assault charges, and two restraining orders against her, the man never saw her again.
Here's the description of her first day in court: "She laughed and snickered so much during her court hearing last weekend that the judge admonished her. The attorney who represented her only for her arraignment said she acted the same way with him when he tried to speak with her. He had no further comment."
Mass media reports from the Wall Street Journal indicate that the defense lawyer who represented her in court at arraignment will not be handling her defense case, due to Ms Menendez's present state, which indicates either bipolar mania or, most likely, cocaine psychosis.
I really feel for the Menendez family, but their right not to make public comment to mass media indicates that the stigma of mental illness makes their privacy necessary. It also indicates that the Menendez family are afraid of public scrutiny due to the nature of Ms. Menendez's crime.
Ms Menendez's case also shows that her family may not have the resources to place her in a private psychiatric clinic.
Her non-compliance shows that she is in denial of her psychiatric condition, mainly due to the social stigma caused by her erratic and often violent behavior.
Since her diagnosis with bipolar disorder, her use of violence in committing her hate crimes indicates the possibility of recreational drug use. It also indicates that she strongly resents her diagnosis, as indicated by non-compliance of medication.
In light of Ms. Menendez's behavior before her arrest, she needs to be rediagnosed. The Wall Street Journal's news article makes no indication that this has been done but the Huffington Post indicates that a psychiatric evaluation has been requested and will be presented when court determines if she is fit to stand trial on January 14, 2013.
My synopsis regarding Menendez is, Hispanic woman kills South Asian man due to misdirected bias against South Asian and Middle Eastern men in wake of 9-11. Her psychiatric history indicates psychopathic escalation of violence. When she becomes manic, she goes off her medication and resorts to cocaine abuse.
Her past behavior suggests unresolved issues with fathers, brothers and male cousins. Thus, Ms Menendez could be cast as a victim of the patriarchy, since she may have been exposed to anti-Muslim propaganda without confounding information. Thus she fell for the logical fallacies inherent in such propaganda. However, she acted as a bully in reaction to hatred for Hindus and Muslims because the propaganda confirmed her misdirected bias — it is safer to hate Hindus and Muslims than to hate loved ones such as fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters since the former are outside the family group.
By spreading the propaganda of anti-Muslim factions among the right-wing politicians with the aim of unjustly daemonizing Muslims, mass media only sows the seed of hate crime in a young mind warped by decadent hedonism and unwilling to mature into a woman in control of her life.
...
In a related murder on the subway weeks earlier, Ki-Suck Han, 58, was pushed onto subway tracks by Naeem Davis. I bet mass media is going to suppress reporting on the enmity between the Korean community and Black community in the wake of the Rodney King riots. My rant on the Davis / Han subway murder is pending.
Subway suspect's past includes mental health problems and violence: http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2012/12/30/subway-suspects-past-includes-mental-health-problems-violence/?mod=WSJBlog&mod=WSJ_NY_NY_Blog
Erika Menendez, Alleged Subway Pusher, Arrested For Hate Crime: tttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/30/erika-menendez-alleged-su_n_2384757.html
NYC Subway Push, Ordered To Take Psychiatric Exam: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/31/erika-menendez-suspect-in-nyc-subway-push-psychiatric-exam-_n_2387776.html?utm_hp_ref=new-york
20121225
Insomnia Model of Bipolar Disorder
This is a model based on a theory formulated by subjective analysis of bipolar disorder. Due to this subjectivity, it may be flawed and in need of correction. Please comment with corrections as you see fit.
Due to anxiety, specifically worry, insomnia leads to an extended period of lost sleep. That lost sleep leads to more of the same. At some point, hypomania arises and then escalates into mania. Finally a psychosis develops and the world that one enters is known as "depression" where one swings between the extremes of sleep and of insomnia.
During the hypomania phase, one gets productive until it seems the world cannot stand for efficiency and "getting things done" since society has engineered the concept of "disposable" and the efficiency of "lasts forever" is not "good business".
Once efficiency and "doing good" becomes "bad business", one enters the manic stage and consistently does good, but achieves no success because a do-gooder is "bad for business" in today's fast-paced world.
Frustrated by increasing lack of success, the manic person may "burn out" and enter "a world of his own" in the psychotic phase. The main feature of this psychosis is the ability to sleep long hours and to rapidly cycle between it and insomnia with short bouts of hypomania, where one is productive and interfaces well with other people. One then regains some success as his "business reputation" is restored through productive conferences with his circle of friends.
However, it is possible for mania to recur IF his feelings of self worth are forgotten as his income declines. Rising income actually leads to remission of mania.
Through regular use of mild anxiolytic medications, his anxiety will be lowered to the point that insomnia is rare, but what he has learned about hypomania implies that the increased productivity and social connections outweighs the fatigue. For hypomania is the "good life" while mania is the "bad life".
Through therapy and reflective meditation, it is possible to choose the good life over the bad. What helps one make this choice wisely, preferring the good over the bad, is love. One loves himself so much that mania is seen as unproductive and damaging to reputation precisely because the psychosis is viewed as an endless cycle of hyperactivity and sleep, complicated by insomnia.
In contrast, anxiety that leads only to insomnia and hypomania is a milder psychosis which is manageable. For this is the world of productivity and benefits of social graces. One is valuable to his employer and his love for himself prevents him from making a bad choice and descending into the hell of bipolar psychosis.
Even though bipolar disorder is not as simple as this, as each person has a different aspect of the disorder, it is possible to simplify it into opposing pairs of good and bad since the disorder lends well to such a simple model.
For the bad life makes a hell of the symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, hypomania, mania and psychosis. In contrast the good life help to make those symptoms "go away" i.e. become manageable.
Due to anxiety, specifically worry, insomnia leads to an extended period of lost sleep. That lost sleep leads to more of the same. At some point, hypomania arises and then escalates into mania. Finally a psychosis develops and the world that one enters is known as "depression" where one swings between the extremes of sleep and of insomnia.
During the hypomania phase, one gets productive until it seems the world cannot stand for efficiency and "getting things done" since society has engineered the concept of "disposable" and the efficiency of "lasts forever" is not "good business".
Once efficiency and "doing good" becomes "bad business", one enters the manic stage and consistently does good, but achieves no success because a do-gooder is "bad for business" in today's fast-paced world.
Frustrated by increasing lack of success, the manic person may "burn out" and enter "a world of his own" in the psychotic phase. The main feature of this psychosis is the ability to sleep long hours and to rapidly cycle between it and insomnia with short bouts of hypomania, where one is productive and interfaces well with other people. One then regains some success as his "business reputation" is restored through productive conferences with his circle of friends.
However, it is possible for mania to recur IF his feelings of self worth are forgotten as his income declines. Rising income actually leads to remission of mania.
Through regular use of mild anxiolytic medications, his anxiety will be lowered to the point that insomnia is rare, but what he has learned about hypomania implies that the increased productivity and social connections outweighs the fatigue. For hypomania is the "good life" while mania is the "bad life".
Through therapy and reflective meditation, it is possible to choose the good life over the bad. What helps one make this choice wisely, preferring the good over the bad, is love. One loves himself so much that mania is seen as unproductive and damaging to reputation precisely because the psychosis is viewed as an endless cycle of hyperactivity and sleep, complicated by insomnia.
In contrast, anxiety that leads only to insomnia and hypomania is a milder psychosis which is manageable. For this is the world of productivity and benefits of social graces. One is valuable to his employer and his love for himself prevents him from making a bad choice and descending into the hell of bipolar psychosis.
Even though bipolar disorder is not as simple as this, as each person has a different aspect of the disorder, it is possible to simplify it into opposing pairs of good and bad since the disorder lends well to such a simple model.
For the bad life makes a hell of the symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, hypomania, mania and psychosis. In contrast the good life help to make those symptoms "go away" i.e. become manageable.
20120409
Bipolar Disorder as Metaphor: It's not Just Venus vs Mars
Bipolar disorder is a metaphorical fight between Mars (sexuality, libido, nymphomania) and Venus (fertility, motherhood, feminine wisdom). Antidepressants put the disorder into remission by sedating Mars. Personally, I prefer seducing my inner Venus, but feminists would object.
Depression is represented by Saturn, the metaphor of limitation of control and power. Neptune represents inspirational and intuitive energy, and with respect to mental health, may signify hypomania.
The Sun may represent egocentricity, and ego-related disorders.
Moon represents the mind and emotions, but is also representative of the Oedipus complex.
Mercury represents the intellect and reason. This may be unaffected by the other planets. However, the egocentricity of the Sun has a strong influence on Mercury, with possible defects in intellect affecting rational thought.
Jupiter may indicate the religious affect of mental illness, which may be due to bipolar disorder.
Depression is represented by Saturn, the metaphor of limitation of control and power. Neptune represents inspirational and intuitive energy, and with respect to mental health, may signify hypomania.
The Sun may represent egocentricity, and ego-related disorders.
Moon represents the mind and emotions, but is also representative of the Oedipus complex.
Mercury represents the intellect and reason. This may be unaffected by the other planets. However, the egocentricity of the Sun has a strong influence on Mercury, with possible defects in intellect affecting rational thought.
Jupiter may indicate the religious affect of mental illness, which may be due to bipolar disorder.
20110716
Neurosis in my life
Neurosis is prevalent in post-modern society.
I suffer from neurosis, since I am now taking 11 vitamins and supplements.
The psychiatric term is "hypochondriasis."
Part of the etiology of hypochondriasis is the believe that I am taking care of my overall health by taking vitamins and supplements — mentally and physically — combined with the few medications I am taking now — cyclobenzaprine as muscle relaxant (for osteoarthrosic left shoulder and as a sleep aid) and gabapentin (for mild pain and mood stablizer).
Currently I have had two appointments arranged by my primary physician in the coming month:
with a neurologist to determine the neurological origin for the anger-hostility-aggression (AHA) symptoms related to temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and my history of mild traumatic brain injuries, and
with the local mental health centre's psychiatrist to test for bipolar disorder.
I suffer from neurosis, since I am now taking 11 vitamins and supplements.
The psychiatric term is "hypochondriasis."
Part of the etiology of hypochondriasis is the believe that I am taking care of my overall health by taking vitamins and supplements — mentally and physically — combined with the few medications I am taking now — cyclobenzaprine as muscle relaxant (for osteoarthrosic left shoulder and as a sleep aid) and gabapentin (for mild pain and mood stablizer).
Currently I have had two appointments arranged by my primary physician in the coming month:
20101205
HERV-W Linked to Bipolar Disorder, Multiple Sclerosis and Schizophrenia; XMRV Retrovirus & CFS
According to the following link, bipolar depression, MS and schizophrenia may be due to human endogenous retrovirus (HERV-W). A compromised immune system affects monocytes (white blood cells) which activate the HERV-W virus.
As well, the XMRV has been associated with chronic fatigue syndrome and prostate cancer.
This leads me to speculate the following, which might be validated by medical evidence:
IMHO this may explain how mirtazapine works: its anti-histamine action affects the histamine part of inflammation. Inflammation results when mast cells are broken down by scavanger white blood cells, releasing histamine. How this may trigger HERV-W and XMRV is in part an immune reaction resulting from a complex combination of factors including stress and a viral infection, specifically from the herpes family.
Another side effect of antihistamines is sedation. Thus mirtazapine's antidepressant action may most likely be due to the thorough bed rest I get with daily dosage, which reduce my stress levels.
Originally posted: 11/13/2010 04:10:00 AM
Updated and edited: 12/05/2010 05:26:00 PM
For more information, see the following links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endogenous_retrovirus
http://bipolar-hotbrain.blogspot.com/2010/07/virus-herv-w-could-be-cause-of.html
The XMRV Retrovirus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86OQJjLbHt0
As well, the XMRV has been associated with chronic fatigue syndrome and prostate cancer.
This leads me to speculate the following, which might be validated by medical evidence:
IMHO this may explain how mirtazapine works: its anti-histamine action affects the histamine part of inflammation. Inflammation results when mast cells are broken down by scavanger white blood cells, releasing histamine. How this may trigger HERV-W and XMRV is in part an immune reaction resulting from a complex combination of factors including stress and a viral infection, specifically from the herpes family.
Another side effect of antihistamines is sedation. Thus mirtazapine's antidepressant action may most likely be due to the thorough bed rest I get with daily dosage, which reduce my stress levels.
Originally posted: 11/13/2010 04:10:00 AM
Updated and edited: 12/05/2010 05:26:00 PM
For more information, see the following links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endogenous_retrovirus
http://bipolar-hotbrain.blogspot.com/2010/07/virus-herv-w-could-be-cause-of.html
The XMRV Retrovirus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86OQJjLbHt0
20070303
SAM-e is almost a dangerous herbal med
I had just taken 2 100 mg of SAM-e, and was disoriented to the point where I'd forgotten where I was, riding in the back of my roommates' car.
It took me 30 seconds to remember we'd turned way back a half mile ago.
Though it is great that I'd never been put on anti-depressants, or have bipolar disorder, because I am "high".
Then again my base emotional level is mildly hypomanic euphoria.
It took me 30 seconds to remember we'd turned way back a half mile ago.
Though it is great that I'd never been put on anti-depressants, or have bipolar disorder, because I am "high".
Then again my base emotional level is mildly hypomanic euphoria.
20070213
Margaret Trudeau says quitting marijuana helped mental health
Quitting cannabis has been an important part of her recovery from mental illness, Margaret Trudeau said Monday at a press conference in Vancouver for the Canadian Mental Health Association's upcoming Bottom Line Conference.
Trudeau, who suffers from bipolar disorder, spoke openly with reporters about her experience with depression and the effect of her long-term marijuana use.
Margaret Trudeau went on to claim that marijuna can trigger psychosis. However, this is inaccurate. What THC, the psychoactive drug in marijuana, may do is trigger anxiety. It is the user's reaction to that anxiety which leads to psychosis, not marijuana itself.
While paranoid thought may be a result of such anxiety, the fear of being caught intoxicated is more of the reason for paranoia than THC itself.
Therefore marijuana does not cause psychosis. Maladaptation to anxiety about one's substance abuse is more directly causal to possible psychosis than taking 200 micrograms of THC.
Compare this to a man being found out about his online time spent exclusively surfing for porn. If he knows it to be wrong to spend so much time online, and discovers he is being shamed by looking at porn, he may exhibit anxiety which may result in agitation, anger, and sometimes irrational behaviors associated with guilt. Thus he will act guilty and get upset, perhaps even exhibiting rage and possible brief psychosis.
So in Margaret Trudeay's case, she may have gotten high on pot, been caught by paparazzi and discovered her pictures in national tabloid with guilt-inducing headlines.
I would attribute her crises to public censure more than to occasional use of marijuana.
However, quitting pot did help Ms. Trudeau manage her bipolar disorder by reducing risk of anxiety. Thus, being drug free does improve mental health.
Trudeau, who suffers from bipolar disorder, spoke openly with reporters about her experience with depression and the effect of her long-term marijuana use.
Margaret Trudeau went on to claim that marijuna can trigger psychosis. However, this is inaccurate. What THC, the psychoactive drug in marijuana, may do is trigger anxiety. It is the user's reaction to that anxiety which leads to psychosis, not marijuana itself.
While paranoid thought may be a result of such anxiety, the fear of being caught intoxicated is more of the reason for paranoia than THC itself.
Therefore marijuana does not cause psychosis. Maladaptation to anxiety about one's substance abuse is more directly causal to possible psychosis than taking 200 micrograms of THC.
Compare this to a man being found out about his online time spent exclusively surfing for porn. If he knows it to be wrong to spend so much time online, and discovers he is being shamed by looking at porn, he may exhibit anxiety which may result in agitation, anger, and sometimes irrational behaviors associated with guilt. Thus he will act guilty and get upset, perhaps even exhibiting rage and possible brief psychosis.
So in Margaret Trudeay's case, she may have gotten high on pot, been caught by paparazzi and discovered her pictures in national tabloid with guilt-inducing headlines.
I would attribute her crises to public censure more than to occasional use of marijuana.
However, quitting pot did help Ms. Trudeau manage her bipolar disorder by reducing risk of anxiety. Thus, being drug free does improve mental health.
20050505
Why Fish is In
It's not just a Californian trend.
Salmon oil and Omega 3 oils in particular are useful in stabilizing bipolar disorder, an endocrine-based mental disorder associated with thyroid imbalance (usually indicated by low amounts of the thyroid hormone, thyroxine).
Thyroxine itself consists of iodine atoms attached to two linked chains of tyrosine, an amino acid associated with the neurotransmitters, dopamine and noradrenalin.
In essence, low thyroxine levels also reflect low levels of dopamine and noradrenalin, neurotransmitters associated with the behavior reward system and the "fight-or-flight" syndrome, respectively.
As a result of this chemical imbalance, people with bipolar disorder tend to suffer mood swings.
Such people fall into two classes: the positive and happy kind, and the negative and unhappy kind. There may be a third class with mixed symptoms (both depressed and manic at the same time).
The happy bipolars tend to be warm, caring, and loving; they also tend to "fall in love" quickly in relationships, and may treat both praise and abuse as attention, thus confusing both kinds as "love."
Indeed, happy bipolars are motherly if female, and fatherly if male.
The unhappy bipolars may exhibit additional psychosis with paranoid symptoms and also may keep all aspects of their illness a secret; they tend range from not trusting a person to being too trusting of a romantic interest, depending on the depth of their psychosis.
At times, unhappy bipolars tend to get aggressive with violent outbursts towards loved ones.
Mood stabilization is the first concern of a medical professional using lithium.
Fish oil is also a mood stabilizer, as evidenced by the demeanor of people who eat a lot of fish.
Indeed, bipolar symptoms are rare among the Japanese, who eat a lot of rare fish such as salmon, mackerel and tuna.
Salmon oil and Omega 3 oils in particular are useful in stabilizing bipolar disorder, an endocrine-based mental disorder associated with thyroid imbalance (usually indicated by low amounts of the thyroid hormone, thyroxine).
Thyroxine itself consists of iodine atoms attached to two linked chains of tyrosine, an amino acid associated with the neurotransmitters, dopamine and noradrenalin.
In essence, low thyroxine levels also reflect low levels of dopamine and noradrenalin, neurotransmitters associated with the behavior reward system and the "fight-or-flight" syndrome, respectively.
As a result of this chemical imbalance, people with bipolar disorder tend to suffer mood swings.
Such people fall into two classes: the positive and happy kind, and the negative and unhappy kind. There may be a third class with mixed symptoms (both depressed and manic at the same time).
The happy bipolars tend to be warm, caring, and loving; they also tend to "fall in love" quickly in relationships, and may treat both praise and abuse as attention, thus confusing both kinds as "love."
Indeed, happy bipolars are motherly if female, and fatherly if male.
The unhappy bipolars may exhibit additional psychosis with paranoid symptoms and also may keep all aspects of their illness a secret; they tend range from not trusting a person to being too trusting of a romantic interest, depending on the depth of their psychosis.
At times, unhappy bipolars tend to get aggressive with violent outbursts towards loved ones.
Mood stabilization is the first concern of a medical professional using lithium.
Fish oil is also a mood stabilizer, as evidenced by the demeanor of people who eat a lot of fish.
Indeed, bipolar symptoms are rare among the Japanese, who eat a lot of rare fish such as salmon, mackerel and tuna.
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