Causes of Bipolar Disorder Revealed By 10+ Years Research

a reply to: Skywatcher2011

Thanks for the info. I did notice, quite a few people on that list were all known drug users. Any relation?

Not saying that all are brought on by drug use but thinking perhaps drug use may give a really high chance of having bipolar disorder. Sometimes I wonder myself for myself but hey... I was young once too. Maybe I just got into too much stupid when I was younger and I'm simply paying for it now.

a reply to: StallionDuck

In discussions I've seen, it's still a chicken/egg thing.

Do people with BP have it brought on by drug use or are people with BP more likely to attempt to self-medicate?

I think it's just that BP is poorly understand like most other things that go on inside our heads. I don't think it's entirely brain chemistry and entirely psychiatric/psychological and entirely environmental and entirely genetic but some kind of complicated interplay.

Yes bipolar disorder is a living nightmare. My spouse was diagnosed 14 years ago, and has been "treated" nonstop ever since.


Treatment including -

Invading her most personal moments, and memories- and interpreting said moments and memories as seen fit by the doctor. Probably to boost his ego/esteem among colleagues via papers and whatnot.

Prescribing her lithium and effexor- at heavy doses that made her miserable and sleepless.

Xanax and Valium to offset the imsomnia- which led to rapid cycling (not good for people who already have emotional issues).

We've since left the 300/hour doctors, and the urban melee known as "civilized city life".

The doctors said if we changed her environment that she would would have a breakdown of epic proportions.

She has since then (almost 3 years) gotten off the lithium, and no longer has heavy metal toxicity sickness.
She's off the Xanax and Valium, and no more rapid cycling of emotions.
She's reduced the amount of effexor needed for stabilization of moodswings.

She's doing her art again. Drawing, painting, and crafting away. She's sewing and gardening again. She's sleeping again.

I have my wife back.
More importantly - she has herself back.

If you know someone living with BPD, please tread lightly, have patience, and do everything you can to support that person.
Most importantly, make sure the physicians treating that person are working in THAT persons best interest, and not their own.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: rickymouse

It's a bit like migraine.

The migraine itself is misfiring in the brain that causes a pain feedback loop after it's done.

In order to block the misfiring, most medications are either calcium channel blockers, sodium channel blockers or beta blockers.

I am on an anti-seizure, sodium channel blocker.

It is known now that migraine and seizure are like cousins. Maybe they will discover that the mood swings of bipolar are triggered by a similar sort of overexcitability that sets up its own kind of feedback loop reinforcing one mood state or the other for prolonged periods of time.

Would that be Lamotrigine or lamictal? I had bad reactions to that. I had more of a bad reaction to sodium valproate, I almost lost my feet and my teeth pushed up and broke with the valproate. I think the depakote is related to valarian chemistry which I do not tolerate at all. If you have the enzymes to break these down, then no problem. I actually pee out all my salt, always been that way, that can cause a problem with lamictal. That is a genetic trait, but it has gotten a lot worse nowadays for some reason. I think it may be an age related issue. After discontinuing the meds that blocked sodium, I seemed to get better for a few years but the anti-epileptics took a toll on my kidneys and I seem to pee everything out now.

a reply to: ketsuko

Do people with BP have it brought on by drug use or are people with BP more likely to attempt to self-medicate?

I think it may be a bit of both. Sleep deprivation is a major stress. Stimulants often keep somebody up for extended periods of time. I get the impression that the body needs rest for hormones to function properly and to make the most sense of stimuli.

Self medicating is also more likely. Imo individuals with this diagnosis are often more sensitive to the effects of drugs and em pollution. Depending on the age someone is diagnosed, self medicating may have become a coping mechanism. Hopefully, a better understanding of their condition provides a chance to make better lifestyle choices.

I'm not sure how I feel about the lower cognitive function. DSM V put former asbergers Dx under bipolar.

I don't understand how a ten yr study accounts for how the Dx changed during the study.

originally posted by: bjarneorn
a reply to: Skywatcher2011

Most of this psycho stuff, is nothing but pseudo science mumbo jumbo stuff ... somewhere in the vicinity of "jesus", "santa claus" and "god" ... etc.

If a person doesn't have mood swings, I'd suggest that particular individual was really disturbed. I'd keep away from that individual, as far as I could muster ... wouldn't even touch him/her with a robar.

And seriously, have you ever looked carefully at some of those "doctor" types?

Really coo-coo, if you get my drift. So, don't get all too worried and stuff ... try and get over it, if you can. Every human being on earth, has their deamons, their devil ... their problems, including you and me.

The lack of actual knowledge about this pathology in your post is astounding. Mood swings / feeling good and bad is completely normal. Extreme mood swings (going from a Mania state to a deeply depressed one) is not normal. I'm suffering from bipolar, not even medicated at this stage, and trust me, I don't wish it to anybody.

originally posted by: StallionDuck
a reply to: Skywatcher2011

Thanks for the info. I did notice, quite a few people on that list were all known drug users. Any relation?

Not saying that all are brought on by drug use but thinking perhaps drug use may give a really high chance of having bipolar disorder. Sometimes I wonder myself for myself but hey... I was young once too. Maybe I just got into too much stupid when I was younger and I'm simply paying for it now.

Drug usage is usually a consequence, not the cause. I've had bipolar / depressed states even before doing drugs, and then decided to smoke a joint or get drunk to completely get away from that mental status. I stopped even drinking my regular weekend beer because it just masks the symptoms temporarily, making it even more likely that we may develop some sort of addiction.

a reply to: JameSimon

It's a good point you mentioned about the medication. Nobody wants to depend on drugs, if you don't need too.

I've been fortunate to have good psychiatrists over the years. I've been able to avoid medication during periods of lower stress and relative stability.(With my doctor's guidance.)

It's easy to be fearful that the way things are when diahnosed, is the way it will always be. It takes time to figure out which medications will work best.

I most recently tried Respiridone, and that was no good. Went back to my old Olanzapine because it was better.(As far as side effects go.)

Part of the reason, I don't like anti-psychotics because it's hard to wake up on time for work.I missed a week of work trying to give the Respiridone a chance. No thank you, I'll stick to what I know. The combo of Sodium Valproate and Olanzapine has worked best for me, FYI type 2 here...

I am familiar with one case. Her life as baby started by being half year in hospital due to serious pneumonia, where nurses didn't really show much emotions. She came to home where she was now in constant emotional environment in big family of 18 people. That's I think how the emotionless and emotional periods started to alternate in her life.

What comes to migraines, bacteria in gut, neurotic tendencies, low cognitive abilities etc, can't it be that they are rather consequences of bipolar disorder?

Families likely bring tendency for it, if others are emotional and then in the other hand there is emotional suppression.
When one is in manic state one tends to experience high spiritual states and when one is down, the low animalistic tendencies take over. Spiritual practices especially singing and dancing kiirtan and mantras balance the mind. Helping others brings divine grace and healing.