bi poler anyone know anything about it?

[Fajita Mel]

Alright....now you use the term "devilish". This is disrespectful Dallasdaze and exactly what I am talking about. Please explain how that is not calling ME devilish, which I as a Christian woman am VERY offended by, by the way. How is blasting my advice NOT blasting me personally? I don't understand. You do not need to use these disrespectful terms at all. Yes, continue to give out your advice, that's fine, but STOP calling me names. I asked you once already and you did it again. This is harassment now. Just stop.

[Rosie]

For those of us who may know someone with bipolar disorder, my heart goes out to you. For those who might not understand, it is a disorder and sadly, science still knows very little about its cause. I understand it as a series of emotions/feelings or what some may refer to as "mood swings" or "ups and downs."

One textbook definition describes bipolar disorder as a major affective disorder in which an individual alternates between states of deep depression and extreme elation. This is misleading in that bipolar disorder - also known as manic depression or manic-depressive illness - is much more complicated than just alternating between depression and elation.

The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (commonly known as the DSM-IV because it is in its fourth major edition) indicates that Bipolar Disorder is characterized by the occurrence of one or more manic or mixed episode often accompanied by depressive episodes. So even if you're depressed 99 percent of the time, going through just one manic episode qualifies you for a diagnosis of bipolar disorder according to this definition - but that still leaves out a lot of what manic depression really is.

Bipolar disorder is an illness that affects thoughts, feelings, perceptions and behavior ... even how a person feels physically (known clinically as psychosomatic presentations). It's probably caused by electrical and chemical elements in the brain not functioning properly , and is usually found in people whose families have a history of one or more mental illnesses. Please note that a mental illness is one that affects the mind, not one that's all in the mind.

Most often, a person with manic-depression experiences moods that shift from high to low and back again in varying degrees of severity. The two poles of bipolar disorder are mania and depression. This is the least complicated form of the illness.

Depression might be identified by:

* Refusing to get out of bed for days on end
* Sleeping much more than usual
* Being tired all the time but unable to sleep
* Having bouts of uncontrollable crying
* Becoming entirely uninterested in things you once enjoyed
* Paying no attention to daily responsibilities
* Feeling hopeless, helpless or worthless for a sustained period of time
* Becoming unable to make simple decisions
* Wanting to die

Mania might include:

* Feeling like you can do anything, even something unsafe or illegal
* Needing very little sleep, yet never feeling tired
* Dressing flamboyantly, spending money extravagantly, living recklessly
* Having increased sexual desires, perhaps even indulging in risky sexual behaviors
* Experiencing hallucinations or delusions
* Feeling filled with energy

Some people think that they are just "over their depression" when they become manic, and don't realize this exaggerated state is part of the illness - part of bipolar disorder. A person who has depression and mania is said to have Bipolar I.

In addition to Bipolar Disorder I, the American system of diagnosing this disorder also includes Bipolar Disorder II, which involves symptoms of hypomania instead of full-blown mania.

Hypomania - a less extreme form of manic episode - could include:

* Having utter confidence in yourself
* Being able to focus well on projects
* Feeling extra creative or innovative
* Being able to brush off problems that would paralyze you during depression
* Feeling "on top of the world" but without going over the top.

Hypomania does not include hallucinations or delusions, but a hypomanic person still might exhibit some reckless or inappropriate behavior. A person who has moods of depression and hypomania is said to have Bipolar II.

Knowing the facts before pointing fingers, might help some people from speaking before thinking.

[Luke]

Melanie, why don't you put DallasDaze on ignore. I am not supporting one or another, but given this has gone on for awhile, it is time to ignore her and move on. I do not think anyone is attacking you, but challenging some of what your saying. This is getting bigger than it needs to be.

[TJames03]

Though this is agony advice and is MEANT to help, I think a problem like this needs to have only one source of help - a doctor trained to do it.

Agony advice mess. boards are a great thing, but this is a pretty serious malady to have that a 'aa' mess. board might not be up to solving correctly.

I have seen it take years for people to get the correct meds, dosages, etc., to see and feel results.

This is a time-consuming disease, to say the least, and it is always changing.

[Fajita Mel]

Melanie, why don't you put DallasDaze on ignore. I am not supporting one or another, but given this has gone on for awhile, it is time to ignore her and move on. I do not think anyone is attacking you, but challenging some of what your saying. This is getting bigger than it needs to be.

Forget it. I asked Dallasdaze to stop calling me stuff, she didn't (i.e. devilish came about); I asked you mods to put a stop to it, you haven't, so I'm leaving now. You guys all just carry on. I'm done.

[Dallasdaze]

I have not called anyone any names!!! I used terms to describe a subject spoken of, but I didn't use them to verbally abuse. I can't stop what I haven't done. I'm tired of being accused of calling another member names. I haven't done what I am falsely being accused of by another member.
Regardless, I agree Luke this has gone too far. I choose now to not reply
to this thread anymore, it's just not worth it. I have always wished this individual the best and tried to help. If she chooses to leave then it will be of her own doing, no one elses. I feel that is unneccessary, and I hope this member stays, but that is that persons choice. As I have always stated,
best of luck!!!

[Luke]

Forget it. I asked Dallasdaze to stop calling me stuff, she didn't (i.e. devilish came about); I asked you mods to put a stop to it, you haven't, so I'm leaving now. You guys all just carry on. I'm done.

Good Bye Melanie

You had some great points. But you also very much apart of any issue in this thread. This is a very serious issue, and Dallasdaze may not have said things the way you wanted to hear them, but you also very much overeacted.

I wish you will.

[Garrison]

Though this is agony advice and is MEANT to help, I think a problem like this needs to have only one source of help - a doctor trained to do it.

Agony advice mess. boards are a great thing, but this is a pretty serious malady to have that a 'aa' mess. board might not be up to solving correctly.

I have seen it take years for people to get the correct meds, dosages, etc., to see and feel results.

This is a time-consuming disease, to say the least, and it is always changing.

You're pretty much right on. This kind of board is a great place to discuss various issues which require advice... such as "How do I pay for college" or "My cat died"... but medical issues really belong elsewhere.

[Pamela Barnes]

You're pretty much right on. This kind of board is a great place to discuss various issues which require advice... such as "How do I pay for college" or "My cat died"... but medical issues really belong elsewhere.

Yep advice is fine, people can not advise on medical issues. You can discuss your own personal experience.

[Garrison]

Yep advice is fine, people can not advise on medical issues. You can discuss your own personal experience.

Well, that begs the question though... should this forum be used as a de facto support group? We do have mental health professionals (and doctors, I'm sure) posting here, and discussions of medical issues will likely draw their attention. As near as I can tell, this started when Melanie started discussing medication and Dallasdaze (who I believe has said she/he is a mental health professional in the past) decided to correct her. These situations will occur a lot when these types of issues are discussed.

I'd say there are plenty of places online to learn about b-polar disorder that would be a more appropriate setting than this forum.