Part 2: Living with Bipolar

                           

Bipolar Disorder (also known as bipolar affective disorder, manic-depressive disorder, or manic depression) is a  psychiatric diagnosis for a mood disorder. Individuals with bipolar disorder experience episodes of a frenzied state known as mania, typically alternating with episodes of depression.Genetic factors contribute to the likelihood of developing bipolar disorder, and environmental factors are also implicated. Bipolar disorder is often treated with mood stabiliser and psychotherapy. There are widespread problems with social stigma, stereotypes, and prejudice against individuals with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. People with bipolar disorder exhibiting psychotic symptoms can sometimes be misdiagnosed as having schizophrenia.  

               

The percentage of South Africans living with Bipolar is  +-3-4% diagnosed. We tend to over look that Bipolar is to something that is a illness many Naive people make fun and use the word bipolar freely and not knowing what bipolar really is. In the past few years I’ve heard more people using the word Bipolar freely and more people are been diagnosed with Bipolar then when I first found out that my older brother Zade has it.Growing up with someone who has Bipolar was always up and down, but that was because my brother was always skipping his medication or lying to the psychiatrist that the medication is working when in actual fact it is not. When i was admitted into Crescent Clinic last year, I was nervous and scared of been diagnosed with Bipolar, because I saw what Bipolar was doing to my brother and my family. initially my doctor thought it was just border line personality and boy did i wish it was, anything but Bipolar. I spent 3 weeks at Crescent clinic and only one friend knew that I was there, because I was ashamed of having the rest of my friends know that I was actually there for an evaluation. Been diagnosed with Bipolar was the worse and best day of my life because I could finally put a name to my ups and downs. I still don't know how I am going to face the world by everyone knowing now that i have Bipolar but i can now live with out secrets. My boyfriend didn't judge me and neither did a lot of my friends making it easy for me not to feel insecure, the crazy thing about my boyfriend knowing i have Bipolar is that his always worried that i have taken my medication. Another reason I'm not scared of the fact that people may know about it is because many successful celebrities and well known business people have Bipolar and it gives me a peace of mind by knowing that having Bipolar is not going to stop me from achieving my goals.

Famous people with Bipolar include:

Britney Spears (Pop star)

Catherine Zeta Jones (academy award winning actress)

Carrie fisher (star was original princess Leia)

Jean-Claude van Damme (bloodsport, sudden death)

Linda Hamilton (Sarah Connor in Terminator 1 & 2)

Vincent van Gogh

Virginia Woolf (20^th century novelist)

Jane Pauly

Demi Levato (singer, actress, judge on the x factor)

So from today I'm going to start a online diary about my day to day activities, how I keep my Bipolar under control and about the depressive and manic episodes i might have because  I want to create awareness about Bipolar so that the Naive and insensitive people can also learn about Bipolar and how to deal with it. Remember Bipolar is just a mood disorder it does not mean that we are crazy or that we are stupid, it just means that we have a chemical in balance in our brain that can be treated with medication and calming activities that wont trigger an episode.

Till next time...