h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

but i will





zdt*note the name*

nice article on a very useful topic . i think depression also occurs due to very low self-esteem inferiority complex causing a swing in moods

I want to add a note of clarification here.

Yes, people with bipolar disorder - and also unipolar depression - may well suffer from low self esteem (The term 'inferiority complex' is not used in modern psychiatry. It is a lay term and is perhaps somewhat negative). These feelings will occur during depressive episodes. Possibly there will have been elements in the person's life experience which will have taught them negative thinking skills (and there is a good degree of success in treating these with Cognitive Behaviour Therapy).

However - we have to be cautious about saying that low self esteem 'causes' bipolar disorder or unipolar depression (which are totally distinct medical conditions and require different drug regimes). Both are conditions of brain physiology. Bipolar disorder, in particular, cannot simply be 'thought out of'. Increasing a patient's self esteem will not prevent their mood swings! Indeed...the hypomanic person typically has self esteem in shedloads!

It would be interesting to speculate why depressed people have low self esteem. Does low self esteem cause the neurochemical changes that make them depressed? Or does a physiological tendency towards depression cause them to learn low self esteem? The jury's out, but consider a) Not all people who suffer hardship go on to develop a depressive illness b) Depressive illnesses have a strong genetic component.

Having recently been diagnosed, I found this article very reassuring. People just don't understand the condition, and think I'm being weird when I talk incessantly. At least I can be confident that I will get treated, and there are others out there in the same situation.

I'm glad it's helped. Keep in touch!

Thought I'd give ya an update on how things are going. I'm taking my medication regularly, and I have even become stable enough to go out and get a part-time job! I'm working as a crowd safety steward at Reading and Swindon Football Clubs, and also cover special events all over the South-East of England. So having this illness isn't the end of the world. As long as it's managed and under control, you can get out there and lead a completely normal life!!!

Good for you!

I myself am holding down a professional job. If only we'd be honest about it, we'd find that mental illness is far from uncommon in all modes of life.

Thanks for the positive update, and take care.

Good for you Plantpot (wonderful name!!!)

Hi Ed, how goes it? hey, see my Eye Dunno thread, i am trying to organise a worldwide spice thing. And i am getting A PUPPY tomorrow, i am high as a f***ing kite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!OOOOOOOOOhhhhhhhhhhhh!

hell, there are advantages to this "condition"; jeez, when you are, nothing can stop you!!!

zdt*Not enough exclamation marks at times!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Excellent entry on Bipolar Disorder, and I especially liked your use of the quote 'honi soit qui mal y pense' on your PS.

Random Mood

Glad you liked it.

Actually...few (if any) people *do* pense mal of it. You'd be surprised. I can only think of two negative comments, and those were low blows from absolute morons who I was already in dispute with. I prefer to go about life with blissful naievity. OK - so I don't necessarily shout about it - the British don't like to discuss personal things and I might embarass others - but when I have slipped it into the concersation, the only response has been a resounding 'oh' or 'That can't be nice for you.'

Mind you...the big step was coming to tems with it myself. That's the hard bit!

<>

Yes, I can understand that. Random Mood.

i would like some help with symptoms i have that sound quite like this

the only difference is i fly off the handle at the smallest things and get very very angry and grumpy all of a sudden and some times a little violent

im not on any medication


and i have no idea why this happens


i also can be very very happy and then all of a sudden get in a mood

i get very depressed and self pitying and also get depressed for no reason

does this sound like anything i shud go and get checked out??

xxx

I would always say 'Yes'. The fact that you've been concerned enough to read my Entry, and then to post, suggests that it's something that's bothering you. Luckily, there are people out there who can help you, and they won't be at all fazed by your asking.

It may be you've nothing to worry about, our you may benefit from treatment. But, yes, do ask someone. Do you have a sympathetic GP? Alternately, there are mental health organisations with sites and even helplines that could help.

Good luck. And don't worry.

thanks(Y)

x

Hello,

I had a read of this too as I find I get:
Suddenly elated and will find something trivial utterly hilarious (and I get weird reactions from other people about that sometimes)
Have supposed "ideas" for furthering my career which are in no way possible
Feel brilliant like everything is going really well

and on the other side
I have a really short fuse and get irritable, grumpy very easily, unfortunately I often take this out on my folks
On occasions this has meant me doing something unpredictable like storming off on my own for a walk for hours (which my folks later described as "uncharacteristic")
Something really insignificant will cause me to feel utterly black, and then I get the hopelessness, trapped, insignificant thing as well and then I won't even be able to remember what caused me to feel so awful (it becomes like there wasn't a reason-like it just happened)

What bothers me most is that I feel as if there is no inbetween with these moods. The rest of the time it is like I don't really feel anything at all.
I've never been diagnosed as having depression, and I'm not on any medication, don't take drugs, don't drink etc.

I thought everyone had bad times, so when I was studying a few years ago I tried to work through a bad patch with counselling, but I just felt very uncomfortable telling a complete stranger stuff about my life.

I'm in my early twenties, but thinking about it, I've probably had ups and downs like this since I was 16.

Should I go and see my GP about this do you think?
Thanks for writing this article.
Kaz.

Kaz, I think it would do no harm to see your doctor, just incase!
They are generally ok and helpfull.
...................................
My phychiatrist now thinks I have Bipolar disorder, no great surprise really.
I was on Sertraline for really bad ordinary depression and started getting shakes, limbs jumping, non-stop talking, etc, etc and sertraline was stopped to see if causing it, however everything is just getting worse so now suspected Bipolar.
.
I am going from very low to very high within seconds and it can be repeated throughout day!
I am buying way to much stuff when manic and rocking back and forth when down in tears, at one point trying to pull my hair out with all my strengh( the lowest point). I am not stop nervous and literally jumping out of my skin at slightest noise non stop.
.
I am on no antidepressant at moment as waiting for blood test results so unstable. My phychiatrist wasn't there so spoke to a social worker, my God, who told me to relax and wait for phychiatrist appointment in one month!
Stupid cow, take the razor blades away(I threw them and my vodka down toilet) and keep a really close eye on me, dont tell me to relax for the love of God. I tell a social worker I have Bipolar and close to edge and she does, well nothing! Thank God the receptionist where phychiatrist works has common sense and gets me an earlier appoint, not the immediate one I should have but the Crisis Line is there if needed and my GPs are fantastic so should be ok!

Yes, Kaz. Please see a GP. Good luck.

Thanks Ed.

Hope all goes ok, Strangely Strange.

K.

Blimey, a new phychiatrist, a new diagnosis!
The new one thinks it might me bad depression and Hypomania, not the full blow Bi Polar.
I also have Severe Chronic Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Paranoia, a touch of Visual and sound halucinations, Panic attacks.
Oh and fairly newish, compulsive head/body shaving, Cutting arm with a Stanley Blade and burning arm too.
Aparantly if I get one more thing to go with them I get the full set and a Gold Blue Peter badge, lol!
The shrink said it could have been easier with something like Schizophrenia(sp?) instead as it can be controlled better with meds, than anxiety which can be more difficult to stop!

Yeah...the received wisdom is that labelling people is A Bad Thing: people can't be fitted neatly into boxes according to their symptoms. On the other hand, at least you can say, 'OK - I know what it is now and I can start to deal with it.'

Unfortunately life can be more complicated than that, though. In the same way that I might have, say, acid reflux and glaucoma (which I do), there's no reason someone can't have more than one psychiatric condition on the go. .

Good luck! At least your'e not mad. You certainly don't sound like that to me.