One Life. Two Faces.
Over the years, depression has become more common and something many experience. The terms sadness and depression are often used interchangeably, without understanding the differences between the two. The difficulties and challenges that comes with depression are not easy to tackle. Yet, majority categorize depression as an illusion of the mind or as something that doesn’t require much attention. Our entire life is a cycle of good and bad and it is only normal to ask for help when we lose balance.
One Life — Two Poles
Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a condition where mood swings affect people’s lives. A common myth about depression is that it always has a long phase of silence and sadness. Bipolar disorder is an entirely different case where a person experiences extreme mood swings.
- Manic Episodes
It is an emotional state usually for a period of at least one week, with an elevated or expansive mood. During this period the person may be full of energy and overly excited about life. They become more talkative and highly optimistic about everything.
Through the eyes of a person with bipolar disorder, manic episodes are the best part of their life which they wish will always stay. Sleeplessness can occur during this period and this lack of sleep does not affect their energy levels. They dominate every conversation and become highly enthusiastic in every field of action. There are chances that they even get into a fight and become destructive as that too is a form of entertainment, only dangerous.
2. Bipolar depression
It is the exact opposite of manic episodes and is the terrifying one. If in manic stage they believe that all is good, during the depression stage they can only see negativity around them.
During this period, they are unable to enjoy any kind of pleasure. Seeing everyone around them carry on, living their happy little lives, is an annoying reminder of their depression and how they will never have that kind of stability.
Oversleeping is a common phenomenon during the depression period. Physical movement becomes difficult and they tend to sleep 10 or 12 hours a day. Suicidal tendency increases along with addiction to alcohol and drugs. The only major thing that keeps them alive is their memories of the manic periods.
As we all know, bipolar disorder is a disorder and has differing symptoms and effects in different people. The above mentioned are general feelings and it may differ from person to person.
How does it occur?
- Genetic
People are more likely to develop bipolar disorder if they have a closer relative with this condition. Research suggests that the lifetime risk of bipolar disorder in relatives of someone with the condition is 5–10 percent for a close relative and 40–70 percent for a twin.
2. Environmental Factors
External factors or horrifying incidents in a one’s life can cause traumatic mental disorders. Physical, mental, or sexual abuse, accidents affecting the brain, all possess the potential to cause bipolar symptoms.
3. Brain
Experts believe bipolar disorder is partly caused by an underlying problem with specific brain circuits and the functioning of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters.
A window into their lives, Madness: A Bipolar Life.
Marya Hornbacher, the author of Wasted, published her autobiography under the title — “ Madness: A bipolar life“. At the age of twenty four, Hornbacher was diagnosed with Type 1 rapid cycle bipolar, the most severe form of bipolar disorder.
Hornbacher takes us through her life starting when she was four and unable to sleep due to nightmares, to her teen years when she turned alcoholic and developed an eating disorder and then to adulthood where she overcame many hardships finally leading to her finding about the disease.
“When you are mad, mad like this, you don’t know it. Reality is what you see. When what you see shifts, departing from anyone else’s reality, it’s still reality to you”
-(Marya Hornbacher, Madness: A bipolar life)
She tells her story about having temporary sadness and happiness. Through scenes of high emotional sensation, she brings up her own desperate attempts to counteract violently, careening mood swings by self-starvation, substance abuse, numbing sex, and self-mutilation. She calls herself a person who continuously struggles to maintain stability but ends up destroying herself. It is quite disturbing to know that this was not just a fiction but her autobiography.
Relationship status with a person having bipolar disorder will not be smooth. Mainly due to difficulty in handling sudden and intense mood swings along with their tendency to get addicted to alcohol and other drugs.
In the book, Marya Hornbacher explains her marriage with Julian Daniel Beard and further divorce due to her drug and alcohol usage along with her ill-managed bipolar disorder.
Bipolar disorder often affects relationships in many ways.
- Intimacy
During manic phases, they desire frequent sex and attention seeking from their partner with great energy and enthusiasm. On the contrary during depression phases, they may abstract from any kind of sexual activity and this can cause a feeling of rejection for their partner.
2. Work
Severe mood swings, along with manic symptoms such as poor judgment and impulsivity, or depressive symptoms such as low energy and disinterest make it tough to maintain a job. This causes a greater financial burden upon the partner until the illness is well-managed.
3. Parenting
Many people consider parenting the most stressful job of their lives. But any kind of stress- good or bad — has the potential to trigger manic or depressive episodes for people with bipolar disorder.
Silver linings playbook is a 2012 American rom-com drama film written and directed by David O. Russell. It is the story of a patient with bipolar disorder who was released from the hospital and tried to patch up with his wife who left him. Meanwhile, he meets another lady with an unnamed mental disorder and they become friends. They do therapy together and make a bond of the good relationship among them which makes both of them feel good and lead a better life.
Though this was just a story, it is actually possible in real life. The best medicine for any mental disorder is a good relationship, either with your partner, a family member or friends. When we have someone by our side who understands that the mood swings we experience are only temporary, they will will be able to provide all the support which we can’t give ourselves.
Having a better understanding of the disease and treatment is essential. When bipolar disorder is well maintained and under control, it becomes less problematic. Family counselling sessions could be helpful in this regard.
After all, one of the greatest desires of every human is a shoulder to lean on, a pair of listening ears, and a palm to hold on to :)
Read our ‘Thought Trains’ section for more such intriguing articles! Here’s a one on Perspectives:
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