Bipolar and Depressive Disorders

Millions of people suffer bipolar disorders alone, and it can occur at any point in one’s life. It is seen as major shifts in one’s mood and normal decision making. Such as somebody who doesn’t normally gamble decides to hit a weekend at Vegas and attempts to “win big”. It can be a very scary thing to experience because these highs invoke a sense of happiness that is so elevated it can impair judgement and that person is far more likely to take risks. Bipolar disorder can be split into two categories based on the varying conditions. Bipolar I is such as the example provided here, with constant “euphoric” manic episodes even if the behavior is irrational which it likely is. Especially if the person in question is known to not be like their manic personality.

The other version of the Bipolar disorder is known as Bipolar II. Which also has these manic episodes of elevated fits of this euphoria. However, these episodes aren’t as high, and instead are accompanied by major depressive episodes, especially if there is seemingly no reason to be depressed. Bipolar disorders have a slightly higher chance to be type II over type I. However it is still pretty close, and affect so many people regardless. Thankfully, there are many types of therapies such as cognitive and family therapy techniques or medicine that can help combat this mental affliction. Having bipolar disorder doesn’t mean you won’t find real happiness or that you might never find any happiness. It is something to treat over time and one can definitely get their life back if they put in the effort.

Speaking of low depressive moods however, is the potential to suffer only from the low episodes of depression. Which has its own classification separated from bipolar disorder because although similar, it is also very different. Depressive disorders can unfortunately be seen considerably more than any bipolar disorder. Having affecting about 6.7% of the U.S. population, it is not uncommon to run into somebody with a depressive disorder if you don’t run into it yourself. The textbook depicts two different versions of depressive disorders that such the following. a major depressive order is when there is a “period of low mood for at least two weeks that is present most of the time in most situations”. This is shorter but more intense version of low mood that may result in losing your job or worse with suicidal thoughts. What may be no cause to be depressed may give way to a reason because of the shift in mood. The other version of the depressive disorders is the persistent depressive disorder. Which says it “is a chronic, or ongoing, period of depression, usually for at least two years”. Thankfully, like bipolar disorders , there are treatment options available. Such as therapy and medications as well, which can lessen the affect and in some cases help eliminate the disorder entirely.

There are stories I would like to share based on personal experience, and I am comfortable sharing it. My stepfather had bipolar II that he developed quite some time after I had first met him. He would have his happy episodes where he genuinely seemed like he was cheerful and upbeat and to be fair, I think he was. But other times he would have periods where he would shift into low moods that resulted in anger and become irrational in his reasonings. It was very scary because it was hard to guess unless you talked to him, and it felt like a true 50% chance if he was happy or sad/angry. Eventually it spread and although I was never diagnosed, I feel like I may have developed a persistent depressive disorder of some kind. Maybe I still have it, I’m not exactly sure, but it’s hard to tell nowadays. Regardless, it can be scary experiencing the disorder yourself, but it’s also scary being close to someone who develops a mental affliction.

Another story is one of my mom who has been taking antidepressants for quite a long time, and the medicine seems to have a good effect on her mental health. However, I want to share a story back in the summer of 2021 for a hernia surgery that she had to go through and how dangerous some of these withdrawal symptoms in someone can be. I think it’s fair to have criticisms about medicine, and my reluctance to put my faith in the Matsu Regional Medical Center. After her surgery they had taken her off many medications, including her depression medication which resulted in great irritation. In their attempt to quell this behavior about 13 doctors tried mixing different medications and no one stopped to look at the list of medication she was on, especially post surgery. She was in a state of irrational rage demanding to be discharged from the hospital against medical advice, with an open wound all throughout her abdomen. she wasn’t in her right mind, and the nurses nor the doctors tried to tell her otherwise. It took my brother and I to convince her to stay about everyday in June and July. Receiving a phone call with her very angry, sometimes dealing with this multiple times in a single day. In the start of August it took one doctor to realize as he put it “there were too many cooks in the kitchen”. He single handedly fixed her medication problems and got her on what she needed and only what she needed. Like magic she called us and was back to her normal self, and all I felt was relief. Because after all this time it was like I got my mother back. We visited her in the hospital and got to have a normal conversation again. Especially when her situation could have been even worse. The point of the first story is dealing with bipolar disorder and the effect it has even on multiple people. While the second story is meant to depict the pros and cons of medicinal treatments. These disorders are extremely scary that can generally strike at any time, so I cannot stress ow important it is to seek treatment, even for the smallest of suspicions.