I found an interesting study conducted by researchers Sarah J. Russell and Jan L. Browne. Results of the study were published in Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 2005; 39:187–193. The research was funded by the beyondblue Victorian Centre of Excellence in Depression and Related Disorders Grants Program. The title of the research report is Staying Well with Bipolar Disorder.
The authors state: “Participants found that their wellness depended on a number of things that were within their control. However the data indicated that there was not a simple ‘one fix fixes all’ approach. In the “Stay Well” study, most participants:
- recognized the importance of taking their illness seriously
- demonstrated that staying well was within their control
- made changes in their lives to stay well
- learned to get on with their lives while remaining mindful of their illness.”
Some people with Bipolar Disorder have developed effective strategies to stay well and avoid relapses of mania and depression. These strategies enable people with bipolar disorder to identify early symptoms of relapse and take action to prevent an episode from becoming full blown. This study called upon the expertise of people who have successfully found strategies that work to help them stay well.
The goal of the research was to investigate and document how people with bipolar disorder avoid episodes of the illness and how they manage their bipolar disorder. The researchers also looked at the importance that personal, social and environmental factors played in helping people with bipolar disorder stay well.
To be included in the study, people diagnosed with bipolar disorder must have remained episode free for the past 2 years. The only concern I have with the participant’s being episode free and exhibiting wellness is the possibility that the people in the study may have very mild cases of bipolar disorder and that the techniques they use to stay well may not be effective for people with severe bipolar disorder. I’d like to know more about the participants’ previous episodes and the designation and severity their bipolar disorder.
The definition of the concept of “staying well” included the following: the acceptance of diagnosis, mindfulness, education, identify triggers, recognize warning signals, manage sleep and stress, make lifestyle changes, treatment, access support, and stay well plans.
According to the article, 100 people were included in the study. There were 63 women and 37 men. Ages ranged from 18 to 83 years, with 86% over the age of 30. Duration of time since last episode of illness ranged from 2 years to > 50 years. In the sample, 76% of participants were in paid employment. In addition, 36% of participants were parents.
The results showed that “Participants actively managed bipolar disorder by developing a range of strategies to stay well. These strategies were based on participants’ individual needs and social contexts. The strategies included acceptance of the diagnosis, education about bipolar disorder, identifying both triggers and warning signals, adequate amounts of sleep, managing stress, medication and support networks.”
One of the keys to staying well was the ability to be mindful of their illness. By being mindful, participants were more fully able to develop individual stay-well plans, including intervention strategies to prevent episodes of the illness. The full article shares specifics and it is well worth reading. http://researchmatters.net/publications/StayWell.pdf
This is the last section of a 3 part video series of Kay Redfield Jamison, Ph.D. Professor of Psychiatry Co-Director, Johns Hopkins, Mood Disorders Center John Hopkins School of Medicine talking about ”Mood Disorders and Artistic Creativity”.
This is my opinion based on personal experience and is not research based or an opinion that is shared by the majority of people who propose helpful strategies for controlling and maintaining mood stability. I’ve been in cognitive therapy off and on for many years. The therapists I’ve seen have all been licensed and well educated. Each and every one of them had years of practice and were sincerely interested in helping their clients. I enjoyed talking with them and they were very good at helping me problem solve.
The one thing that they were not was able to do was pinpoint that I had bipolar disorder and direct me to a psychiatrist for help. In fact all of them were adamant that I was a “normal neurotic”. I’m not sure exactly what that means but if felt good to be reassured that I was within the normal spectrum.
During my most recent manic episode my therapist assured me that everything that I was doing was good for me including leaving my husband of 30 years, running away from home, etc. Even after the manic episode was under control my therapist refused to admit that I was bipolar or that I’d had a manic episode. She said that I was so self confident and self-assured and she was convinced in her mind that my actions were perfectly rational and in my best interests. Then she watched me crash and saw the other side of the illness. I stopped seeing her soon after that because I was not confident in her ability to help me pinpoint when an episode was starting up.
I learned a very important lesson from all this. If you do decide to participate in therapy whether it is cognitive, cognitive-behavioral, interpersonal & social rhythm therapy, just be sure that the therapist you select has a lot of experience working with clients who have bipolar disorder. Your psychiatrist may be able to recommend therapists with expertise in mood disorders.
I’m not sure any therapist could have kept me from making the mistakes that I made during my last manic episode, but I truly believe that a therapist with experience dealing with bipolar clients could have helped me minimize the damage that I did to myself, my family, and my bank account.
There are several parts of bipolar disorder that can make you feel awful. The up feeling is called mania and the down feeling is called depression. The in-between part is a mix of both mania and depression and is called a mixed episode. Many people suffering from bipolar disorder say that a mixed episode is the worst. Then there are times when you may be episode free and feel pretty good.
During a manic episode you usually have tons of energy, are sometimes irritable, and often overly self confident. During a manic phase you may schedule more tasks than you can accomplish. Risky behavior is also a symptom of mania. You might spend too much money or experience an overly active sex drive – this is called hypersexuality. Your judgement recedes and you might make choices and engage in behaviors that put you at risk.
During a depressive episode you can feel very isolated and tired. You might feel slowed down, sad, and have changes in your sleep and eating habits.You may also have difficulty with memory and concentration.
Some people who suffer from bipolar disorder will also have psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions. If a person is hallucinating with bipolar disorder they will see or hear things that are not there. Grandiosity is common. Usually these symptoms happen during a severe manic episode but not always.
Approximately 6 million Americans have bipolar disorder. You could have bipolar disorder and not even realize it. For me, a diagnosis of bipolar disorder explained so many things in my life. If you suspect that you have bipolar disorder contact your doctor and ask for a referral to a good psychiatrist (pdoc). Pdocs are highly trained physicians well qualified to diagnose and treat bipolar disorder.
I found an interesting study conducted by researchers Sarah J. Russell and Jan L. Browne. Results of the study were published in Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 2005; 39:187–193. The research was funded by the beyondblue Victorian Centre of Excellence in Depression and Related Disorders Grants Program. The title of the research report is Staying Well with Bipolar Disorder.
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