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IYALLAH.
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Posted: Friday November 19th, 2004 14:05 |
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Introduction
Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function. Different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through, the symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe. They can result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, and even suicide. But there is good news: bipolar disorder can be treated, and people with this illness can lead full and productive lives.
More than 2 million American adults,1 or about 1 percent of the population age 18 and older in any given year,2 have bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder typically develops in late adolescence or early adulthood. However, some people have their first symptoms during childhood, and some develop them late in life. It is often not recognized as an illness, and people may suffer for years before it is properly diagnosed and treated. Like diabetes or heart disease, bipolar disorder is a long-term illness that must be carefully managed throughout a person's life.
"Manic-depression distorts moods and thoughts, incites dreadful behaviors, destroys the basis of rational thought, and too often erodes the desire and will to live. It is an illness that is biological in its origins, yet one that feels psychological in the experience of it; an illness that is unique in conferring advantage and pleasure, yet one that brings in its wake almost unendurable suffering and, not infrequently, suicide."
"I am fortunate that I have not died from my illness, fortunate in having received the best medical care available, and fortunate in having the friends, colleagues, and family that I do."
Kay Redfield Jamison, Ph.D., An Unquiet Mind, 1995, p. 6.
(Reprinted with permission from Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc.)
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What Are the Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder causes dramatic mood swings—from overly "high" and/or irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in between. Severe changes in energy and behavior go along with these changes in mood. The periods of highs and lows are called episodes of mania and depression.
Signs and symptoms of mania (or a manic episode) include:
Increased energy, activity, and restlessness
Excessively "high," overly good, euphoric mood
Extreme irritability
Racing thoughts and talking very fast, jumping from one idea to another
Distractibility, can't concentrate well
Little sleep needed
Unrealistic beliefs in one's abilities and powers
Poor judgment
Spending sprees
A lasting period of behavior that is different from usual
Increased sexual drive
Abuse of drugs, particularly cocaine, alcohol, and sleeping medications
Provocative, intrusive, or aggressive behavior
Denial that anything is wrong
A manic episode is diagnosed if elevated mood occurs with three or more of the other symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for 1 week or longer. If the mood is irritable, four additional symptoms must be present.
Signs and symptoms of depression (or a depressive episode) include:
Lasting sad, anxious, or empty mood
Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed, including sex
Decreased energy, a feeling of fatigue or of being "slowed down"
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
Restlessness or irritability
Sleeping too much, or can't sleep
Change in appetite and/or unintended weight loss or gain
Chronic pain or other persistent bodily symptoms that are not caused by physical illness or injury
Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts
A depressive episode is diagnosed if five or more of these symptoms last most of the day, nearly every day, for a period of 2 weeks or longer.
A mild to moderate level of mania is called hypomania. Hypomania may feel good to the person who experiences it and may even be associated with good functioning and enhanced productivity. Thus even when family and friends learn to recognize the mood swings as possible bipolar disorder, the person may deny that anything is wrong. Without proper treatment, however, hypomania can become severe mania in some people or can switch into depression.
Sometimes, severe episodes of mania or depression include symptoms of psychosis (or psychotic symptoms). Common psychotic symptoms are hallucinations (hearing, seeing, or otherwise sensing the presence of things not actually there) and delusions (false, strongly held beliefs not influenced by logical reasoning or explained by a person's usual cultural concepts). Psychotic symptoms in bipolar disorder tend to reflect the extreme mood state at the time. For example, delusions of grandiosity, such as believing one is the President or has special powers or wealth, may occur during mania; delusions of guilt or worthlessness, such as believing that one is ruined and penniless or has committed some terrible crime, may appear during depression. People with bipolar disorder who have these symptoms are sometimes incorrectly diagnosed as having schizophrenia, another severe mental illness.
It may be helpful to think of the various mood states in bipolar disorder as a spectrum or continuous range. At one end is severe depression, above which is moderate depression and then mild low mood, which many people call "the blues" when it is short-lived but is termed "dysthymia" when it is chronic. Then there is normal or balanced mood, above which comes hypomania (mild to moderate mania), and then severe mania.
In some people, however, symptoms of mania and depression may occur together in what is called a mixed bipolar state. Symptoms of a mixed state often include agitation, trouble sleeping, significant change in appetite, psychosis, and suicidal thinking. A person may have a very sad, hopeless mood while at the same time feeling extremely energized.
Bipolar disorder may appear to be a problem other than mental illness—for instance, alcohol or drug abuse, poor school or work performance, or strained interpersonal relationships. Such problems in fact may be signs of an underlying mood disorder.
I was just wondering if anyone knew about this or anyone with it. Does anyone know why 'they claim' black people suffer from depression / mental illness more??
I have an 18 year old male cousin who seems to have these symptoms, a while ago he went to a doctor and they wanted to prescribe himd rugs and his mother said NO WAY, as we all know what happens from there! But do you think this could be more common but unnoticed in some of our teens?
Thanks
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Natasha
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Posted: Friday November 19th, 2004 23:30 |
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Yes. I work in mental health so I know lots of people with bi polar disorder!
People are often scared of the medication side of psychiatrics, but it's not as bad as it sounds. Medication to balance the mood swings (such as Sodium Valproate) are not in the same league as antipsychotics...far fewer side effects.
It's debatable why young black males are increasingly being diagnosed. Theories range from ALL diagnosies increasing...black or white, more black people in the UK = more diagnosies, living in a racist society producing a problematic and confused youth, higher drug use (drug induced psychosis is one of the most common causes) and also the UK defintion of what's normal in our society conflicting with what's normal in say, Africa.
Bi-polar isn't a tag that's easily given to people, especially to the young (they're very relectant to label people with it). It's also not a life sentance though and it's very managable...a lot more managable than the extreme highs and lows it can produce without medication/treatment of some kind. Additionally, being prescribed such medication with need the regular involvement of mental health professionals, such as a CPN, which is a good thing.
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IYALLAH.
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Posted: Saturday November 20th, 2004 13:27 |
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Thanks for that Natasha,
I read up on it.
I guess they'll have to wait to hear a second opinion, i just dont always feel comfortable when it comes to doctors and young black mens state of mind. It has been known for them to prescribe the wrong things or drugs that make it worse. I am sure not all of them are like that but i have seen some people with the effects of incorrect / unnecessary medication.
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hazel eyez
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Posted: Saturday November 20th, 2004 14:24 |
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Last edited on Monday June 20th, 2005 15:34 by hazel eyez
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life is 4 living
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Posted: Saturday November 20th, 2004 15:27 |
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IYALLAH. wrote:
Introduction
Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function.
Which might explain why perfectly healthy people get diagnosed with it. It also might explain why the illness hasn't even been invented in certain countries. Japan doesn't even recognize Manic Depression. Seems to be a western problem.
The most balanced and consistent person I know has just been diagnosed with it. I merely laughed and told him to f**k off.
Different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through, the symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe. They can result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, and even suicide. But there is good news: bipolar disorder can be treated, and people with this illness can lead full and productive lives.
Whoopiedoo.
Most drugs for that illness causes diabetes. Guess what the second biggest selling drugs are for after the above. Yup Diabetes.
Great business eh!.
More than 2 million American adults,1 or about 1 percent of the population age 18 and older in any given year,2 have bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder typically develops in late adolescence or early adulthood. However, some people have their first symptoms during childhood, and some develop them late in life. It is often not recognized as an illness, and people may suffer for years before it is properly diagnosed and treated. Like diabetes or heart disease, bipolar disorder is a long-term illness that must be carefully managed throughout a person's life.
Myth.
"Manic-depression distorts moods and thoughts, incites dreadful behaviors, destroys the basis of rational thought, and too often erodes the desire and will to live. It is an illness that is biological in its origins, yet one that feels psychological in the experience of it; an illness that is unique in conferring advantage and pleasure, yet one that brings in its wake almost unendurable suffering and, not infrequently, suicide."
Another myth. Abit like the Aids coming from sex with Monkeys.
Manic- depression isn't seperate from the mind, it's just that mind is abit manic. It's not distorting anything, it's how it operates. The key is to get in control of your own mind. People are too lazy to make the effort though and don't like hard work, so would rather feel crap and take the pills that will probably make them even worse in the long run. And hey if it's down to personal choice then I'm all for it. If they complain about it they can f**k off too. Serves them right for being lazy.
"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What Are the Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder causes dramatic mood swings—from overly "high" and/or irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in between. Severe changes in energy and behavior go along with these changes in mood. The periods of highs and lows are called episodes of mania and depression.
Every sports personality must have this problem. Think of the managers.
Signs and symptoms of mania (or a manic episode) include:
Increased energy, activity, and restlessness
Normal.
Excessively "high," overly good, euphoric mood
Normal
Extreme irritability
Extremely normal considering.
Racing thoughts and talking very fast, jumping from one idea to another
Intelligence stinks eh!
Distractibility, can't concentrate well
90% of the population.
Little sleep needed
Erm, if it isn't needed then it isn't a problem then is it.
Unrealistic beliefs in one's abilities and powers
90% population. Even Prince Charles got that one right this week.
Poor judgment
95% of the population
Spending sprees
This increases near Christmas for some reason, or are the loan ads on TV telling me something.
A lasting period of behavior that is different from usual
Sleep.
Increased sexual drive
16 year old boys.
Abuse of drugs, particularly cocaine, alcohol, and sleeping medications
Too much money, and boredom.
Provocative, intrusive, or aggressive behavior
Yeah can't have that in a police state. Questioning magical thinking.
Denial that anything is wrong
And most definately can't have that in a police state.
A manic episode is diagnosed if elevated mood occurs with three or more of the other symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for 1 week or longer. If the mood is irritable, four additional symptoms must be present.
Who said people are supposed to be this way or that in the first place.? And people wonder why racism exists. Jeez.
Signs and symptoms of depression (or a depressive episode) include:
Lasting sad, anxious, or empty mood
It amazes me that people don't notice that almost all people feel like this. Even Dogs and Cats recognize this in people. It's why they stick around. For some reason they care. Or are they just nihilistic? Or are the pets there in the first place to fill that empty mood.
Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
Welcome to the United Kingdom.
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
You have now entered Yorkshire.
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed, including sex
Decreased energy, a feeling of fatigue or of being "slowed down"
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
You're 65 today.
Restlessness or irritability
Just how many absolutely calm people do you know? People goto pubs because they can't stand themselves when they're alone. Drink or drugs get rid of the feeling, actually they supress the feeling until the next day.
Sleeping too much, or can't sleep
Sleeping too much. ? Who puts limits on the physical bodies rest time? The Brain normally does that job. It's doing it for a reason. It's not shouting I want drugs so I can get up early.
And if you can't sleep then stop thinking. Insomniacs actually do sleep anyway, they just don't recognize the sleep process. But the constant thinking actually is dreaming. Subtle process being awake and thinking, day dreaming and dreaming. Funny how it becomes a nightmare the minute you're aware of the process.
Change in appetite and/or unintended weight loss or gain
Eat more, eat less. Most people complain about their weight, very few make the personal effort to change.
Chronic pain or other persistent bodily symptoms that are not caused by physical illness or injury
Normally called getting older.
Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts
A depressive episode is diagnosed if five or more of these symptoms last most of the day, nearly every day, for a period of 2 weeks or longer.
Goths. Quite heathly to think about death. We created religion to forget about Death. And then kill people in the name of. The irony, the irony.
A mild to moderate level of mania is called hypomania. Hypomania may feel good to the person who experiences it and may even be associated with good functioning and enhanced productivity. Thus even when family and friends learn to recognize the mood swings as possible bipolar disorder, the person may deny that anything is wrong. Without proper treatment, however, hypomania can become severe mania in some people or can switch into depression.
Normally after being given drugs in the first place for so-called mania. I saw one person become a Depressive to a manic depressive, to a Schizophrenic, and back to a manic depressive all in the space of three years. The funny thing is he's is just a drug addict.
Sometimes, severe episodes of mania or depression include symptoms of psychosis (or psychotic symptoms). Common psychotic symptoms are hallucinations (hearing, seeing, or otherwise sensing the presence of things not actually there) and delusions (false, strongly held beliefs not influenced by logical reasoning or explained by a person's usual cultural concepts).
Abit like dreaming really. Why do you think you can hear yourself think? If you think long and hard enough and especially with intense emotion you'll hear voices too. Solution, mediate. Think less.
Psychotic symptoms in bipolar disorder tend to reflect the extreme mood state at the time. For example, delusions of grandiosity, such as believing one is the President or has special powers or wealth, may occur during mania; delusions of guilt or worthlessness, such as believing that one is ruined and penniless or has committed some terrible crime, may appear during depression. People with bipolar disorder who have these symptoms are sometimes incorrectly diagnosed as having schizophrenia, another severe mental illness.
This is what happens when you treat people like faulty computers. The people who treat them like faulty computers then to think like computers with limited hardrive space and memory, abit like the missus really.. Maybe they are merely faulty computers. Solution, upgrade.
It may be helpful to think of the various mood states in bipolar disorder as a spectrum or continuous range. At one end is severe depression, above which is moderate depression and then mild low mood, which many people call "the blues" when it is short-lived but is termed "dysthymia" when it is chronic. Then there is normal or balanced mood, above which comes hypomania (mild to moderate mania), and then severe mania.
Teenagers.
In some people, however, symptoms of mania and depression may occur together in what is called a mixed bipolar state. Symptoms of a mixed state often include agitation, trouble sleeping, significant change in appetite, psychosis, and suicidal thinking. A person may have a very sad, hopeless mood while at the same time feeling extremely energized.
Too be human eh! Makes me wonder, when do people think they're alright.? Or do they have to be told that too?
Bipolar disorder may appear to be a problem other than mental illness—for instance, alcohol or drug abuse, poor school or work performance, or strained interpersonal relationships. Such problems in fact may be signs of an underlying mood disorder.
Life.
I was just wondering if anyone knew about this or anyone with it. Does anyone know why 'they claim' black people suffer from depression / mental illness more??
Actually more Asians suffer from the problem. And man don't they talk alot.
I have an 18 year old male cousin who seems to have these symptoms, a while ago he went to a doctor and they wanted to prescribe himd rugs and his mother said NO WAY, as we all know what happens from there! But do you think this could be more common but unnoticed in some of our teens?
It's unnoticed in just about everybody. Personally if you got someone from 200 years ago to diagnose the Human race now they'd think the majority of us are nuts. The abnormal has become normal behaviour from what I can see. Most people can't even sit in silence because of the fear of being alone. How weird is that, are people's own thoughts that scary? Frankly if people aren't comfortable with that then they're the nutters.
More and more people especially in the western world are suffering from these problems. You'd think that people would put two and two together figure out the fact that it's something to do with western society. Now as China becomes more western in it's living and thinking then it's not surprising to hear that the problems are increasing there, like the suicides in Japan are already out stripping the rest of the world.. Believe me the pharmaceuticals are going to have a field day in the future.
The drugs merely supress the symptoms, They don't cure them. The problem is still there afterall, and the problem is a social, societal problem. It's why social remedies and support are the best ways to help the mentally ill.
Unfortunately when helping people becomes a business like it is now then. Then not everybody is going to be happy.
Last edited on Saturday November 20th, 2004 15:49 by Peacemaker
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Natasha
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Posted: Saturday November 20th, 2004 21:20 |
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It is true that medication is big business, and taking one type of medication often results in the need for yet more medication due to the side effects. But that doesn't mean that medication is bad and that "social remedies and support are the best ways to help the mentally ill".
"Mental illness" is a title given to the broad spectrum of psychiatric problems that are present in society, but it doesn't mean they are all the same. If left untreated, many sufferers can rapidly deteriorate ehich can sometimes result in death, which I have seen in a professional capacity. However, that is not scare mongering as not all mental ill health is of the same severity. For example, no ammount of social support is going to stop a person with paranoid schizophrenia from believing that the giant in the corner of the room is going to kill him! But the correct medication will stop, or at least surpress the positive symptoms of something such as schizophrenia.
Mental illness is not just a western thing, chemical imbalances in the brain can be clinically proven and is not a result of society. Other countries may not recognise various mental illnesses, but that is due to their culture and general belief systom, not scientific evidence. But some countries also do not recognise or register the birth or death of women as we are regarded as insignificant...which is a matter of cultural differences and priorities, not a dismissal of the scientific fact that women are born and do die!
It is because of the social attitude to mental ill health that there is such a stigma surrounding it. People do not want to seek help and therefore can become worse. Or they receive the wrong type of help, be it medication of therapy, and their mental health declines because of that. Doctors are now a lot more reluctant to diagnose someone with a mental illness, particularly a young person as many symptoms are age and experience related, not specifically mental ill health.
As with all professions, there are good and bad proffessionals who practice within it. A persons wellbeing can greatly depend on the doctor/CPN that they are assigned, and thereafter the treatment that they then receive.
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Peacemaker
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Posted: Sunday November 21st, 2004 00:03 |
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Natasha wrote: It is true that medication is big business, and taking one type of medication often results in the need for yet more medication due to the side effects. But that doesn't mean that medication is bad and that "social remedies and support are the best ways to help the mentally ill".
But it is. Anti-Depressants only work for 25% of the people who take them.
"Mental illness" is a title given to the broad spectrum of psychiatric problems that are present in society, but it doesn't mean they are all the same.
Obviously, abit like how cancers aren't all the same.
If left untreated, many sufferers can rapidly deteriorate ehich can sometimes result in death, which I have seen in a professional capacity.
Because they didn't have the support network in the first place. Nor the will to live for that matter.
"Here take this tablet, now tell me why you feel depressed."
"Mumbles"
"Oh speak up, what did you say?"
"I can't think straight"
"Oh sorry about that, that's just the side effect of the tablet I gave you."
"Mumbles"
"Oh look I'm out of time, come see me next week won't you."
"Mumbles"
However, that is not scare mongering as not all mental ill health is of the same severity. For example, no ammount of social support is going to stop a person with paranoid schizophrenia from believing that the giant in the corner of the room is going to kill him!
Schizophrenics don't believe in that sort of sh*t do they now, most bloody don't. That sort of idiotic statement is what I mean by lack of social support, and those sort of comments is why they feel socially excluded and hate people like you for instants. Most are smarter than you, and act as normal as most people. Whatever normal is, is open to debate.. But but when they ain't on drugs they seem quite sharp. That same sharpness is probably what sent them sideways in the first place. They see reality for what it really is. A cesspool.
You can't get to know someone when they're all drugged up. What they lack is an education of their own minds inner workings. They might have an episode where they might hallucinate, but with the education they'll beable to stay calm duing one because of that knowledge bringing them understanding. Abit like having a nightmare, but during the said nightmare you realize you're dreaming, and then you don't get scared anymore, because of having the knowledge of what you're experiencing isn't really reality.
But hey even the so-called 'experts' don't even know what causes Schizophrenia and other mental illness. They don't even know why people dream. That isn't proven as to why yet, and yet somehow they can work out the causes of mental illnesses, but strangely can't cure them. Theories ain't proof and drugs don't educate people. Especially the ones given to them by the uneducated.
Recognising the effect of some unknown cause consitutes as proof these days though.
But the correct medication will stop, or at least surpress the positive symptoms of something such as schizophrenia.
Actually wrong, most relapse when on the drugs anyway, and it's the drugs which make people suicidal. I'd image feeling that way if the creative part of my physical brain is supressed by drugs. It's abit like putting a lid on boiling water. Only in their case they can't let off steam.
No such thing as correct medication, especially when it isn't natural..
Mental illness is not just a western thing, chemical imbalances in the brain can be clinically proven and is not a result of society.
Actually it is. It's a capitalist thing. It's increased with the growth of capitalism.
Society isn't balanced, so expect the same thing with the people in it..
When something is proven correct then the solutions tend to be perfect Natasha. Most people know they ain't perfect, far from it. So whatever is proven correct i.e Chemical imbalances isn't exactly isn't absolute in it's cures is it now.
A chemical imbalance in the brain, ok, the obvious solution is to find the chemical in the brain and recreate it in tablet form so that the balance is corrected. Not profit making enough though is it.
Whatever it is it doesn't seem to work. So many different drugs out there and yet the same chemical in the brain that is out of whack in them exists in all people. We can map DNA but can't even do something as simple as that. Please. If they could the side effects would be zero in ALL drugs. And why is something that is supposed to be balancing out chemicals in the brain giving people Diabetes? It's bullsh*t. Unfortunetly aiming for perfection isn't something you westerners are capable of, unless it involves weapons or means of destroying people. Y'all folks are a good at that
Other countries may not recognise various mental illnesses, but that is due to their culture and general belief systom, not scientific evidence.
I think Japan is more advanced that England don't you think, they even ignore Christianity and Islam for the most part.. Might explain why they ain't all that screwed up. Might also explain why they don't like other races too much. They think westerner are crazy for instants. I agree with them 100% on that one.
But some countries also do not recognise or register the birth or death of women as we are regarded as insignificant...which is a matter of cultural differences and priorities, not a dismissal of the scientific fact that women are born and do die!
Western culture is inferior. 90% of all serial killers come from America or England. Most mental illnesses are also in these same countries more often than others.. Now that certainly is a western problem.
But hey drugs make money, keeping people off balanced and stressed, fearful, and full of hate makes people ill. And illness is big business.
It is because of the social attitude to mental ill health that there is such a stigma surrounding it.
Drugging people up might have something to do with that. Drugs that don't cure or address the imbalance. Drugs that weren't even created to address the imbalances in the first place, only merely created to supress the effects of an imbalance. Would you trust that.?
People do not want to seek help and therefore can become worse.
It's not like you're helping anyway. Merely putting them in a profit making mental health system. And making them feel different...which generally leads to suicidal thoughts. Why are people with mere depression put on the same wards as someone who is Schizophrenic? Not a very good idea if they're depressed is it now.
Or they receive the wrong type of help, be it medication of therapy, and their mental health declines because of that. Doctors are now a lot more reluctant to diagnose someone with a mental illness, particularly a young person as many symptoms are age and experience related, not specifically mental ill health.
Most Doctors I know are extremely quick to diagnose a person, extremely quick. Especially non whites, who should quite frankly avoid the system altogether. They never get better in it. And I've yet to see one recover fully 100%. Most whites don't either.
As with all professions, there are good and bad proffessionals who practice within it. A persons wellbeing can greatly depend on the doctor/CPN that they are assigned, and thereafter the treatment that they then receive.
The people in the system tell me otherwise. For example they all hate the new draft mental health bill. Which is pretty much an anti-terrorist bill in sheeps clothing.
To be honest looking for help is pretty much imprisonment. It's not quite like that but soon will be, once that draft bill is past. We just need a few more convenient murders by some schizophrenics to get the public worried enough to accept it without too much protest.
The greatest gift or help anyone can give a person is understanding. No one is telling Schizophrenics, why they're ill. No one is explaining to them the processes of their minds. They only have people like you telling them they're ill and inferior and telling them to take things that will hamper the natural growth of their brains. What the hell are people doing giving people between the ages of 6 and 25 drugs for.? They haven't fully grown and developed into adults, even their brains haven't fully developed yet. Abit like giving a baby meat when it has no teeth. It will choke. And all the drugs do is choke off the effects of their minds, whether they're bad or good doesn't matter, because surpressing a natural process is bad anyway.
Give the people the knowledge and they'll develop the understanding, and normally when people understand something then they won't have any problems with something. But the experts can't do that, mainly because they think they know it all already, or have simply given up trying.
Currently we're settled on chemical imbalances for the cause of certainly mental/emotional problems. But the solution to that is simple.
And frankly giving people with Bi-Polar disorders something that they use in Batteries isn't a very good idea. I.e Lithium which seems to be the most popular drug for those. Actually they use it on people with HIV and Aids now in a few places.
Also Mercury fillings is a probably cause of the damn illness anyway. Since mercury posioning can make a person quite ill, and the symptoms are quite similar I hear.
Last edited on Sunday November 21st, 2004 00:53 by Peacemaker
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Posted: Sunday November 21st, 2004 10:55 |
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Actually Lithium is a bit old skool now, it's not given as frequently as it was and has been mostly replaced by Sodium Valproate (which is also used to treat epilepsy).
Regarding my "idiotic" statement about people suffering with schizophrenia. Some of them do believe there's a giant in the corner of the room, some of them do hear voices telling them what awful people they are, some of them do think that fish talk them etc etc. I know this through actual experience, not something I've read in a book.
Mental ill health is very real, but too many bracket them all together. I am not comparing the case of someone who is a bit down, to someone who is experiencing a psychotic episode. It's not in the same league.
Medication isn't the answer to everything, and nor is it something I'd push on someone. We do not give pills as the magic answer and nor do we use a client's mental ill health as the reason or excuse for all they do. It was nonsense when you said we tell people they're ill and inferior and don't explain how the mind works. We treat everyone as individuals and try to empower them. "ISU" (Involving Service Users) was a very successful group creating awareness for and by service users.
I believe that a good support network is essential, but it is a myth that only lonely people suffer mental ill health. It can happen to anyone from all walks of life, those with good feelings of self worth and a good support network of friends and family. There is a misconception that mental ill health is all about depression...it is not. Some mentally ill people are not at all depressed, but they are psychotic. Generally the feeling is that the quicker the onset, the quicker the recovery. Some mental ill health is triggered by a trauma, but some is due to chemical imballances...the latter taking the longest time to treat. And treatment generally includes both medical and other theraputic remedies. In my area they offer counselling, group forums, a named link-worker, floating support and indian head massage as part of the total package...not just medication.
There is great public fear about mental ill health, particularly in regards to schizophrencis running around killing people willy nilly. In actual fact they are more likely to harm themselves than anyone else. Care in the community has failed a lot of people, and it is true that this new mental health bill is not perfect...I personally don't like it. There are also a lot of misconceptions about sectioning. The general public often believes that people are just taken off the street and held agaisnt their will. That is sometimes the case, but not often, and there is considerable difference between being under a section 2 and being under a section 117.
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Posted: Sunday November 21st, 2004 12:34 |
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Natasha wrote: Actually Lithium is a bit old skool now, it's not given as frequently as it was and has been mostly replaced by Sodium Valproate (which is also used to treat epilepsy).
Nope it's still the most popular drug for Manic Depressives. It's just that alot of people can't take the drug because it involves having blood tests every other day to find out whether it is messing around with other things normally the blood, which normally it does..
Regarding my "idiotic" statement about people suffering with schizophrenia. Some of them do believe there's a giant in the corner of the room, some of them do hear voices telling them what awful people they are, some of them do think that fish talk them etc etc. I know this through actual experience, not something I've read in a book.
And most actually get a grip of things when told about it. The fact that you're talking about them like you think you know them and are superior to them says it all. Most schizophrenics don't hear voices either. They just happened to be labelled schizophrenic because their consultants quite frankly aren't very good. And again Asians and Blacks are more likely to be labelled with Manic Depressive or Schizophrenic. A black person doesn't stand a chance when they have an Asian Shrink either, no chance at all. They will get labelled with something regardless.
Mental ill health is very real, but too many bracket them all together. I am not comparing the case of someone who is a bit down, to someone who is experiencing a psychotic episode. It's not in the same league.
1 in 3 people suffer a psychotic episode at some point in their life. Actually most children have experienced it, especially those younger than three. What do you think those kids who have pretend friends are doing?
Medication isn't the answer to everything, and nor is it something I'd push on someone. We do not give pills as the magic answer and nor do we use a client's mental ill health as the reason or excuse for all they do. It was nonsense when you said we tell people they're ill and inferior and don't explain how the mind works.
You don't explain it to them though, mainly because the shrinks haven't even got a clue, they only known how to labelled someone based on various text books.
We treat everyone as individuals and try to empower them. "ISU" (Involving Service Users) was a very successful group creating awareness for and by service users.
I'm sorry but you don't. They wouldn't be ill still would they. Too many service users become dependant on the system. Whether I would rather see them get out of it as quickly as possible. And the worse thing, it's those with Anxiety and Depression who suffer the worse, they get next to no help.
I believe that a good support network is essential, but it is a myth that only lonely people suffer mental ill health.
Feeling lonely is a mental illness. Certainly not a natural feeling.
It can happen to anyone from all walks of life, those with good feelings of self worth and a good support network of friends and family. There is a misconception that mental ill health is all about depression...it is not. Some mentally ill people are not at all depressed, but they are psychotic. Generally the feeling is that the quicker the onset, the quicker the recovery. Some mental ill health is triggered by a trauma, but some is due to chemical imballances...the latter taking the longest time to treat.
Of course it takes longer to treat, you're not even giving them the chemical that is imbalanced in the first place.
And treatment generally includes both medical and other theraputic remedies. In my area they offer counselling, group forums, a named link-worker, floating support and indian head massage as part of the total package...not just medication.
There is great public fear about mental ill health, particularly in regards to schizophrencis running around killing people willy nilly. In actual fact they are more likely to harm themselves than anyone else. Care in the community has failed a lot of people, and it is true that this new mental health bill is not perfect...I personally don't like it. There are also a lot of misconceptions about sectioning. The general public often believes that people are just taken off the street and held agaisnt their will.
That is sometimes the case, but not often, and there is considerable difference between being under a section 2 and being under a section 117.
The new draft bill will allow people to do that.
And my personal opinion is that almost all people are schizophrenic anyway.
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Posted: Sunday November 21st, 2004 13:02 |
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Regarding depression...experiment done...gave 20 people a sugar tablet passed off as prozac...all felt better within weeks....PROOF...it's all in the mind...
Anyway what is t with the drugs people take...most people don't realise they are used as guinea pigs by the medical profession..."here you go...this is your prescription...it's the new drug out of the market..."
What is it with side effects...surely medication should be developed and only good if it eradicates ONE problem and NOT give u another...or yeah but then u have to take medication for the side effect...that gives u another side effect....
Now u have to decide if u want a runny nose....or a runny ass....
MEDICATION = BIG BUSINESS for true...
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BlackMatta
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Posted: Sunday November 21st, 2004 14:10 |
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Last edited on Saturday February 25th, 2006 16:11 by
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Natasha
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Posted: Sunday November 21st, 2004 16:04 |
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"Getting a grip" isn't as easy as it sounds, it it were I'm sure that all mentally ill people would soon recover after a good slap on the back! And a lot of people with schizophrenia DO believe that they hear voices. The professionals who treat them are not aware of these voices until the patient actually tells them what they're hearing!
As I said before, as with any profession, there a good and bad people who practice within it. Many GP's are arrogant, many social workers do not have a grip on reality and the same goes for psychiatrists...not all are good. But the majority of mental health workers are sincere and do not talk to service users in a superior fashion. I do not kid myself into thinking that I "know them", I simply react to my client's needs in a non judgemental manor.
1 in 3 people DO NOT have a psychotic episode! But around 1 in 3 will expericnce some form of mental ill health...not specifically psychosis. And children having imaginary friends is not a psychotic episode, nor have most children under 3 experienced it! It's just a figmant of their imagination, creative play. Most children are aware that these friends do not really exist, as they are aware that the doll they're playing with is not a real baby, and that the cardboard box they're sitting in is not a real car.
We do our best to explain things to service users, but most people form their own opinions anyway. The very seriously ill do not believe thet have anything wrong anyway, as their illness distorts their take on reality.
Feeling lonely is definately NOT mental illness! It's a perfectly normal emotion that many people will experience at some. The point when it becomes clinical, ie a mental health matter is when lonliness turns into isolation.
It is true that the system has a lot to answer for and that many service users do become dependant on it. Institutionalisation is a big problem, hence many of the bins being closed and care in the community being it's replacement. The mental health sector isn't the only area with an institutionalisation problem, children who have spent all their life in care become institutionalised, as do people who have spent a lot of time in nursing homes.
Regarding recovery time, it is not just a matter of replacing the chemical imballance...many mental illnesses are not due to chamical imballances. Therefore it's not a case of doctors prescribing the wrong pill.
Placebo's have often been given in trials, but the results are a bit Iffy. Medication used to treat depression varies considerably and is not the same as antipsychotic medication. In these trials, people with depression can be in various states, as depression is a tag given out willy nilly, unlike schizophrenai and bi polar. An angst ridden, hormone fuelled over emotional teenager is more than likely to be labelled as a depressive, therefore a placebo probably will work. Butit will not work as well as someone who is psychotic.
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MyThoughts
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Posted: Sunday November 21st, 2004 20:15 |
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BlackMatta wrote: If the vast majority of people were physically blind, would a sighted man be labelled delusional?
Perhaps unexpectedly, a blind person regaining sight can actually be traumatized by the experience. The knowledge that his "new sense" is "normal" and he can communicate it to others must be a critical factor to him in accepting his "condition". Just imagine if no-one else could relate...
...there would be drugs to treat sightedness...
BlackMatta.
Going on your particular example...there was a guy who was born blind had his cornea fixed....and was thus able to see...but he couldn't really see...he still had to feel before he could tell say differentiate the teapot from the blender...being disappointed with what he saw...that is the real visual world...rather than what he imagined it to be...he promptly committed suicide...
Interesting...who is to say the world is not better understood or seen...without sight...I know it will probably make me more attracted to my wife...
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Posted: Sunday November 21st, 2004 20:36 |
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@MyThoughts
There was a film just like that it starred Val Kilmer and Mira Sarvano, a blind man who had his sight restored , but couldn't tell a real apple from a picture of a apple etc, but lost his sight and continued as he was used to living.
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Posted: Sunday November 21st, 2004 22:40 |
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Natasha wrote: "Getting a grip" isn't as easy as it sounds, it it were I'm sure that all mentally ill people would soon recover after a good slap on the back! And a lot of people with schizophrenia DO believe that they hear voices. The professionals who treat them are not aware of these voices until the patient actually tells them what they're hearing!
As I said before, as with any profession, there a good and bad people who practice within it. Many GP's are arrogant, many social workers do not have a grip on reality and the same goes for psychiatrists...not all are good. But the majority of mental health workers are sincere and do not talk to service users in a superior fashion. I do not kid myself into thinking that I "know them", I simply react to my client's needs in a non judgemental manor.
1 in 3 people DO NOT have a psychotic episode! But around 1 in 3 will expericnce some form of mental ill health...not specifically psychosis. And children having imaginary friends is not a psychotic episode, nor have most children under 3 experienced it! It's just a figmant of their imagination, creative play. Most children are aware that these friends do not really exist, as they are aware that the doll they're playing with is not a real baby, and that the cardboard box they're sitting in is not a real car.
We do our best to explain things to service users, but most people form their own opinions anyway. The very seriously ill do not believe thet have anything wrong anyway, as their illness distorts their take on reality.
Feeling lonely is definately NOT mental illness! It's a perfectly normal emotion that many people will experience at some. The point when it becomes clinical, ie a mental health matter is when lonliness turns into isolation.
It is true that the system has a lot to answer for and that many service users do become dependant on it. Institutionalisation is a big problem, hence many of the bins being closed and care in the community being it's replacement. The mental health sector isn't the only area with an institutionalisation problem, children who have spent all their life in care become institutionalised, as do people who have spent a lot of time in nursing homes.
Regarding recovery time, it is not just a matter of replacing the chemical imballance...many mental illnesses are not due to chamical imballances. Therefore it's not a case of doctors prescribing the wrong pill.
Placebo's have often been given in trials, but the results are a bit Iffy. Medication used to treat depression varies considerably and is not the same as antipsychotic medication. In these trials, people with depression can be in various states, as depression is a tag given out willy nilly, unlike schizophrenai and bi polar. An angst ridden, hormone fuelled over emotional teenager is more than likely to be labelled as a depressive, therefore a placebo probably will work. Butit will not work as well as someone who is psychotic.
Defending the realm isn't exactly going to prove anything, it generally just proves that the person isn't actually interested in finding a solution. But merely interested in defending the current flaws in the system.
Conversation over.
I want perfection, not rationalizations of imperfections.
Last edited on Sunday November 21st, 2004 22:41 by Peacemaker
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