okay, got it
If my brother has bipolar disorder, he’s undiagnosed - but we know that we have to thread very carefully around him when he’s “in sixth gear” because any negative feedback will send him to the deepest pits of despair. He hasn’t done anything too terrible, but having someone decide that he’s going to clean your toolboxes and start throwing things away, and having to bite your tongue because you remember all those nights of going to bed three hours later than you wanted to, after spending four hours trying to console the unconsolable, isn’t fun. I needed to buy replacements for everything he threw away but hey, compared with taking the family’s savings and putting it on red because “tonight I can’t lose”, a claw hammer, a set of wrenches, half a dozen screwdrivers and assorted nuts and bolts is peanuts. If he gets through that phase slowly rather than suddenly, he stops at normal.
Did you guys also go from King of the World to Oh Noes I’m Worthless in half a second if someone “got in your way”, or were you the kind who steamroll over any objections?
Primary cycle (approximately):
November - January = Low mood, High energy (actively self-destructive depression)
February - April = Low mood, Low energy (doldrums, listless, typical depression)
May - July = High mood, Low energy (Really nice to be around, generally positive & easy going)
August - October = High mood, high energy (hypomanic - manic, circus time)
Based on the above, I am “sharpest” mentally between August-January. I can think really quickly and accurately, and I like it. Trouble starts when the mood dips in late Fall but my mental energy is still high. Imagine manic energy driving a period of self-loathing that can last for weeks. I can still be very creative, but it will usually have a negative shift. Between about now and late summer I’m generally pretty quiet and reserved.
Now, within that primary cycle are little rapid cycles that stir shit up real nice. That looks like a mood change that happens over the course of a couple hours. You can see Mr. Positive being the life of the party and then all of a sudden he’s sitting in a dark closet rocking back and forth because he looked in a mirror.
FWIW I’m extremely pro-CBT and I’ve never heard of it being used to treat bipolar. My understanding is that the single most effective treatment is medication. I can see using CBT or motivational interviewing to keep someone committed to their medication regiment, but I don’t see it as a primary force in helping someone with bipolar.
I could totally be wrong though. And hey, whatever works, more power to you!
That’s pretty much what I thought.
I didn’t like meds for a few reasons. I use CBT to mitigate the effects of the disorder by not allowing myself to indulge in behaviors I’ve identified as destructive. I still get the mood swings and I still get the drives, I just don’t act on them. It is very hard. I have noticed that not allowing myself to express anger, sorrow, happiness, etc. seems to break a cycle that would normally lead to positive and negative delusions, and even more violent mood swings. I’d agree that complete management probably requires meds, but I don’t like them and have opted instead to keep myself on a short emotional leash. It’s boring, but it’s a responsible alternative.
Well it’s your choice, of course (the points made about how you’re not the only person affected by your behaviour notwithstanding) but you seem to be doing it the hard way.
I agree 1000%
I am certainly not even remotely close to knowing everything about mania but based on what I do know, I don’t see how CBT could possibly be the best solution. Nonetheless, might as well do as you must.
Except that it’s not as he must - he could just as easily take the meds like a lot of us do and not have to handle the highs and lows at all, which is kind of my point. However as he’s admitted that he doesn’t want to see the end to the highs, despite the negative consequences that come with them, there’s not much more to be said on that matter.
You’ve got that right.