NationStates Jolt Archive

It's recently come to my attention that a lot of people don't believe in this.
I was angry.

After my anger passed and my fist stopped bleeding, I started to wonder what these people DO believe is happening in the minds of manic depressives.

SO: opinions, people!

It exists, I've had it for most of my life.

There's something about this thread that makes me simultaneously not want to post in it, but yet is drawing me inexorably closer, like a moth to a train wreck.

I've never had it medically confirmed whether I suffer from any of the variants of bipolar disorder or not but many doctors have considered it 'likely'. This is perhaps due to doctors simply refusing to diagnose any mental health condition at all unless they absolutely must. my manias are infrequent enough to ignore, so I don't get a diagnosis.

Ignore the people who say it doesn't exist. I live with one.

Ignore the people who say it doesn't exist. I live with one.

How? How can you ignore someone you live with?

I think s/he means s/he lives with a bipolar.

I have a couple friends with that condition. It's pretty rough. Proper medication can mitigate the symptoms, but doesn't seem to eliminate them.

I think s/he means s/he lives with a bipolar.

Oh, my bad.

It's recently come to my attention that a lot of people don't believe in this.


A lot of people are morons. This is one of those unfortunate truths of the universe.

A lot of people are morons. This is one of those unfortunate truths of the universe.

Aye :(

It's recently come to my attention that a lot of people don't believe in this.
I was angry.


Don't know why. Ignore them, for they are a bit thick or something.

(and can't it be detected by dopamine levels or something? Hardly fictious if thats the case...)

Possible Cyclothemic here, so I'm going to bet on: Yes, it does exist, and the people who think otherwise have obviously never seen someone with a serious bipolar disorder.

Possible Cyclothemic here, so I'm going to bet on: Yes, it does exist, and the people who think otherwise have obviously never seen someone with a serious bipolar disorder.

Steven Fry has it. I love that man.

I have a couple friends with that condition. It's pretty rough. Proper medication can mitigate the symptoms, but doesn't seem to eliminate them.
This is why I smoke 20 a day. Lithium is shite, as opposed to cigs.

Aye, smoking pulled me out of a deep depression.

No mental illness exists.

Instead, the immortal spirits of dead space aliens are attached to your body, causing all of your problems. If you pay the Church of Scientology, they will help you remove these things.

This will be after you've paid them enough that they eventually tell you that this is your problem. They won't just tell you up front.

No mental illness exists.

Instead, the immortal spirits of dead space aliens are attached to your body, causing all of your problems. If you pay the Church of Scientology, they will help you remove these things.

This will be after you've paid them enough that they eventually tell you that this is your problem. They won't just tell you up front.

Oh you forget Tom. He said all you need is vitamins and exercise.

Oh you forget Tom. He said all you need is vitamins and exercise.
thats only because you havent paid to learn about the dead aliens yet. he doesnt give that info out for free.

There's something about this thread that makes me simultaneously not want to post in it, but yet is drawing me inexorably closer, like a moth to a train wreck.

I've never had it medically confirmed whether I suffer from any of the variants of bipolar disorder or not but many doctors have considered it 'likely'. This is perhaps due to doctors simply refusing to diagnose any mental health condition at all unless they absolutely must. my manias are infrequent enough to ignore, so I don't get a diagnosis.
Perhaps you hadn't met the criteria for bipolar disorder (there is bipolar I and bipolar II). I wondered why you have to have criteria, but then, for some subjective complaints as psychiatric problems (as opposed to, let's say cancer), there is an increased need for diagnostic criteria.

I've never had it medically confirmed whether I suffer from any of the variants of bipolar disorder or not but many doctors have considered it 'likely'. This is perhaps due to doctors simply refusing to diagnose any mental health condition at all unless they absolutely must. my manias are infrequent enough to ignore, so I don't get a diagnosis.

I've heard that the main problem with diagnosing manic depression is that it's quite difficult and, mind you, this may be quite wrong, I also heard it can take a mental health professional up to 10 years of study to conclusively determine if a patient suffers from a bipolar disorder or not. Frankly I consider this last bit quite a huge load of BS but... I'm no expert. And if the times we're living in are any indication, I would say that most people suffer from a mental disorder of one kind or another.

thats only because you havent paid to learn about the dead aliens yet. he doesnt give that info out for free.

Doh! That was probably the advanced plan that I passed on!

It's recently come to my attention that a lot of people don't believe in this. I was angry. After my anger passed and my fist stopped bleeding, I started to wonder what these people DO believe is happening in the minds of manic depressives.

You get mad enough to punch a wall every time you encounter a contrary opinion or belief, you're going to spend a lot time with your hands in bandages. You might want to find a more constructive use for all that energy, or buy a heavy bag.

As for manic depression, much like ADD, I think a lot more people claim to have it, or think they have it, than actually do have it.

As for manic depression, much like ADD, I think a lot more people claim to have it, or think they have it, than actually do have it.

I would think that would be "general" depression. Manic is not really something you can fake. Well I guess you could if people have never seen somebody with it.

I have not heard of someone claiming to be manic level. Usually the people who have it have "happy" pills to balance things out.

It's recently come to my attention that a lot of people don't believe in this.
I was angry.

After my anger passed and my fist stopped bleeding, I started to wonder what these people DO believe is happening in the minds of manic depressives.

SO: opinions, people!

Meh it not just that, any mental health problem. The issue is really that people still don't understand abotu mental health. Those that proclaim, 'ohhh just snap out of it' for example to people who are depressed, just show how much general ignorance there is around.

Meh it not just that, any mental health problem. The issue is really that people still don't understand abotu mental health. Those that proclaim, 'ohhh just snap out of it' for example to people who are depressed, just show how much general ignorance there is around.


You know I disagree with you about a lot (unless you're just screwing with me) but you really hit the nail on the head there. Kudos.

You know I disagree with you about a lot (unless you're just screwing with me) but you really hit the nail on the head there. Kudos.

Heh that must mean that you offten disagree with me because you are clearly wrong. This one time, you are correct though!:D

Meh it not just that, any mental health problem. The issue is really that people still don't understand abotu mental health. Those that proclaim, 'ohhh just snap out of it' for example to people who are depressed, just show how much general ignorance there is around.

I don't think there's anything to add to the thread after that, you summed everythign up perfectly.

Stephen Fry has done some good work promoting the acceptance of Bipolar disorder in a series of television programmes. They are really quite affecting. Did you know Carrie Fisher (Leah from Star Wars) has it and it was largely responsible for her not being able to continue acting?

I've heard that the main problem with diagnosing manic depression is that it's quite difficult and, mind you, this may be quite wrong, I also heard it can take a mental health professional up to 10 years of study to conclusively determine if a patient suffers from a bipolar disorder or not. Frankly I consider this last bit quite a huge load of BS but... I'm no expert. And if the times we're living in are any indication, I would say that most people suffer from a mental disorder of one kind or another.

It wouldn't surprise me. it's all about degrees of severity and how much it impacts peoples lives. afterall, some people spend an extended period of their lives sad - but when does 'frequently sad' become 'clinically depressed'. it's often not as easy as just making sure seratonin levels are OK if there's outside issues at play. Ditto for manic depression. most of the times I'm manic I'm quite poor or inside and unable to let the fact that my mind is whirring out of control actually cause real problems, or it happens so infrequently so as not to be a real problem - but then a few days ago I was out and about when I had a bit of a crazy turn and went and bought a game I don't really want to play, a magazine I didn't really want to read, and I would have continued to go and buy insignificant little (expensive) things if it wasn't for the fact that my episode was short lived and ended up in such an energy drop that I was only able to finish the shopping I -had- done and get home.

So what am I, just periodically crazy with a side of major depression, or is it bipolar? The line is pretty fine from my perspective.

My dad is such a person. Mom was manic/depressed and I've fought CD twice in my life and my dad remains convinced that it can be dealt with simply by "cheering up" or simply adjusting one's attitude.

My own experiences with CD may have helped somewhat to get him to see it for what it is, since he knows how much I abhor taking medication for anything and I was on antidepressants for my CD.

As for manic depression, much like ADD, I think a lot more people claim to have it, or think they have it, than actually do have it.

As for cancer, much like multiple sclerosis, I think a lot more people claim to have it, or think they have it, than actually do have it.

I base this on nothing but ignorant conjecture and vague sense that people think serious illness is "cool."

As for cancer, much like multiple sclerosis, I think a lot more people claim to have it, or think they have it, than actually do have it.

I base this on nothing but ignorant conjecture and vague sense that people think serious illness is "cool."


I actually don't know what you're trying to get across here?

As for manic depression, much like ADD, I think a lot more people claim to have it, or think they have it, than actually do have it.As for cancer, much like multiple sclerosis, I think a lot more people claim to have it, or think they have it, than actually do have it.

I base this on nothing but ignorant conjecture and vague sense that people think serious illness is "cool."

I actually don't know what you're trying to get across here?

Really? I'm shocked that I have to explain this.

Heinleinites made a stupid comment. I tried to illustrate its stupidity by making a parallel statement about other types of illness. Claims that mental illness are overdiagnosed or considered desirable are common, when no one would think of making similar comments about MS or cancer.

I've heard that the main problem with diagnosing manic depression is that it's quite difficult and, mind you, this may be quite wrong, I also heard it can take a mental health professional up to 10 years of study to conclusively determine if a patient suffers from a bipolar disorder or not. Frankly I consider this last bit quite a huge load of BS but... I'm no expert. And if the times we're living in are any indication, I would say that most people suffer from a mental disorder of one kind or another.

1 in 4 or 5 I believe.

Really? I'm shocked that I have to explain this.

Heinleinites made a stupid comment. I tried to illustrate its stupidity by making a parallel statement about other types of illness. Claims that mental illness are overdiagnosed or considered desirable are common, when no one would think of making similar comments about MS or cancer.

Ah, I see. I -did- think that's what you're saying, I think I just missed the tone of it and that made me confused.

1 in 4 or 5 I believe.

I think it's 1 out of 5. I myself am a sufferer of social phobia.

As for cancer, much like multiple sclerosis, I think a lot more people claim to have it, or think they have it, than actually do have it.

I base this on nothing but ignorant conjecture and vague sense that people think serious illness is "cool."

Its not conjecture. Nobody has a mental illness.

If they did, that would imply that the brain is an organ, with fast and intricate complexities that may sometimes succumb to pathologies of almost innumerable sorts.

What real evidence to you have for these "mental illness"? What, a few lousy PET scans and other advances in neural imaging, years of clinically gathered data, work in neuroplasticity and dozens of other fields showing the very real and observable differentiations in brain function among the mentally ill?

Its all a scam, Cat. We just have the immortal spirits of space aliens attached to our bodies, making a reactive mind. There is help. Just give your money to the Church of Scientology. THEY are the experts on the mind.

Maverick says so.

Its not conjecture. Nobody has a mental illness.

If they did, that would imply that the brain is an organ, with fast and intricate complexities that may sometimes succumb to pathologies of almost innumerable sorts.

What real evidence to you have for these "mental illness"? What, a few lousy PET scans and other advances in neural imaging, years of clinically gathered data, work in neuroplasticity and dozens of other fields showing the very real and observable differentiations in brain function among the mentally ill?

Its all a scam, Cat. We just have the immortal spirits of space aliens attached to our bodies, making a reactive mind. There is help. Just give your money to the Church of Scientology. THEY are the experts on the mind.

Maverick says so.
i hope you are going to send him a bill for that information.

then forward his payment to the scientologists.

Claims that mental illness are overdiagnosed or considered desirable are common, when no one would think of making similar comments about MS or cancer.

Of course, where your somewhat snotty analogy breaks down is, one of the reasons for that is that a trained medical professional can definitively ascertain whether or not someone has cancer or MS easier than they can clinical depression.

Of course, where your somewhat snotty analogy breaks down is, one of the reasons for that is that a trained medical professional can definitively ascertain whether or not someone has cancer or MS easier than they can clinical depression.

So which trained medical professional likens manic depression to ADD?

So which trained medical professional likens manic depression to ADD?

None that I'm aware. I never said they did.

I think it's 1 out of 5. I myself am a sufferer of social phobia.

That's a bitch. Doctors thought that I had that, but it was Agoraphobia more so.

Aaaaaand back to the OP:
what these people DO believe is happening in the minds of manic depressives.
What these people believe: "They're just attention whores/drama queens hamming it up."

In fact, a certain subset believe that about any mental illness.

Perhaps you hadn't met the criteria for bipolar disorder (there is bipolar I and bipolar II). I wondered why you have to have criteria, but then, for some subjective complaints as psychiatric problems (as opposed to, let's say cancer), there is an increased need for diagnostic criteria.

I've heard that the main problem with diagnosing manic depression is that it's quite difficult and, mind you, this may be quite wrong, I also heard it can take a mental health professional up to 10 years of study to conclusively determine if a patient suffers from a bipolar disorder or not. Frankly I consider this last bit quite a huge load of BS but... I'm no expert. And if the times we're living in are any indication, I would say that most people suffer from a mental disorder of one kind or another.

Pretty much all medical conditions have diagnostic criteria - some of which are much more clear than others, it's part of the 'medical model'. There is a big issue at the moment, and in many ways one of the dividing lines between psychology and psychiatry, in how applicable this model is to mental issues. Not the fact, I hasten to add, that they have biological basis, because we have evidence a significant number do. More the question of whether we can truly represent mental illness as a series of distinct categories that you either have or you don't. Many aspects of mental illness appears more of a continuum with varying degrees of severity and often a level of heterogenity in the manifestation.

All of which is part of the reason why mental disorders are a) difficult to diagnose effectively, b) appear inconsistent and 'whishy-washy' to laypeople (who haven't had personal experience) and c) are difficult to treat. It's probably not helped that legally a GP has more right to diagnose someone with a mental disorder than a clinical psychologist, despite the former having minimal mental health training whilst the later will have done 6+ years of formal psychological education (dependant on country, in the UK you need a good BPS accredited psychology degree, about two years often voluntary work experience and then a 3 year doctoral clinical psychology program).

Of course, where your somewhat snotty analogy breaks down is, one of the reasons for that is that a trained medical professional can definitively ascertain whether or not someone has cancer or MS easier than they can clinical depression.

Well good point but the whole MS thing, not so easy to diagnose.

Manic depression is not real.


Now bipolar disorder that's real.