Try Not To Forget The Positive Side of Bipolar Illness

I get weary of hearing about the so-called "stigma" of bipolar illness.

It doesn't exist among well-educated people; it does still linger in

the business world, however, largely because business owners  feel the increase in medical insurance fees for the company when it's necessary to treat a bipolar patient.  Outside that, most of the sick "stigma" comes from uneducated, ignorant people who are simply revealing their own inadequacies or are projecting their own inner fears.

The truth about bipolar illness is that often they are highly gifted, well-educated, sensitive, and thoughtful people--almost to a fault.  With changes and control of the diet and recognition that caffeine and alcohol make the illness worse, as they do for all people who abuse them, the bipolar patient has much to contribute to the world, and they often do.  Their illness is strongly alleviated by changes in the diet, as some on the forum have experienced and written about.

Have you any idea how many bipolar patients have been artists of

major significance to society?  VanGogh, Michaelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, and inumerable others were bipolar.

Dr. Kay Jamison, who is bipolar herself, (and a professor at a major university) has written about the illness in "Touched With Fire" and "An Unquiet Mind"; offhand, I remember reading another work called "Sunshine from Darkness" about a group of artists whose artwork is astounding.  People need to learn, keep a positive approach, and help.  There are several artists on this forum who are naturally accomplished at their artwork and need just to keep working at it.  Tortoise II is one of them; you should see her work.

This negative stuff needs to stop, in my view; letting a bipolar patient

see his value and ability to contribute to life are far more helpful in

getting them to let their little child within shine.

Each of us has a child, a parent, and an adult inside.  When depression

hits, one or more of the needs of the little child aren't being met.  For

those of us who get dismayed at the intricacy of the illness, it's time

to do our own learning about the little child within and how to help

that little one get out and be creative and make positive contributions.

It's Genetic

Post Edited (It's Genetic) : 7/12/2011 10:02:05 AM (GMT-6)

Just read an interesting article on use of the hands for relief of depression. It seems that using the hands in creative, artistic work
or in work of any kind, such as a hobby as knitting, crocheting, cooking,
weeding, cleaning, etc. all distract the mind from stress and flood the
brain with positive feelings--I guess that means neurotransmitters that create happy feelings.

I've always known that doing some kind of work or play or hobby took my mind off stress; there's evidence for that now.

I.G.

Post Edited (It's Genetic) : 7/12/2011 1:35:38 PM (GMT-6)

Glad to see you back, Bill.

 

i am bipolr I. my mother is also bipolar but more severe. so i do believe in the genetic factor and also that there is a great deal of lack of education about bipolar. those without it often times see it as something so simple but its definately not even for the person that has it.
i watched the bipolar episodes destroy my mother when i was a child. though i forgive her for the things that happened still to this day, its only been since my own diagnosis and education that i was able to do so. i tried to educate my siblings after my diagnosis from depression but they weren't ready to hear it back then.
i don't know how he did it but my husband still supports me thru the good days and the bad days. i love him very much for that, especially since i nearly and totally destroyed our marriage.

well let's keep it short for now.
always trying to learn a bit more from others.................

jcd