Myths about bipolar disorder fuel stigma and hinder diagnosis and treatment. Knowing the facts is essential.
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Obtaining an early and accurate diagnosis of bipolar disorder opens the door to better treatment outcomes and improved quality of life. This all depends on having the facts straight, dispelling the myths, and stomping out the stigma.
Myth 1. Mania Is Fun
One of the myths associated with bipolar is that mania is fun. While mania can bring about such things as excessive energy and creativity, other aspects of mania aren’t so fun. These include symptoms like delusions, irritability, and anger. Many features of bipolar really aren’t fun whatsoever.
Myth 2. Bipolar Is All About Being Moody
Another myth about bipolar disorder is that people with bipolar are just moody. Mood is certainly associated with bipolar — specifically, those wide mood swings that we often have, such as depression, mania, hypomania, and mixed mood episodes. But experiencing a mood episode is not the same as having strong emotions or being expressive about them.
Bipolar depression can take a person to a place where it’s not very “fun.” At all. It can be painful, and, oftentimes, people will lose hope — in some cases, we may even feel suicidal, which is certainly one of the end results and one of the most difficult parts of bipolar to deal with. I’ve been through that myself, and I know what a really, really dark place that can be.
Myth 3. Medication Is the Only Treatment for Bipolar Disorder
Finally, the third myth associated with bipolar disorder is that medication is the only way to treat bipolar disorder. And while certainly medication is one of the tools that are used, there are other beneficial treatments to combine with medication that can help a person.
These most often include psychotherapy and lifestyle adjustments. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and other such talk therapies can help, as can getting proper rest and following a healthy diet and exercise regime. All of those are really helpful to keep a person with bipolar well-balanced.
When it comes to medication and other aspects of mood management, it’s a very personal decision. What is most effective for you and how you choose to manage and treat your bipolar is up to you and based on your own experiences.
A Word of Caution: Ceasing Medication
One thing that I would caution you about is that if you are taking medication for your bipolar, and you want to “take a break” from prescriptions, only consider doing that with your doctor’s input and guidance. That way, you can make sure that you are following a safe way of titrating off the medication, in other words, reducing your dosage slowly so you don’t have a severe reaction.
Many Treatment Options and Many Myths
There’s a lot of things you can do to help yourself when living with bipolar, and these are just some of the myths that are associated with it. It is important to clear the myths from the facts so that you can make the best personal decisions for yourself when managing your moods and symptoms.
If you know of any other myths that you want to share and discuss, feel free to leave them in the comments section below.
UPDATED: Originally posted October 1, 2018