Bipolar Spectrum Disorder Updates
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
JC Jones MA RN
While depression is the leading cause of disability in the world, new studies coming out of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) suggest that we need to readjust our thinking about bipolar disorder. As a multi-dimensional problem, they suggest it should be considered a spectrum disorder (like Autism). Reporting the results of a study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, NIMH reports that up to 97% of the 9,282 adults participating in the study had co-morbidities of anxiety, depression, or substance abuse disorders and were in treatment for those problems rather than the bipolar disorder.
Researchers reported that many participants were receiving the wrong treatment for the illness: only 40% were receiving a mood stabilizer, anticonvulsant or antipsychotic. NIMH researcher, Kathleen Merikangas, Ph.D., stated that such a "...high rate of inappropriate medication use among people with bipolar spectrum disorder is....potentially dangerous because use of an antidepressant without the benefit of a mood stabilizer may actually..." make things worse. Dr. Merikangas and her colleagues fear that bipolar spectrum disorder is masquerading as other illnesses in clinics around the world and clinicians are missing opportunities to treat people appropriately.
Even with underreporting and lack of recognition, NIMH estimates that 5.7 million US citizens suffer from bipolar disorder. While all of us suffer mood swings, the changes in personality, behavior and energy are disabling in people with the disorder, especially children. Not everyone responds to the medications described above. Researchers are hoping that new findings from the first Genome-Wide study of the illness will yield promise for individualizing treatment options. Researchers involved in the NIMH Genetics Initiative Project report that "...the likelihood of developing bipolar disorder depends...on combined effects of many different genes in the brain..." Researchers are focusing on the DGKH gene that is active in the pathway where lithium works its magic in the brain. Advances in genetic technology are allowing researchers to scan thousands of genes at one time to detect variations. The variations influence the likelihood of a person getting an illness. Genetic researchers can compare test subject variations against healthy subject variations and against another gene pool of similar ancestry in a different part of the world to test the validity of their findings.
Finally, five famous bipolar people to think about today:
- Hugo Chavez, Presidente of Venezuela
- Kurt Cobain, suicide (maybe) musician
- Florence Nightingale, nurse and health reformer
- Jimi Hendrix, (Seattle has a high suicide rate)
- Vivien Leigh, actress
Thank you otfrom, for use of the photo, Mad Multi Manic Camera Toss.
Labels: bipolar, genes, genetic research, mood stabilizer
10 Comments:
At Mon May 14, 10:10:00 AM 2007,
mary said…
have been dignosided as haveing a disorgnised personality disorder I am seeing a consultant but I feel they are not telling me all I need to no Ihave a husband whos Parinoid Scysophrinic I FEEL am left to cope with myself and then Itry o cope with my husband I feel so alone in this mental health I have become his prisoner because he does not trust me so its not all his fault but bad people make up stories they find they can use are mentel health issues a easy way to victamise us its a nightmare trying to cope
At Tue May 15, 11:05:00 AM 2007,
JC Jones MA RN said…
Thank you so much for writing and I understand your frustration. Our health care system is badly broken, and that is why Healthline exists. We all need each other to get this thing turned around. Each one of us has lived through some kind of health care nightmare with ourselves or our loved ones. I am reading a book you might want to pick up called Crazy by Pete Earley, whose son was Bipolar. He examines the breakdown of the mental health system. Why don't you try asking your two doctors to talk to each other & help the two of you come up with strategies to manage your mental illnesses and life? Maybe together they can refer you to someone in the mental health community who can help you both. Hang in there. I know it's hard.
At Mon Jun 11, 07:36:00 AM 2007,
Anonymous said…
someone out there must be able to help me.my sister is 21 she was diagnosed with bipolar II borderline scysophrenic 3 yrs ago (after the tragic and sudden death of our father)she has had 2 children in these last 3 years which is also why we are desperately seeking help for her.she is currently using zyprexa,but at the same time also refuses to take it as it makes her sleepy and disorientated.she lives alone with her children which is also a bit troublesome at times.basically i need information on alternative medications and treatments etc as the doctors that have seen her dont really seem to want to help us (as she is somewhat a "lost case")there must be a bipolar specialist or someone who can help us.if there is please inform me i am just about willing to try any form of therapy for her.we are from south africa.
At Mon Jun 11, 03:58:00 PM 2007,
JC Jones MA RN said…
Dear Anonymous: Thank you for your query. I don't know much about the South African Mental Health system, but I understand that the SA health system is similar to the US health system in that they are both consumer-driven with no national health insurance. The Harvard School of Public Health operates, Rutanang, a collaborative project of the South African Departments of Health, Education and Welfare.
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/peereducation/
You could try asking them for a referral to a Mood Disorder specialist. You could also try calling the Lentegeur Psychiatric Hospital in Cape Town.
Here is a link to some contacts.
http://www.psychiatry.uct.ac.za/psych_files/staff.php
You don't state what part of SA you are from, but my understanding is that there is very little in the way of community mental health services in SA. Mental Health care is found in major metropolitan areas in medical centers. here is a list of hospitals. Hopefully, there is one in your area.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hospitals_in_South_Africa
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that the entire continent of Africa suffers from a lack of a mental health infrastructure. http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-06-06-voa61.cfm
Perhaps you could ask your sister's doctors to review the latest findings from the studies sited in this blog post, and make sure she is on appropriate medication, for the sake of the children involved.
At Thu Jul 26, 10:54:00 PM 2007,
Anonymous said…
I suffer from bipolar 2 disorder and have for many years. I was suicidal before trusting my doctor when he wanted to prescribe an antipsychotic called Abilify. What a difference it has made in my life!
At Tue Sep 04, 12:12:00 PM 2007,
Anonymous said…
i have been living a rollercoaster of a life...battling for many yers. i've been diagnosed with so many different things..i can't keep up. when i go into what i call a "low" i cnnot function. i've almost lost my husband...my job...my mind. although i know my low will end....i cannot stand the thought that i will endure many more lows. and i fear i will not make it through my next one...i'll have run out of energy...if there is some way...any way....to keep from ending up at the bottom of the pit....
At Thu Sep 06, 12:27:00 PM 2007,
JC Jones MA RN said…
This is a VERY difficult illness to get a handle on - so don't blame yourself! The important thing is to find a doctor that you feel is staying current with the guidelines recommended above and partner with your providers to work out a treatment plan that stabilizes you. The deep lows are really difficult to get through - make sure to talk to your doctor about all possible treatments, including ECT. Good luck & let us know if anything helps you!
At Sun Sep 23, 09:04:00 AM 2007,
Anonymous said…
i have bipolar disorder 1. it has been a very hard life to live. i lost my children to my parent, i lost my job, and the only thing i have going is my fiance. he holds on no matter how sick i may get. it is one of the scariest illnesses i know of. never knowing how your body will react and not ever having control
At Mon Sep 24, 01:25:00 PM 2007,
JC Jones MA RN said…
I have to agree with you, because when you have an illness that basically changes your personality and the way you think and behave, it makes us contemplate what it actually means to be human. These are questions that are difficult to fathom unless you have had the illness, have treated or have been close to someone with the illness, you can not really understand how devastating it is...I am glad you have someone in your corner who accepts and loves you as you are. I hope that you and your doctors are able to find something that works for you.
At Wed Oct 31, 07:28:00 PM 2007,
Anonymous said…
My 37 yr old daughter who has a husband and three kids called me the other day and said she was going to kill herself, I even heard the click of the gun in the phone.I called the police which was the best think I could of done. She has been diognosed with bipolar.They feel the problem could of started after she had her first child and she suffered from postpartum depression. She had two more children 20 months apart. she is in a treatment center as we speak.She is on prozac right now. I just pray they can help her. This has been the most heartbreaking experience my husband and I have ever gone through. I always thought she was just a habitual liar, now I realize why she has done the things she has done. She just couldn't help herself.
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