Mental Health 101: Bipolar Disorder

How many times have you heard the phrase "Oh he/she is Bipolar!"?  Many times I bet.  Bipolar is often used to describe someone who is moody however Bipolar Disorder is a serious mental health disorder that can be very dehabilitating. What's the difference between someone who is moody and someone with Bipolar Disorder you ask? Well, I'll explain some.

People with Bipolar Disorder have periods of mania, depression or a combination of both (mixed episodes). 

The DSM-IV-TR (the book mental health professionals use to diagnose mental health disorders) defines mania as a distinct period of abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood lasting at least one week and consisting of three or more of the following:

• Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity.
• Decreased need for sleep (e.g., feeling rested after only 3 hours of sleep).
• More talkative than usual or feeling pressure to keep talking.
• Racing thoughts or thoughts that seem to jump from topic to topic.
• Distractibility (e.g., attention is easily drawn to unimportant details).
• Increased goal-directed activity (either socially, at school or work, or sexually) or psychomotor agitation.
• Excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that have a high potential for negative consequences (e.g., going on buying sprees, foolish business investments, promiscuous sex).

The DSM-IV-TR defines a depressive episode as a distinct period lasting at least 2 weeks of symptoms including: Insomnia or hypersomnia. As I said before, a mixed episode is a combination of both manic and depressive symptoms.

The DSM-IV-TR identifies two types of Bipolar Disorder (didn't know that huh?):

Bipolar I: Manic or mixed episodes are present.
Bipolar II:  Hypomanic (which means symptoms of mania are present but not enough to call a manic episode) and depressive episodes are present.

As you can see, someone who is bipolar clearly not just someone in a bad mood or has temperament changes.  If you or someone you know have symptoms of Bipolar Disorder seek help from your doctor or a mental health professional so they can tell you for sure  since symptoms of Bipolar Disorder are similar to symptoms of other mental health disorders. 

There are support groups out there for people with Bipolar Disorder out there...here are some links.

http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=support_findsupportlanding
http://www.mdjunction.com/bipolar-in-the-family- this is a support site for family members of people with Bipolar Disorder.

Since you have an idea of what Bipolar Disorder is, use caution when calling someone Bipolar.

Take care,
-Kimmy

•  Depressed mood.
•  Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all or
• almost all activities.
• Signiifcant (>5% body weight) weight loss or gain,
• or increase or decrease in appetite.

Psychomotor agitation or retardation.

Fatigue or loss of energy.

Feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt.

Diminished concentration or indecisiveness.

Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.

Perception is Reality

I'm sure that many have heard of Albert Einstein's Relativity Theory at some point of their lives.  To break it down, it means nothing is set in stone so therefore everything is up for interpretation.  With that said, anything seen, heard, done can be percieved differently by different people.

An important thing to remember is someone's perception is their reality.  Perception can be influenced by past experiences, environment, culture, the media, beliefs, attitudes, genetics...a number of things.  For example the delusions and hallucinations a person with schizophrenia experience is their reality because they see and hear them.  It doesn't matter if no one else does because that's how the world is to that person because the hallucinations and delusions are how their brain is percieving the world making it their reality.

Now let's apply this to everyday life.  Let's use both people that are very well off and the impoverished.  I say both groups live in bubbles because neither group is exposed to much outside of their immediate environment.  Because of this lack of exposure, the rich are unable to see the poor's plight and the poor are unable to see a way out of their situation because they're not percieving these things in their immediate environment...it's a part of their "reality".

I'm also going to apply this perception is reality to stereotypes and prejudice.  If a person's knowledge of a certain race, culture, sexuality, or socioeconomic status comes from the news, media, the prejudices of people of their life and good or bad the prejudices they are percieving are the person's reality.  Reinforcements in the form of news reports, media, life experiences, etc., are stregthening the reality of the prejudice causing the person to generalize that all people of that race, culture, socieoeconomic status are what they percieve.  Prejudice (coming from their reality) can create assumptions, which may or may not be true, and that can create some disasterous situations.

How can we prevent such situations?  Two things have to happen:  New information has to be presented and the people have to be open to the new information.  Ignorance is bliss and new information may not be what they want to know.  People get comfortable with their reality.  It may also help to stop glorifying and reinforcing negavive stereotypes regardless of your culture, skin color, or how much (or little) you make.  People are not going to see things differently if they are percieving the same things over and over.  For change to happen a lot of people have to get involved and create enough stir to create a situation that change is the only option (peacefully).

With that said, what are you going to do to change reality?

Take care,
-Kimmy

Update

Time to catch up with you guys!

I started my new position earlier this week and I'm working on what I'm incorporating in my sessions and recruiting clients.  I gotta see 25 clients in a resistant population by the end of September, mind you they're going to gone for 3 months on summer break.  I can do it...just gotta hustle.

As soon as I find out my schedule for April, I'm going to call the LMHC supervisor lady about starting my supervision.

Getting ready to start school in a few weeks...gotta buy my books (which are expensive) and go through orientation.  I gotta pay for my dissertation part of my program out of pocket (to the tune of $35-40k) but I'm gonna be alright.  Staying positive about that situation because I want my PhD badly enough to get the money.

I've been working on my website piece by piece.  I'm offering life coaching via email right now...price is negotiable but it won't be more than $40.  Contact me at kimmycounselingservices@gmail.com if you want some life coaching!  My website (still a work in progress) is http://kimmycounselingservices.webs.com/.

I also want to do an advice column on this blog so email me with your life and relationship issues!

That's all I have for now...as always I'll keep you posted!

Take care,
-Kimmy

Owing Uncle Sam

Last night at my part-time job I came in to start my shift and the client my co-worker was working with was crying.  My co-worker asked me to double check the tax return so I did...everything was correct so I confirmed the client's worst nightmare:  she owed the IRS $8900.  She took a lump sum distribution of her deceased father's 401k and bought a condo cash.  She thought she did a good thing (and she did) but she did not consider the tax man.  She was hysterical and crying...it took a while to discuss her options and finish the tax return because she was freaking out big time.  Because of her tax bill she had to postpone her wedding.  I want to use her example to talk a little about taxes because owing taxes becomes a mental health issue depending on what you owe and your options.  Here are some things you can do so you don't develop a mental disorder as a result of dealing with the tax man.

• If you are going through a major event in your life, Set up a consultation with an accountant, financial planner, or tax preparer to find out how it's going to affect your taxes.  Some life events may help your tax situation and others will put you in a situation that you may owe taxes. When I say life events I mean, getting married, having kids, job promotions, inheritances, retiring, losing a spouse or child, your child turning 17...you can even go to a H&R Block or Jackson Hewitt office.  Just see SOMEBODY!
• If you're making more money, make sure more money goes to Uncle Sam.  Period. Go to your human resources and change the exemptions on your W-4. The less exemptions you take, the more money comes out of your check.  Zero exemptions is the most.  Beware some jobs take less taxes out of your paycheck than they should (they have a formula so I've heard) that might put you in a bad situation with the tax man.
• Midway through the year, take a look at your income and your withholding and have someone give you an estimate of what you might owe in taxes so you'll have time to get the amount of money you need to pay the tax man.
• If you're self employed or an independent contractor, send in estimated tax payments.  Period.  I doubt you want to pay the tax man everything during tax time.  Estimated tax payments will help you reduce what you owe. Check this out for more info and find a tax professional if you feel like you're reading Greek: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040es.pdf 
• If you owe, DON'T FREAK OUT AND GET MAD! The IRS will work with you!  I owed a good chunk of change and they were quite nice to me.  You can set up a payment plan with the IRS. You can pay as little as $25 per month.  You can mail your payments in or have them take it out of your bank account.  The IRS will also keep your refunds until your debt is paid.  Better that than them garnishing your wages and seizing your assets.  DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES IGNORE THE IRS NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU OWE! You will be sorry if you do! Check this out and find a professional if you don't understand:  http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f9465.pdf 

As Benjamin Franklin said "There are only two things certain in life:  death and taxes." Owing the IRS is not a death sentence and it's preventable if you have competent professionals to help you.

Signing off for now...

Take care,
-Kimmy

Mental Health 101: Substance Abuse

Many people who use drugs never think that they will develop a drug problem because they just want to try it or they are using for fun.  However, the signs of a problem are always there. One may not notice because they are caught up in getting high and what they perceive as good things happening. They may be making new "friends" or beginning to get more attention from the opposite sex.  They like their personality when they're high because they're more outgoing or personable under the influence and they're not like that sober.

While these "good" things are going on, other things are brewing as well:  a substance abuse problem.  One might get caught up having a good time but I'm sure there are some not so good things going on as well. 

• The drug use may be interfering with work, school, or home (i.e., repeated absences or poor work performance related to substance use; substance-related absences, suspensions, or expulsions from school; or neglect of children or household).
• The drug use may put you in situations that are dangerous (i.e., driving while drunk or high or having unprotected sex while drunk or high)
• Legal issues may arise (such as arrests for DUI/DWI, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, etc. because you were drunk or high at the time).
• Even though your friends and family are calling you out on your drug use and how it's becoming a problem, you still use them.

If any of these things...or all of them...happened to you quite a few times over the past year, you may need to slow down because you might have a substance abuse problem.  Depending on how bad your situation is, you may be able to stop using the drugs on your own or you may need to seek some help by means of a professional or outpatient facility.  If it's really bad you may need to seek residential treatment. 

A drug problem is something you can't deal with on your own so get the support of your friends, family, and employer...yes, the job will have your back too.  You won't lose your job if you let them know you have a problem and you are seeking treatment through their Employee Assistance Program.  I've provided some websites to help if you or someone you know has a drug problem.

http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/ - A Federal substance abuse directory.

http://www.smartrecovery.org/ - An online substance abuse recovery group.

http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/ - Support group for family and friends of substance abusers/addicts.

http://www.aa.org/ - Alcoholics Anonymous

It's a good idea to work on drug problems before they become drug addictions however a person will not change until they are good and ready.

With that said...

Take care,

-Kimmy

Good News All Around

I found out last night that Capella is applying 32 hours towards my PhD program...comes out to a few quarters worth which is good.  I also got promoted to a counselor position at my job.  I signed my papers this morning.  It's funny how everything happens all at once when you decide to do your own thing.  I'm still going to write because it's rewarding to me.  My writing has been getting some news on InfoBarrel which is exciting. I do have an idea for an article that I'll work on tomorrow.

As always, stay tuned for the saga continues...

Take care,

-Kimmy

Another Infobarrel Article

Check it out and tell your friends about it!

http://www.infobarrel.com/Talking_Safe_Sex_With_Your_Partner

Take care,
-Kimmy