Julie A. Fast's Blog, page 94

Pt 1. Bipolar Disorder and OCD Symptoms

Bipolar Disorder and OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) Symptoms

1. Almost all people with bipolar disorder have anxiety symptoms.

2. OCD is a form of anxiety.

3. Thus, it's very common for people with bipolar disorder to have OCD symptoms!

Here's a definition of OCD:

Obsessions: Repetitive, unwelcome and intrusive thoughts, images, or impulses that are inappropriate and cause distress.

Compulsions: Any behaviors that alleviate (or seemingly alleviate) the obsessions. Hand washing: (It's dirty in here. There are bugs. There are germs everywhere!). Checking the phone: (Has he called. Is she thinking of me? Is there a text? What does this text mean?) Counting and putting things in a row: (If I arrange these, the thoughts will calm down. It's so messy in here. I can't think! Things need to be arranged!) Checking items such as a wallet. (Is my wallet here? Did someone steal it? Is it here?)

Disorder: An illness.

I get OCD when I'm in stressful situations. It rarely arrives on its own.

Bipolar OCD symptoms affect a person's ability to work when they get bad. And… they can wreck relationships if the person who's obsessing about a person acts on the obsessions instead of dealing with them as part of an illness- which they are!

Julie

PS: Pt 2 is below

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Published on June 07, 2011 10:32

Pt 2. Bipolar Disorder and OCD Symptoms

I've had OCD so badly regarding my phone I think, "I'd like to throw this in the river right now so I never have to check for messages again. Luckily, I never did throw the phone because once the OCD is gone, I don't even like to check my messages! And phones are expensive!

I always want to make it clear that I don't have an actual OCD diagnosis- I have bipolar disorder OCD symptoms. The OCD problems come when I'm not doing well in terms of depression or mania.

My OCD is 100% triggered by an outside event, which is not always the case with a separate OCD diagnosis.

My point is that those of us with bipolar disorder can definitely have OCD symptoms!

If you or your loved one has bipolar OCD symptoms, it's normal!

Julie

Some OCD behaviors:

Checking to see if the stove is on even when you checked it many times before you went on a walk!

Splashing water on your face over and over again to get your brain to shut up!

Touching a place on your body to feel better.

Arranging M&Ms in a row before you can eat them.

If someone hits you on the shoulder- you have to hit them on the other shoulder!

Interesting!

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Published on June 07, 2011 10:24

Mental Health True or False?

True or False?

Here are some mental health statements. Are they true or false? The answers are below.

1. OCD is an anxiety disorder.

2. People with bipolar disorder can get psychotic.

3. Bipolar disorder in children is the same as bipolar disorder in adults.

4. Lithium is the only true mood stabilizer.

Answers:

1. True! OCD is an anxiety disorder. Joni Johnston, in her excellent book The Complete Idiots Guide to Controlling Anxiety lists OCD as one of the seven sisters of anxiety: general anxiety disorder, social phobias, panic disorder, agoraphobia, specific phobias, PTST and finaly, OCD.

2. Absolutely true. People with bipolar disroder can get psychotic. When my partner Ivan was in the hospital for three months- he was manic and very psychotic. This is normal with a full blown bipolar I manic episode. The psychosis is treated with antipsychotics such as Abilify, Seroquel, Risperdal and Zyprexa. I write about Ivan in my book Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder: Understanding and Helping Your Partner.

3. False! Bipolar disorder in children (also called pediatric bipolar disorder) is not the same as adult onset bipolar disorder. The childhood bipolar disorder diagnosis is very controversial. In fact, in the last ten years, the childhood bipolar disorder diagnosis has increased by 40%! Adult onset bipolar tends to start in the teenage years and early 20′s and is a very specific diagnosis. There has not been a significant increase in adult diagnoses since the 1940′s. To clarify: More people are being correctly diagnosed- but there is little evidence to say that more adults have bipolar disorder.

4. True! Lithium is the only true mood stabilizer. All of the other 'mood stabilizers'- Lamictal, Tegretol, and Depakote are actually anticonvulsants.

You are now ready to test your family and friends!

Julie

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Published on June 05, 2011 13:25

Trouble with duplicated titles on older posts

Hello!

As you can see below- I'm having trouble with the titles on my older posts. The new version of WordPress obviously has some bugs.

The posts themselves are still interesting and informative! You just have to get past the double vision.

Thanks for your patience and hopefully this will be fixed soon.

Julie

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Published on June 05, 2011 11:23

Bipolar Disorder Moodswings

We have to learn an entirely new language when bipolar disorder comes into our lives.

Here is some very basic information:

There are two types of bipolar disorder: Bipolar one and Bipolar two. The difference between the two is mania.

Bipolar One: Those diagnosed with bipolar I (one) experience depression along with full blown mania.

70% of these full blown manic episodes involve psychosis ..and hospitalization is common, especially during a first episode. (The age of this episode is usually teens to early 20s.)

Biopolar Two: Those with bipolar II (two) have depression with a milder form of mania called hypomania. Hypomania is milder than full blown mania, but can still be very destructive financially, sexually, in the work place and for all relationships.

All forms of mania can be destructive in a very short amount of time, especially if a person makes a life changing decision when ill.

Rapid Cycling: If a person has four or more mood swings a year, they receive a rapid cycling diagnosis. (Four or more! Some of us have four or more a week!)

It's personal: Each person has their own mood swings cycle which is why an individual management plan is so essential- but it's rarely possible to successfully manage moodswings without some good meds.

The mood swings can come out of nowhere and slam through life with little warning. True!

Gosh, is there any good news!

Yes, if you know what type of bipolar disorder you have- Bipolar I or Bipolar II- you will know whether you're dealing with full blown mania or hypomania. People with Bipolar I usually get hypomanic before going into the full blown mania. This is especially imporant info for family, friends, health care professionals and partners. You have to know the signs of the mild mania so it never goes too far.

The stonger the management plan, the better control you can have on the mania! I use my Bipolar Health Cards to keep my life on track. But… the mood swings are still a common companion! We just have to keep going. Onward!

Julie

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Published on June 01, 2011 11:43

Bipolar Disorder Moodswings, Hypomania, Mania and Rapid Cycling!