Having Children Knowing You Have A Mental Illness

Having a mental illness raises concerns for people who suffer from a mental illness from the RX drugs they are taking to passing on this illness to a child to the abilities or inabilities they may have or not have while raising children or mood fluctuations during pregnancy.

Drug concerns should be discussed with your doctor. Topamax that is used for a mood stabilizer, migraines, and weight lose, is now linked to a higher risk of your child developing cleft palate if you take it during pregnancy. There are some ant-depressants and other psychotic drugs that are known to be safe like Lithium while carrying a child and others that either aren't tested enough or harmful like sedative medication often used in treatment. If you plan on having children in the future near or far and being treated for a mental disorder, open a dialogue with your doctor about RX drugs that are safe for a future child you may carry.

Passing on the mental disorder you or your partner has is another concern when planning for your future within a family. Many studies link a genetics to mental disorders. In my family my Grandmother, cousin and many others have bipolar disorder like me. When I think of having children I used to question whether or not it's fair to have them if I knew the risk of passing along this trait is worth it.

Each person needs to come to there own conclusion, sifting through the emotional and factually information. For me, I'm glad I know what I may be passing on, who better to help a child through something like a mental disorder than some one who has overcome it themselves. We all pass some sort of strengths and weaknesses, at least I'm aware of an illness that potentially will be passed on.

I fear the possibility that I may suffer from mood swings while being pregnant and post pregnancy. Having a plan is key to be responsible and alleviate fear when planning children. Talking to your doctor about any RX drugs you are on and side effects going off drugs that aren't good while being pregnant is the first step. Bringing up emotional concerns with your doctor that you may have about hormones and childbirth should become a comfortable subject.

If you are asking the questions of whether or not you are able to be a parent while suffering from a mental disorder that in itself shows a level of responsibility. Some parents never fully see the downfalls or inabilities they have before raising children. If you are aware of difficulties you may have and are able to overcome your struggles, you need to look at that. Some people will never be able to be stable enough to raise children, it's a decision you need to make looking at your awareness, emotional and financial stability, social support as well as medical awareness.

Does Charlie Sheen Have Bipolar Disorder?

Charlie Sheen, the star of Two And A Half Men, has never been diagnosed with bipolar disorder but he shows classic signs. It's painful for me to watch his latest interviews because it brings me back in time before I was treated from his twitchy demeanor to clearly unhealthy elevated unpredictable state. He has done drug test before going to some of his interviews so drugs don't account for his behavior.

"I am on a drug. It's called Charlie Sheen. It's not available. If you try it once, you will die. Your face will melt off and your children will weep over your exploded body."

"It's perfect. It's awesome. Every day is just filled with just wins. All we do is put wins in the record books. We win so radically in our underwear before our first cup of coffee, it's scary. People say it's lonely at the top, but I sure like the view."

"People don't say you're the coolest guy in the world for 20 years if it's not true."

"I'm tired of pretending like I'm not special. I'm tired of pretending like I'm not bitching, a total fricking rock star from Mars, and people can't figure me out, they can't process me. I don't expect them to. You can't process me with a normal brain,"

"I have a grandiose life. I embrace it." Sheen expounded. "Sorry my life is so much more bitchin' than yours. I planned it this way."

"I'm proud of what I created. Why wouldn't I be? I exposed people to magic. I exposed them to something that they otherwise would not see in their boring normal lives. And I gave that to them!"

"I have one speed, I have one gear: Go." "What's the cure, medicine to make me like them? Not gonna happen. I'm bi-winning. I win here, I win there. Now what? If I'm bipolar, aren't there moments when a guy like crashes?"

It's obvious to me that he will continue his cycle of feeling on top of the world with feelings of grandeur then crash, most likely to abuse drugs and alcohol once again. In my experience the higher I felt, the greater the crash.

I don't want to bash him, I hope the best for him and his future but until he seeks treatment he will proceed to ride this uncontrollable roller coaster up and down and around again.

What are your opinions on this subject?

Managing Bipolar In The Work Place

 It can be a struggle getting a job, then keeping it when faced with mental illness. Do you tell your manager and/or associates you work with about you disorder or not? Even during an interview process it's hard to know how much of your health issues you should share. When you know your performance at your job may be affected, when should you share this information about yourself and how much should you share if any.

9 out of 10 people with bipolar disorder are affected by it in job performance. As a previous manager I would have wanted some one to tell me if they struggled with mental health so that I could understand restrictions they may have and know how to relate to them but I was an understanding person and many aren't.

Talking with a supervisor can be beneficial, helping them understand your needs and abilities. It could also affect the way they treat and look at you in a negative way.

If you decide to share your mental illness with work or not there are some things you can request from your boss, giving an excuse under a different name not even needing any details but health if you wish. You need regular breaks to eat or a regular schedule, these are all normal requests for anyone with blood sugar problems etc. Regular breaks allow for you to meditate, call a friend if your stressed, take medication, refocus your mind or walk around to relax and relieve stress.

Find a job that's suitable for your health. I find that constant machine noises drive me up the wall. Most often the job needs to be scheduled hours, not too much stress, and suit the person of social and personal needs. What environment is best for you? Is it a job that drives you too much that you may struggle with impulsiveness or doesn't challenge you enough.

Have you told people you work with about a mental health issue? What benefits did you get from telling them or did you wish you never did?

Explaining Your Mental Health

Who should I tell? When is the best time to share my mental health issues? How do I explain it? What should I share and what information should I leave out? These are all questions that arise in people with mental illnesses when relating to friends, work relationships and family. Sharing your mental health issues can have a positive or negative outcome but one thing's for sure is that there is an uneasiness about sharing this personal information about yourself and how the other person is going to react. Is your friend, boss or family member going to treat you differently? How to make a person understand what you go through and how to treat you when they could never fully understand when they have never experienced it and media portrays mental illness in the most dramatic ways?

First, why do you want to share this information? How will it benefit you or the other person? Is the person your sharing with able to understand and is open to what you are going to say? I tell people for various reasons. It can help explain my actions and quirks, once they are close to me I like them to know how they can help me or I just need some one to talk to.

The following are suggestions on how to explain your mental illness like bipolar.

-Simplify your explanation, strip it down to the basics. Share the information that is needed for each person.

-Educate yourself in your mental illness medically and socially.

-Don't use a lot of personal emotions while explaining.

-Have information like web sites for the person in explaining symptoms and other useful information.

-Think first how to vocalize highs and lows you may have in a way that's relateable like, 'Being manic doesn't make me crazy, I just feel adrenaline that I can't come down from. I don't sleep well, my brain races with thoughts from one to another and I tend to be impulsive. Then I have periods of time where I feel depressed and it's difficult to be motivated. Some times it's hard to get out of bed.'

-Let them know how TV shows and movies portray a small percentage of people and the reality is that your not violent or....

-Tell them the steps you are going through to help yourself like medication and therapy.

-Discus some of the symptoms they may see in you and how it may affect them, also how they can help. Some times when I'm manic I'm not aware of others because my thoughts are racing and I become impulsive or quick to be angry. I tend to spend too much money and talk a lot. I ask some of my friends to let me know if they see this behaviour because I'm not always aware of it. I can make adjustment accordingly.

-Discus when a depressive state is serious enough to call and hospitalize you. Let them know if you are able to distinguish the difference. I have a good friend where if I call and need to talk, he knows when I'm emotional and I want to talk when it's serious. I say I need to talk when you have time, med serious really serious or I need help. Serious is wake up, phone me even if on a date or sleeping and serious is come over now or call an ambulance.

-How can that person help you. It can be something as small as them understanding you and your actions, being a person you can talk to, letting you know when you aren't acting normal, helping you seek options for help, being an advocate, passing your thoughts by them to know if your level, getting help in finding and understanding information or supporting you with positive support. I have person in my life I trust no matter my feelings. I have a friend and family member I trust, they keep an eye out on me and I listen to them for guidance as to whether my thoughts are logical and rational as well as actions. They have the OK to talk to my Doctor as well. I have another person in my family that I've given permission to keep an eye on my moods and progress, giving me input. I have 2 people I can call in emergency and need help medically or to talk whatever the time. I'm fortunate to have people who care about me and support me but it did take work building this support network. Being honest with myself and others of my needs, asking for help and letting them help me as well as distinguishing who is genuine and trust worthy, vocalizing their role in my recovery and releasing trust to them in areas I saw fit, was pivotal in building a team to strengthen my mental health.

-Ask the person if they have any questions.

People may look and treat you differently after you tell them so be aware of the impact this may cause. This is why I need a reason to tell people. Not every friend and person I meat needs to know, especially the minute I meet them.

Please share with me some of your successes, fears and positive outcomes in sharing your mental illness with people around you.

The Difference Between Normal Moods And Bipolar?

I was asked the question what makes mood symptoms ones of bipolar disorder and normal mood fluctuations. This became a difficult question to answer even after research. There are two areas to look at, one being an teenage stage and the other an adult one. Teenagers all go through more turmoil with emotions that may appear as bipolar to adults and is not always the case and adults are more likely to have been able to hide such emotions outwardly that it's not easily seen by others.

I first revert to the basic symptoms of bipolar disorder and what a couple of this my own Dr has said to me. First is when your own symptoms prevent you from living life then it's some thing you should look into. Another is that when your manic mood, or feeling of excitements is so great you can not pull them back when you desire to. That would be the case if you are so excited and seeing you be this way, you can't get control over your emotions. This would be true in a depressive state as well, if you can't see anything beyond the negative feelings you have.

Saying that the difference is how it does or doesn't interfere with ones life is not all that clear. I have been bipolar all my life and learned how not to let it interfere. I was skilled in making all my physical ticks as a child not be seen as an adult like my need to lick, touch my nose then chin or problem with walking on cracks.

When I was depressed I had a bright logical reason for why I wasn't able to go out with friends for the weeks or months that it occurred so they were never worried. This is why it wasn't diagnosed in me earlier.

To make it easier there are some questions you can ask to differentiate between bipolar and depression.

How intense is your mood? How long is it lasting and can you see beyond this mood.

How long dose your mood last? Weeks, months.

How much does it interfere with your life? Does it keep you spending time with your friends or makes it difficult to get out of bed.

If you relate to these answers than it's important that you talk honestly to a Dr as well as a friend or family member.

It was the most difficult to diagnose me when I was manic because I felt so good and didn't see the harm it was causing. Most people don't seek help during this time. Now I see how harmful it was for me. I put myself in such harmful positions because I felt so powerful. I had such an intensity of emotions that made me think I was thinking so smart, would make me not think of consequences financially and sexually, I was on top of the world I thought but not seeing how I was harming others and myself from my bliss.

What I can say is that if your may be thinking you have symptoms then seek professional help. If you are depressed than there are solutions for you other than you being bipolar and you may still need help. If you are asking the question than that means something. Seek out the answers for your questions. Like the person who asked me, that person knows there is a happier more fulfilled life out there for him/her and it's worth looking for those answers. Whether your not happy because of moral dilemmas, chemical problems in your body or situations in your life that need changes, there are people to help you find answers.

Natural alternative to meds

Anthony Stephan is the founder of True Hope. True Hope is a non profit company that gives an alternative to RX drug therapy for people who have mental disorders. It includes a combination of water soluble vitamins and minerals in high doses.

The people who have to watch and live with family members and friends who suffer from a mental disorders go through anguish watching them while feeling helpless not knowing how to help. This is what empowered Anthony to find a permanent workable solution to help people like his wife, Deborah Starr Stephan who took her life due to bipolar, as well as her father years before and now has four children, including Autumn and Joseph suffering from the same disorder, he was in a fight to save there lives.

A fathers love and determination to not settle for anything else but happiness for his kids is what it took for a break through. Anthony studied and prayed for answers, then met David Hardy, a biological scientist who coalated his own research with pigs emotional problems like ear-and-tail-biting syndrome and nutritional supplements with mental disorders in people. The two men partnered up to create supplements for humans that would affect humans the same way as in pigs. This was the birth of EMPower.

Studies started in the University of Calgary under the advisement of Dr Kaplan and now is studied in three different countries in six Universities with hundreds of medical Doctors using the program.

The basic philosophy behind these studies is that people who suffer from a chemical imbalance have a nutrient deficiency because they have a problem absorbing nutrients naturally. EMPower is a formula of high doses of those vitamins and minerals that make the body and brain function as it should. I look at it as giving the body the means to heal itself by feeding it what it needs to connect those wires that have been misfiring.

My family, especially my mom suffered as they watched me struggle with bipolar disorder and knew there was a better answer than medication. I improved on RX medications but had to take more medication to counteract the symptoms while my liver and kidneys suffered from those drugs. My mom was like Anthony, determined to find a solution and pushed me to start EMPower therapy after she researched it.

I was reluctant to try the supplements and only did it to shut my mom up and prove to her it wouldn't work but am glad my mom advocated on my behalf, almost forcing me to give it a chance. I talked with my family Dr as well as partnering with my Phyc Dr and the TrueHope specialist while I slowly went off my RX meds and on the supplements. I never knew I could be this happy and stable. It's like a dream I'm not waking up from. I don't have the drowsy side effects of RX drugs and feel like I want to live again, not just surviving like before.

I am in no way against RX medications to treat mental illnesses. It's all about finding out what works for each individual person. My goal in writing this post is to give another alternative to drug therapy as well as portray how important it is for people to get involved with helping loved ones find solutions. If some one suffers from a mental illness it's so hard to think clearly and research the answers on there own.

You can find more information at truehope.com.

Bipolar Disorder Is Being Diagnosed As Depression

As I'm reading through news about bipolar disorder, it surprises me how many articles there are about Doctors misdiagnosing this disorder for depression. I thought that is was something that has been greatly impoved apon but I was wrong.

50% of patients who seek help for depression from primary Doctor are misdiagnosed and there are even more that have bipolar disorder that aren't diagnosed because they don't seek help for it. http://depression.about.com/cs/findadoc/a/bestdoctor.htm

So what's the big deal if your treated for depression when you have bipolar disorder? Bipolar disorder includes depression so what's so important in the therapy? Anti depressants may be prescribed during times in the process to treat bipolar, but it can have detrimental effects in patients making them more manic and is not a usual treatment in managing moods.

I think a bipolar patient most often seeks help from a Doctor when they are in a depressive mood than in a manic state because it often feels good to be manic. While in a depressive state, it's hard for a patient to see anything other than what they are feeling at the time. If a Doctor doesn't take the time to be thorough in asking questions, it can lead to a misdiagnosis.

There are different degrees of each symptom but the main distinguishing symptom is mania. The way you think during moods can help determine your diagnosis. Irritability, unrealistic thinking of grandeur, paranoia as well as impulsiveness are key symptoms of bipolar disorder that are not usual to depression.

When I seeked help it was during a long depressive state. My Doctor put me on anti depressants and that helped a little but elevated my mood while I was still depressed. I would feel as if my head was going so fast and I wasn't in control of my reactions, I felt like an animal that couldn't sleep. At the same time I was still depressed. 

I had an idea I was suffering from bipolar disorder because of a friend who was similar, talked to me about it and then I researched symptoms on my own. I was able to ask my Doctor for a referral to a Pych Dr because of my own knowledge I had through my studies.

A fear is the diagnosis. But now I know that without the proper diagnosis I would have never been as strong as I am now.

Stop Taking Meds

The feeling of wanting to go off RX meds at one time in your life is normal if your have a mental illness. You may feel you don't need them anymore, are frustrated with side effects, think they take your personality away or feel the dependency on them is worse than the rewards.

Even though I know that there are ways to manage some mental illnesses without RX drugs, I caution anyone that is wanting to discontinue taking them and if you do, don't stop taking them all at once and make sure you have a support system in place that includes Dr's and friends or family.

For myself I have discontinued taking most RX drugs but when I decided to do this I still saw my Phyc dr as well as had support from friends and family. I'm still taking something but it's all natural pills with vitamins and am doing this with my Dr's support as well as talking with a team that is knowledgeable in this area.

I know taking RX meds have their own problems like side effects and finding  the correct combination that works for you can be a lengthy proses. Having a good team of Dr's helps as well as you being honest with them and yourself, not settling when you still don't feel well and commitment to be better.

Therapy, healthy choices in life style and healthy food helps tremendously. Dealing with your problems and learning new patterns of thinking to help with situations that may be difficult in life may take a while but is well worth it in the end. Following through with life style choices like having a regular schedule may be against instinct and habit but that enables you to do more in your life, exercise and enough sleep. It was amazing to me when I found out how much food plays a part in my moods. Not eating sugar and limiting my carb intake helped me stabilize my moods and consideration.

Learn about the meds you are on as well as how your react to them. Educate yourself about your illness and ways of managing it. Know that you may feel fine one day but still relapse that will be potentially harmful in the future so make sure you put in place safe guards for yourself like supporting people and knowledge of what to look for. You can manage your moods and other symptoms and live a full life, be persistent in finding the best path in persuading this goal.

Traveling with Bipolar

Coming into the Christmas season many people with mental illnesses still need to travel. This is a very difficult thing to do if not prepared from the pressure of being in a new place to stress of not being prepared to the airplane ride.

If your going to visit some one during your holiday, prepare yourself by letting the person your staying with know your needs. It may be that you need more time alone to wind down or regular diet and sleep.

Some of the new laws in airport security may be difficult and stressful especially if you are taken for a random search. It's OK if you need to talk to a Dr and get a note explaining your illness and to let them know so they will be more sensitive in this area. The worst thing is to get in a situation that may make you uncomfortable and are not able to communicate why you are reacting in a certain way.

I find that if I'm early for my plane then I can make sure I get the seat I want and am able to have time to do things that calm me like reading before I get on the plane.

Writing lists before I pack has been a great help to me. I think of all the things I need to pack as well as anticipate problems I may have, discovering solutions for them before they may arise. Talking about what stresses me to people in my support network helps me in two ways. One is that they can help talk me through my worries and the other is that if I need to phone and talk to them during a trip, they'll be there for me.

Please write to let me know of your holiday travel stresses whether you have a mental illness or not. How have you come to alleviate them and what still is worry some to you?

Bipolar as a child

I was diagnosed as Bipolar when I was an adult but know I have had it all my life. Reflecting back to my childhood, I now understand some of the things I did and confusion I had. I remember sitting at dinner with my parents and there friends acting polite and quiet while my head was racing with thoughts and it was all I could do to control my emotions. Once and a while I would have such a build up of emotions, I would bite a family member.

No one had any clue of what was going on in my head because I learned to hide it well. All of my ticks as a child were excused and I learned to hide them more from people as I grew up. I didn't tell any one that I felt the weight of the world on me.

I wish people were more aware of this disorder when I was young because getting help at a younger age would have made my struggle a lot easier. If cognitive therapy is introduced at an early age, there would be less chance of RX drugs needed in later years.

What are some of the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder in children and what should you do if your suspect your child has those symptoms? Symptoms include biting, aggression, wanting to be cuddled one minute and raging the next, irritability, sleep disturbances like night terrors and nightmares as well as too much or little sleep, bed wetting, sleep walking, teeth grinding, hysterical laughing, when talking they jump from one idea to the next, hyper sexuality, and unrealistic self esteem.

Bipolar Disorder is often misdiagnosed in children as ADHD because of similar symptoms. Some differences are ADHD kids beak things by being careless and Bipolar kids break them out of anger. The period of time the child can calm down is greater with bipolar. ADHD children are triggered by over stimulation as Bipolar react to limitations of saying no. ADHD children are often unaware of danger and Bipolar children tend to be risk takers.

The first thing you should do if you suspect your child has Bipolar Disorder is to see a Doctor to get an evaluation. Cognitive therapy is often the best approach depending on the severity. Teaming up with your Doctor is important to make the best plan possible.