Hey all!! Wassup?? I asked this doctor he used to be my pediatician but we're still like friends.
I asked him about depression cause I thought my mom had it, he sent me this. Sounds like a textbook
case picture, but it did answer all my questions. So read it, if it doesn't answer yours, let me
know, cause he's really cool. He'd do it for me. Thanks and hope this stuff is helpful. It has been
for me to understand my mom anyway. So, Here goes!! And Let me know!
Question:
I was diagnosed with major depression and anxiety-panic
disorder. They commented on me being close to
manic-depressive or bipolar disorder. They want to place me
on medication to help me but I'm not sure about how they work and if they are safe. I
also don't know how to tell my family about this. Just how serious is this?
— PG
ANSWER:
It sounds as though there is some uncertainty about your diagnosis. Indeed,
psychiatric diagnoses are often uncertain and patients may have symptoms that
overlap multiple diagnoses.
Let's focus on manic-depressive disease. It is also called bipolar disorder in recognition
of the two polar opposite types of symptoms: mania and depression. A person with
bipolar disorder will have had at least one prior episode of major depression. A major
depression is more serious than simply feeling blue, down, gloomy or a little depressed.
It includes what are called neurovegetative symptoms such as decreased appetite,
sleep disturbances (too much or too little), and anhedonia which is a lack of enjoyment
from activities that usually bring pleasure. Major depression may also cause either
slowed physical movements or restless agitation. Concentration may be impaired, and
feelings of worthlessness, guilt, and suicidal thoughts are common.
As if major depression were not enough, a patient with bipolar disorder also suffers
from periods of mania. No longer depressed, withdrawn, and hopeless, the patient is
rocketed into an opposite mind set. One might think of mania as being on speed but
with a distorted perspective. For example, a manic patient may experience a grandiose
perception of themselves, and feel an expansive and elevated mood. They have great
energy and less need for sleep. Some mildly manic patients are hard to treat: they like
being manic. Indeed, there is a group of patients who are called hypomanic, indicating
that they have the signs of mania but are not experiencing any dysfunction in their
personal and daily affairs. With full-blown mania there is an inappropriate lack of
concern for consequences, and perhaps an over involvement in activities and affairs.
These attributes cause problems for the patient and others. I remember in medical
school meeting manic patients for the first time. It was wild. The patients were often
engaging and even fun. You almost didn't want to bring them down except that the
more you watched and listened to them the more you realized that they were creating
havoc for themselves and others.
It is important to know if a person's major depression is unipolar, meaning they will
only experience depression, or bipolar, meaning they have both depression and mania.
This is because the treatments are different. Although other drugs may be used lithium
is the drug often used for bipolar patients and it tends to work well. Bipolar patients
may not like taking medications (who does?) but it often causes therapeutic problems
when they stop their pills once they feel better. Some convincing and cajoling is often
necessary to get them back on their medications. A close and trusting relationship with
a psychiatrist is helpful in this regard.
The outlook for a patient with bipolar disorder can vary a lot from one patient to
another. Treatment usually helps dampen the up and down cycles but some low-grade
symptoms often persist. Your psychiatrist should be able to give you a better idea of
what you might expect the future to hold.
— R. Jandl,10/15/98, Category: Stress/Mental Health
Check other Stress/Mental Health questions Dr. Bob has answered.
CHECK OUT MY OTHER PAGES, SOME ON DEPRESSION, SOME SUICIDE, AND 3 PAGES ON HODGKINS LYMPHOMA I MADE FOR MY MOM'S FRIEND KURT WHO HAS THIS!
Hey Sign on this message board, Just got it and think that if we all share what we been thru we can help each other out. Hey it's worth a try!!
Oh yeah Click here Click here for homepage
To Write me Click here swilso02@earthlink.net!!
Please Visit My Mom's Web Site Please Click here!
