Shortened Lifespan Due to Bipolar Disorder

[kilroywashere21]

For the longest time I’ve dreamt of living a long life. But that changed after I found out that most people with bipolar disorder will die 10-20 earlier than somebody who isn’t mentally ill. Heart attacks, diabetes cardiovascular disease, and COPD are very likely to happen.

Even if I make the effort to live a healthy lifestyle I won’t live past 70. I’m currently 18 and I know that I shouldn’t be obsessing over how much time I potentially have left. But I am.

 

[Hello513]

For the longest time I’ve dreamt of living a long life. But that changed after I found out that most people with bipolar disorder will die 10-20 earlier than somebody who isn’t mentally ill. Heart attacks, diabetes cardiovascular disease, and COPD are very likely to happen.

Even if I make the effort to live a healthy lifestyle I won’t live past 70. I’m currently 18 and I know that I shouldn’t be obsessing over how much time I potentially have left. But I am.

Most people with mental illness die younger than those without, but that does not mean you will not live past 70.

Much of the shortened lifespan has to do with things like suicide, and an inability to support oneslef. As well as addiction to substances that shorten lifespans.

You are young, and you may live well beyond your expectations especially with medicine advancing.

 

[tabby99]

I recently read that too - aka a shortened life.
So the average reduction in lifespan, for bipolar, is 10 to 20 years. Smokers lose 8 to 10 years.
Seems to me to be little risk in smoking.

 

[rawlinsc]

I worry about this. In diagnosed with copd, bipolar, and high blood pressure.

 

[rawlinsc]

Why is bipolar associated with copd? I didnt know this until now.

 

[DanL15000]

Most people with mental illness die younger than those without, but that does not mean you will not live past 70.

Much of the shortened lifespan has to do with things like suicide, and an inability to support oneslef. As well as addiction to substances that shorten lifespans.

You are young, and you may live well beyond your expectations especially with medicine advancing.

Correct. Addiction, obesity, suicide. Poor personal care. Poor healthcare. Have an untreated, serious mental illness and you are sixteen times more likely to be shot by a cop.

We are the most mistreated group on the planet.

But with all that, there are many of us that live long lives, and are far more than just the illness. But I'm not going to preach. It's a personal thing.

 

[MYTIMEHASCOME]

For the longest time I’ve dreamt of living a long life. But that changed after I found out that most people with bipolar disorder will die 10-20 earlier than somebody who isn’t mentally ill. Heart attacks, diabetes cardiovascular disease, and COPD are very likely to happen.

Even if I make the effort to live a healthy lifestyle I won’t live past 70. I’m currently 18 and I know that I shouldn’t be obsessing over how much time I potentially have left. But I am.

Hello, Nice to meet you

I empathise massively with how your feeling when I was little I was petrified of dying I spent a lot of time in hospital with serious illnesses that could have killed me and so I became super anxious ans wouldn’t go out and do anything for fear of getting hurt. I am now 33 and based on a variety of incidents (most notably my mum dying) I am now the opposite way I don’t fear death at all, I have no fear at all because inevitably it will happen to me one day anyway.

You may be thinking - this message isn’t helping at all why is he posting this. Here it is life is incredibly short and when I was little I lost a lot of my time hiding away and missing out on opportunities and as such you could argue that I was wasting a time that I’ll never get back, if you sit at home fearing death it will haunt you and your life will be wasted not taking opportunities because of fear, you’re young go out, have experiences, make friends be happy! And just to say, it’s natural to fear death it’s what keeps us safe, but heres the thing the fear of death is actually the fear of the unknown people are scared of it because nobody knows for certain what happens when you die, I believe you live a
nd you die you’re not aware of it you become nutrients in the earth and get absorbed by plants and essentially carry on like that, others believe your reincarnated, others believe you go to heaven - anyone of these could be true nobody knows - it would be easy be for me to say “don’t fear death” but it wouldn’t be fair because I’ve been their and I know how it feels - what I would say though is please live your life don’t live in fear, because if you live your life in fear you’re not really living and are experiencing what it’s like to be dead anyway - try and go out and meet or do at least one thing a day! I’m sorry you’re so worried about it - sending you a hug sorry if the above is not helpful I was just typing and thinking at the same time X

edit: also I agree with hello513, just because the average life expectancy is lower doesn’t mean you won’t live to 110 you could be one of the extraordinary people who surpass expectations so you may very well outlive us all!

 

[DanL15000]

Hello, Nice to meet you

I empathise massively with how your feeling when I was little I was petrified of dying I spent a lot of time in hospital with serious illnesses that could have killed me and so I became super anxious ans wouldn’t go out and do anything for fear of getting hurt. I am now 33 and based on a variety of incidents (most notably my mum dying) I am now the opposite way I don’t fear death at all, I have no fear at all because inevitably it will happen to me one day anyway.

You may be thinking - this message isn’t helping at all why is he posting this. Here it is life is incredibly short and when I was little I lost a lot of my time hiding away and missing out on opportunities and as such you could argue that I was wasting a time that I’ll never get back, if you sit at home fearing death it will haunt you and your life will be wasted not taking opportunities because of fear, you’re young go out, have experiences, make friends be happy! And just to say, it’s natural to fear death it’s what keeps us safe, but heres the thing the fear of death is actually the fear of the unknown people are scared of it because nobody knows for certain what happens when you die, I believe you live a
nd you die you’re not aware of it you become nutrients in the earth and get absorbed by plants and essentially carry on like that, others believe your reincarnated, others believe you go to heaven - anyone of these could be true nobody knows - it would be easy be for me to say “don’t fear death” but it wouldn’t be fair because I’ve been their and I know how it feels - what I would say though is please live your life don’t live in fear, because if you live your life in fear you’re not really living and are experiencing what it’s like to be dead anyway - try and go out and meet or do at least one thing a day! I’m sorry you’re so worried about it - sending you a hug sorry if the above is not helpful I was just typing and thinking at the same time X

edit: also I agree with hello513, just because the average life expectancy is lower doesn’t mean you won’t live to 110 you could be one of the extraordinary people who surpass expectations so you may very well outlive us all!

You just did me some good! I can actually remember where I was, what I was wearing, on my tenth birthday when suddenly I did the math and figured if I lived to be seventy, than I had already wasted 1/7th of my life.

Cripes. I was ten. And I've had that wasted life feeling countless times. But the only waste is accepting the illusion that we have to be be...something. Who cares!?!? We get one life and imo the trick is to find laughter...to enjoy the moments we can enjoy.

 

[MYTIMEHASCOME]

You just did me some good! I can actually remember where I was, what I was wearing, on my tenth birthday when suddenly I did the math and figured if I lived to be seventy, than I had already wasted 1/7th of my life.

Cripes. I was ten. And I've had that wasted life feeling countless times. But the only waste is accepting the illusion that we have to be be...something. Who cares!?!? We get one life and imo the trick is to find laughter...to enjoy the moments we can enjoy.

yes!! Live your life - be happy! You could literally live to be 105 nobody knows my grandad smoked a pack of cigarettes a day every day from the age of 17 and lived to be 98 ... he died in his sleep - no sign of cancer despite the amount he smoked! Just be happy friend - I hope you live a long and happy life

 

[floater]

Quality over quantity. Five minutes as Pope worth ten minutes as a roadsweeper. Even if their activities appear similar.

 

[boffin1252]

Think shorten life span can also be linked to the meds we take. Long term lithium damages kidneys, seriquel can raise blood cholesterol, ect.

 

[rawlinsc]

Think shorten life span can also be linked to the meds we take. Long term lithium damages kidneys, seriquel can raise blood cholesterol, ect.

If I get liver damage from lithium I am going to sue. I am in involved in a lawsuit over risperdal currently. I am getting a settlement.