What causes Bi-Polar Disorder? A theory.

[KevinfromSydney]

I have a theory about why certain people, such as myself, get BPD and others do not. Is it possible that people with BPD are actually much more sensitive to emotional pain and suffering than the general population? Is it also possible, that a person will develop mood swings in response to an overload of emotional pain and hurt? Is it also possible that the medications that are used to tread BPD somehow numb this pain and prevent further emotional suffering, like an artificial barrier around the soul? Could this explain why many people with Bi-Polar are highly intelligent? I believe that highly intelligent people are usually extremely sensitive to emotional pain.

I've been on Lithium for 20 years and haven't had an episode for 17 years. I give all the credit to God for keeping me well and helping me to stay on my meds (more or less, I'm not perfect! I believe that only God can heal BPD. I'm not there yet, but I'm getting there. I'm suffered much emotional pain and heartache over the last 10 years or so, but God has healed me every time. And every time he heals me, I get a little bit stronger. I'm believing that one day I will be emotionally strong enough to go off my medication completely. Psa 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

 

[Apotheosis]

I would say something very similar about schizophrenia. & personally I see very little difference between the 2 conditions.

Yes - it can all be viewed in terms of hyper sensitivity, or psyche sensitivity -

Schizophrenia has been described as a non-specific disease by the psychiatric profession. This supposedly devastating condition was originally named by the German psychiatrist Emil Kraepelin (1856-1926). Kraepelin believed that the condition involved an irreversible mental deterioration and coined the term 'dementia praecox' - Latin for 'prematurely out of one's mind'. It later became clear that the term was a misnomer and a new term was coined in 1910 by Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler (1857-1939) who was noted for his kindness and humanity. Bleuler was the teacher of Carl Jung and professor of psychiatry at the University of Zürich where he headed the famous Burghölzli Clinic. Since the condition seemed to involve a mental split between thought and emotion, Bleuler coined the term 'schizophrenia' for 'splitting of the mind'. The term is derived from German 'schizophrenie' from Greek 'skhizein' meaning 'to split' and 'phren' of unknown origin meaning 'heart or mind'. According to Greek etymology, ‘schizophrenia’ actually means 'broken soul' or 'broken heart’. Although there is still no universally accepted definition of the term, it has been applied to many so-called 'mental illnesses' including a set of socially and culturally unacceptable thinking and behaviour patterns which other people greatly dislike thus making it a model of ‘unwanted conduct’. The condition is largely misunderstood as a result of people’s fear of the unknown.

It turns out that schizophrenia is not a disease or ‘mental illness’. It is not a hopeless condition but a brilliant one. In fact schizophrenia is a personal 'story' which involves a natural and temporary self-organising transformative process or crisis of transformation, a ‘psycho-spiritual' crisis now known as 'spiritual emergency'

Source [Read More] - http://www.yourdictionary.com/schizophrenia

 

[suzy]

Maybe you think too much


Many many years ago we would have been seen as crazy and probably sentenced to death or locked up


I don't know where I am going with this. It is not our fault it is the chemicals in our brain. Everyone can feel emotional pain and hurt we are not "special" because we may have more. oh I really don't know where I am going with this

 

[Ainsworth]

umm i dont know! i feel emotional pain like its physical

 

[suzy]

Actually I think what was meant by Kevin was are we bipolar as we are more susceptible to emotional problems which then causes the inbalances in the brain...


...or are we born with inbalances that cause us emotional distress?

 

[KevinfromSydney]

I believe that Bi-Polar Disorder sufferers may have been born with a super sensitivity to emotional pain. This is probably a genetic thing, as can be seen with the increased likelihood of children born to BPD parents to have the condition. Also seen in studies of twins who are much more likely to both get it. Isn't is interesting that children don't seem to get it? Mental illness raises so many questions which medical science cannot and maybe will never answer. Hey, they don't even know how Lithium works! I think that Psychiatrists need to study with a wholistic approach; mind, body and spirit. Pity most of them don't believe in the existence of the human spirit!

 

[KevinfromSydney]

Sorry, I also have to say something about this "chemical imbalance" thing. Where is the scientific proof that BPD is caused by a 'chemical imbalance'? As far as I know, I've never seen any proof. Sure the brain works using a lot of chemicals, but I do object to doctor's saying things that they can't prove. I wouild rather say that a chemical balance may occur as the result of emotional pain and distress. Hey, look at some people who lose their minds as a result of severe emotional distress, such as in war, torture or even being locked away in isolation for long periods of time.

 

[KevinfromSydney]

Suzy, I agree with your first point.

 

[Apotheosis]

Sorry, I also have to say something about this "chemical imbalance" thing. Where is the scientific proof that BPD is caused by a 'chemical imbalance'? As far as I know, I've never seen any proof. Sure the brain works using a lot of chemicals, but I do object to doctor's saying things that they can't prove. I would rather say that a chemical balance may occur as the result of emotional pain and distress. Hey, look at some people who lose their minds as a result of severe emotional distress, such as in war, torture or even being locked away in isolation for long periods of time.

This is very true. I have tried to explain this fact many times on this site. Here is one example -

http://www.mentalhealthforum.net/forum/showthread.php?t=5539

It is such a powerful lie to state as it being a fact that mental illness is wholly biologically caused with genetic predisposition & a chemical imbalance - & the truth is that there is no proof of that whatsoever.

If you are looking at the cutting edge of research into such matters as to biological cause; such as current neurological study & Epigenetics; you will find that researchers & scientists are looking at exactly what Kevin has stated - the way that genetics are not fixed, but open to mutation & change through environmental factors & many other influences & conditions. & also how the brain does not exist in biological isolation; but is under a massive amount of influence from a plethora of other factors.

It isn't even scientifically accurate to say that mental illness is 'genetic predisposition leading to a chemical imbalance' - as a theory - not only is it a a wholly inaccurate logical fallacy that has been proved wrong; it is a lie.

I am not saying that there are not biological elements to a MH condition - of course there are. But actual cause has been very far from proved - & all the evidence ironically actually points to the fact of such biological factors being nuances at best; & not cause at all.

 

[suzy]

Been thinking....


It IS just due to chemicals, if not then medication would not work. I had a high due to being put on the wrong anti depressant, a selective serotinin one so it took up too much and made me high. Hence the chemical inbalance. Bipolar people just go up and down because of the chemical reactions in the brain

 

[Apotheosis]

If that's what you want to believe. It's a very good question as whether medication 'works' at all, & in how they work. Medications effect everyone in a similar way - whether they have a MH condition or not. Lets not forget that medication is not a cure, they do not correct any kind of chemical imbalance, & in fact cause brain abnormalities & cause chemical imbalances themselves.

Give heroin to someone that is manic, & it will subdue them. That is what most meds are doing - suppressing the brain, masking 'symptoms', making people easier to manage.