A Short History of Bipolar

A Short History of Bipolar

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The terms used for the bipolar extremes, ‘melancholy’ (depression) and ‘mania’ both have their origins in Ancient Greek. ‘Melancholy’ derives from melas ‘black’ and chole ‘bile’, because Hippocrates thought that depression resulted from an excess of black bile. ‘Mania’ is related to menos ‘spirit, force, passion’; mainesthai ‘to rage, go mad’; and mantis ‘seer’, and ultimately derives from the Indo-European root men- ‘mind’ to which, interestingly, ‘man’ is also sometimes connected. (‘Depression’, the clinical term for melancholy, is much more recent in origin and derives from the Latin deprim... »

Impact of Bipolar and Stress

Impact of Bipolar and Stress

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Increased stress is an unpleasant consequence of modern living with or without bipolar. Stress is our response to unfavorable challenges that upset our rhythm. Everyone faces demands and obstacles during life that pose a threat to mental harmony. Often this results from unrealistic self imposed expectations or the expectations of others on our behalf. Whether we cant actually rise to the challenge, or our perception is that we can’t makes little difference, either way we will encounter a degree of stress relative to the extent of the shortfall. Stress sets off a chain of chemical changes... »

Bipolar and obesity connection

Bipolar and obesity connection

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Many patients present with both bipolar and obesity. Obesity is a common comorbid (occurs together) condition which complicates the assessment and management of bipolar. Bipolar is a disorder of behavioral extremes and during manic episodes excesses in many areas including calorie intake is not uncommon. A significant contributory factor to the tendency to obesity in bipolar individuals is the weight gain directly attributable to the medication involved in the long term management of the disorder. This undesirable side effect may well self perpetuate the problem. The patient is less inclined t... »

Bipolar Disorder and Excessive Spending

Bipolar Disorder and Excessive Spending

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Symptomatic of a manic or hypomanic episode with bipolar is excessive spending, compulsive shopping and impulsive purchases. Well how different is that from “normal” individuals. Probably the majority of people have at some stage indulged in these activities. How many of us possess collections of “must have” cookery books, diet books etc bought during periods of intense interest and rarely used thereafter. What is considered overindulgent by some might seem perfectly normal to others. Not all reckless spenders are bipolar but for anyone with bipolar disease it can becom... »

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