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Treatment for manic-depressive illness restores brain volume deficits
Elsevier ^ | February 16, 2011 | Unknown

Posted on 02/16/2011 6:39:24 PM PST by decimon

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1 posted on 02/16/2011 6:39:26 PM PST by decimon
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To: neverdem; DvdMom; grey_whiskers; Ladysmith; Roos_Girl; Silentgypsy; conservative cat

Balancing act ping.


2 posted on 02/16/2011 6:40:01 PM PST by decimon
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To: decimon

I have known a girl for nearly 20 years who suffers from bi-polar. In many ways she is an extraordinary girl. Besides being beautiful she has a lot of great features.

I was talking to her boyfriend many years ago. He said he loved her but it was rough being her boyfriend. “she would be sweet as could be then in an instant become mean”.

She was married and I wasn’t surprised that they got a divorce in less than 2 years.

So much potential and all of it wasted.


3 posted on 02/16/2011 6:54:45 PM PST by yarddog
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To: decimon

bfl


4 posted on 02/16/2011 7:09:12 PM PST by SonOfDarkSkies ('And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?' Yeats)
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To: yarddog
“she would be sweet as could be then in an instant become mean”.

How does that make her any different from other women?

5 posted on 02/16/2011 7:10:40 PM PST by AZLiberty (Yes, Mr. Lennon, I do want a revolution.)
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To: AZLiberty

Bi-polar does seem to be more common in women. I have no idea why.


6 posted on 02/16/2011 7:13:56 PM PST by yarddog
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To: yarddog

Because they are stupid enough to go to a shrink and let themselves be dosed with a toxic metal —lithium-that causes brain damage.


7 posted on 02/16/2011 7:23:13 PM PST by Beowulf9
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To: Beowulf9

This particular girl was taking Xanax. I have heard it is habit forming but that is about all I know.


8 posted on 02/16/2011 7:26:42 PM PST by yarddog
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To: Beowulf9

Lithium was first tested on healthy guinea pigs and it made them dull and lethargic...so then it was tested on healthy people...and it made them slow and lethargic.....so then somebody had the bright idea that it could cause somebody prone to manic episodes to become less manic and more dull and lethargic!
So much for the “cure” to a “chemical imbalance” which is presumed, not proven by science. As one doctor has argued. nobody is suffering from a “lithium deficiency”. Lithium is a very poisonous metal.....
The term “bi=polar” is meant to sound scientific like two brain hemispheres....but the two poles are “manic” and “depressive”...just repackaged an old diagnosis......to sell to the neuroticized masses....


9 posted on 02/16/2011 7:29:25 PM PST by Beowulf9
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To: yarddog

Xanax was proven to be effective for only 6 weeks over the placebo during FDA trials—and it also is highly addictive....and the withdrawal symptom for Xanax is ANXIETY worse than the patient started with.....


10 posted on 02/16/2011 7:31:32 PM PST by Beowulf9
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To: decimon
There are a bunch of Freepers who are psychiatrists and if we are lucky they see this thread and offer their input.

I have a version of bipolar called hypomania/cyclothymia. Mine came with the mood swings but without the psychotic mania/despondent depression cycles. Was a beatch to live with until I took steps to modify my lifestyle to accommodate it.

I was eventually able to manage it without medication (huge amounts of exercise and an avoidance of things that trigger the mania like stimulants, certain people, parties, etc.).

Believe it or not, there are a lot more men and women who have this disorder than have been professionally diagnosed. In my experience, many bipolars who do not have psychotic episodes fly under the radar and actually avoid diagnosis.

11 posted on 02/16/2011 7:34:19 PM PST by SonOfDarkSkies ('And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?' Yeats)
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To: decimon
But did they use all that extra cerebral volume?
12 posted on 02/16/2011 7:41:51 PM PST by cookcounty (We can't be overdrawn, we still have moreT-Bill paper!)
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To: Beowulf9

I agree that there are many drugs over prescribed but I personally know a kid in which (I think it was Ritalin) worked a miracle.

He worked at a Summer resort. Everyone liked him but he was literally climbing the walls. One had to be around him only a few seconds to see something was wrong.

The fourth Summer he showed up and was totally normal. A guy told me he was prescribed Ritalin.


13 posted on 02/16/2011 7:44:31 PM PST by yarddog
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To: SonOfDarkSkies

I used to get into some foul moods that would sometimes last for just hours. Where other guys would take their moods out on the world, I would isolate myself as much as possible.

Some guys will go to a gym to beat the hell out of punching bags for a while. One guy told me he would go out to the car to scream what he wouldn’t scream at the wife and kids.

Whatever works for you.


14 posted on 02/16/2011 7:45:42 PM PST by decimon
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To: cookcounty
But did they use all that extra cerebral volume?

Dunno. Extra volume needn't mean increased ability.

15 posted on 02/16/2011 7:47:44 PM PST by decimon
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To: yarddog
In my experience, Xanax is not appropriate for bipolar disorder (but is still loved by folks who like to self-medicate with sedatives--highly addictive).

I took lithium for a short while years ago...turned me into a zombie. Went from there to Tegretol and Depakote (much more effective but frankly dealing with the medication was worse than the disease itself).

I haven't taken medication for over 12 years and have not had a single manic episode since getting off. Very serious stuff though...going without medication takes a very real commitment to life style changes. Very little room for error.

BTW, many folks with this disorder are quite successful in their careers...it is not at all a kiss of death. Obviously, certain careers are better than others. Rock musician is probably out of the question (though many with this ailment are creative types).

As said, it takes some serious maturity to deal with it effectively.

16 posted on 02/16/2011 7:48:46 PM PST by SonOfDarkSkies ('And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?' Yeats)
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To: decimon

I work out with a punching bag...great workout. I also cycle and lift weights.


17 posted on 02/16/2011 7:50:50 PM PST by SonOfDarkSkies ('And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?' Yeats)
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To: cookcounty

My lyme disease specialist says bipolar is actually lyme disease. Lyme disease has all the same symptoms. Doctors don’t know much about lyme so they usually diagnose people with bipolar, RA, Lupus, MS, Parkinson’s, Gout, Fibromyalgia Chronic Fatigue, autism, Crohn’s,etc.... the list goes on and on. Lyme disease has overtaken AIDS, and no one ever talks about Lyme disease. Strange...


18 posted on 02/16/2011 7:52:20 PM PST by vickixxxx
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To: yarddog
Ritalin sometimes works with ADHD/ADD, not so much with bipolar. I tried it once many, many years ago...didn't work in any appreciable way.

I have been told that ritalin, when crushed and snorted, has an effect similar to cocaine. Not an attractive attribute.

19 posted on 02/16/2011 7:55:15 PM PST by SonOfDarkSkies ('And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?' Yeats)
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To: Beowulf9

I did notice it was only people who were close to her that she ever let see the depressive side. She got more what we called “atta boys” than the rest of the staff put together. In other words if a staffer did something really nice to a guest they could say so on a form, naming the employee.

I only got a couple of them all my Summers there. She would get one just about every week or even more. I always suspected it had more to do with her beautiful smile than anything else.

The only time I caught the mean side was I was fixing her car which had a problem running rough. I took out a plug and immediately saw the problem. The plug gap was way too tight.

I fixed the firest one then was working on the second when she asked if I knew what I was doing. Well I just made a joke and said I had no idea what I was doing.
She then jumped up and said “then why are you working on it” I then told her I was just kidding and knew exactly what was wrong.

She seemed pleasant again.


20 posted on 02/16/2011 8:01:37 PM PST by yarddog
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