Myths about bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder (BAD) affects the mechanisms that regulate mood . Each person is different, but periods of very high emotions (with symptoms such as euphoria, elation, irritability, hyperactivity, verbosity, increased plans, decreased need for sleep and high self-esteem) usually alternate with periods of much lower emotions (with depressive symptoms such as sadness, hopelessness, isolation and apathy). There are also often periods of "normal" mood between these episodes.
Apart from the actual affect on mood, there are also important changes in aspects such as energy and activity levels or the ability to concentrate . What defines whether these changes constitute bipolar disorder has to do with the duration and severity of the symptoms.
Bipolar disorder: what it is and how to live with it
There are some myths spread among the population that do not help to have an accurate vision of what it is and what it involves to have bipolar disorder. In addition, these false beliefs contribute to stigmatizing people who live with this disorder. Some of these myths are:
1. People with bipolar disorder have constant mood swings: in the morning they may be happy and two hours later very sad or angry.
FALSE. While some people with bipolar disorder can have very rapid emotional changes, this is not the most common. When we talk about such sudden changes in mood, we are often referring to a phenomenon better known as "emotional instability", which is more related to personality and the difficulties that some people have in managing their emotions in the face of stressful events or daily frustrations. In no case is this an attempt to belittle emotional discomfort, but usually depressive or euphoric episodes, also called hypomanic or manic depending on their impact, usually last more than a week, even months, and cause significant difficulty in maintaining functionality in all its aspects (social, family, work, etc.).
2. People with bipolar disorder are unstable people by definition.
FALSE. There are several treatments that are quite effective for many people with bipolar disorder, which help them lead a life comparable to people without any mental disorder . At the same time, each person can manifest a different severity in the manifestations of the symptoms of the disorder, and there are those who can count the episodes they have had on the fingers of one hand. This depends on multiple factors, some biological and individual and others more related to social circumstances and the environment, but in any case, there is no prototype of a stable and unstable person in this disorder. There are people with bipolar disorder who are extremely emotionally and functionally stable and people who do not have bipolar disorder who are profoundly unstable.
3. People with bipolar disorder have multiple personalities.
FALSE. People with bipolar disorder have their own personalities, and like everyone else, they have the right to evolve and make changes over time. Some movies or books may have caused confusion with dissociative identity disorder , known as multiple personality disorder in previous diagnostic classifications. In any case, it is not the same diagnosis, and people with bipolar disorder do not have multiple characters or personalities within themselves .
Mental disorders in film and television
4. People with bipolar disorder can easily lose control and hurt themselves or others.
FALSE. While it is possible that a person can lose control, especially in an acute episode, it is not a defining fact by any means. If we were to think about moments of special fragility, people with bipolar disorder are one of the groups of people diagnosed with the highest risk of suicide . This is related to the periods of clinical depression, which can be severe and prolonged. Despite this, much work has been done in recent decades to offer better treatments to people with depression, from various aspects (pharmacological, psychological, occupational, etc.) and suicide prevention campaigns are maintained.
There are people with bipolar disorder who are very emotionally and functionally stable and people who do not have bipolar disorder who are profoundly unstable.
5. If I have a relative with bipolar disorder, it is very likely that I will also develop it.
FALSE. Bipolar disorder is a disorder with an objective familial aggregation and some genetic factors have been detected that could partially explain its appearance. That said, it is in no case a genetic disease and it is impossible to predict its appearance, even if there are several affected people in the same family. It should not be pleasant (and it has not been proven to be useful) to live constantly interpreting negatively and monitoring the emotions that as human beings we have the right to feel: sadness, joy, the desire to do things, to buy ourselves a whim, etc.
Furthermore, genetic factors are beyond our control. If we are concerned about the possibility of developing bipolar disorder because there are people in our family who are affected, we can try to promote and take care of some protective factors , such as:
- Have a healthy lifestyle.
- Develop strategies to manage stress.
- Maintain social and supportive relationships.
- Do not consume psychoactive substances (and understand the possible consequences).
6. Bipolar disorder is caused by the consumption of toxic substances.
FALSE. There are people who do indeed develop a first manic or hypomanic episode after consuming psychoactive substances. However, a priori we can all develop bipolar disorder , and the consumption of psychoactive substances is not a defining fact of people who have this disorder. It is true, however, that avoiding the consumption of psychoactive substances will probably be a protective factor in case of having a certain biological vulnerability.
Woman, bipolar disorder and the desire to be a mother
7. People who are being treated for bipolar disorder cannot work.
FALSE . Maintaining regular pharmacological treatment and with the support and advice of healthcare professionals increases the chances of maintaining good overall functionality, including work. There are many different types of treatments that have proven to be effective in maintaining stability , preventing episodes, making them less severe and shorter, and improving both depressive and manic or hypomanic symptoms. This effectiveness is not mathematical or the same for everyone, but there are many people with bipolar disorder living fully in society , partly thanks to these treatments. This does not mean that all people with bipolar disorder can work, but isn't the same true for people with other disorders or illnesses?
Avoiding the consumption of psychoactive substances will probably be a protective factor in the event of having a certain biological vulnerability, but toxic substances are not the cause of developing this disorder.
8. People with bipolar disorder "get noticed."
FALSE. The goal, and fortunately the reality in many cases, is for people with bipolar disorder to be stable. This does not mean that they do not feel sadness or joy, but that they spend most of their time outside of acute episodes of depression and mania/hypomania . Possibly, if we know a person with bipolar disorder who is going through an acute process, we will be able to detect changes in emotions and behavior compared to what is usual for that person. However, if the person can remain without these episodes, there is nothing that can be noticed or detected.
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