Realizing Harmony

I just found this old draft of a post. I started writing it back in February, but seeing it now, realize it might be worth actually posting.

I’d love to know if you find this helpful. And how it helps.

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I recently was asked to read a book on Bipolar II disorder.  I’d heard of Bipolar Disorder, and knew it as just another name for Manic Depression.

But I’d never heard of “Bipolar II.”  However, I figured why not learn about this, since the person who wanted me to read it, is close to me, and has been diagnosed with this, and wants me to understand the disorder so we can (presumably) relate to each other better.

If you’re inclined to pick up the book for yourself, let me quickly say two things.

1) I recommend it highly as a source of good general source of information about the whole Bipolar Disorder spectrum (who knew there was a whole spectrum of related diagnoses?), and a very good source of specific information about Bipolar II and Bipolar IIB in particular.

2) I feel it’s important to “warn” you that it’s both rather technical and also leans extremely heavily in the direction of “drugs are the solution for everything.”  (As someone who has a fairly strong aversion to chemical medication, and particularly chemicals that dull my thinking and senses, this was a significant hurdle to get over for me.)

As I worked my way through it and read about the symptoms, it occurred to me that perhaps I “suffer” from Bipolar II.  Then I thought about you, my friends and family members, and wondered how many of you “suffer” from it.

First, let me describe some of the symptoms.  Then I’ll talk about the natural remedies and preventative steps we can all take – that were either mentioned in the book or that I found subsequently by searching online.

Symptoms:

According to the book,

Bipolar disorder is a complex genetic disorder characterized by dramatic or unusual mood swings between major depression and extreme elation, accompanied by disturbances in thinking, distortions of perception, and impairment in social functioning.  The mood swings of bipolar disorder can range from very mild to extreme and can come on gradually or suddenly within minutes to hours.  There are two subtypes of bipolar disorder:

1. Those patients with Bopolar I disorder who have a history of at least one manic episode, with or without past major depressive episodes.
2. Those patients with Bipolar II disorder who have a history of at least one episode of major depression and at least one hypomanic episode.

If you’re depressed, you’ll be feeling helpless, hopeless, and/or worthless.  If it’s mild, you may be able to continue to function with some difficulty.  But if it’s major, you’ll probably be stopped in your tracks.

I never completed the next part – where I was describing the difference between Mania and Hypomania. However, from this site I’ve found the following helpful description of the differences:

The experience of … manic stages has been described this way:

Hypomania: At first when I’m high, it’s tremendous … ideas are fast … like shooting stars you follow until brighter ones appear… . All shyness disappears, the right words and gestures are suddenly there … uninteresting people, things become intensely interesting. Sensuality is pervasive, the desire to seduce and be seduced is irresistible. Your marrow is infused with unbelievable feelings of ease, power, well-being, omnipotence, euphoria … you can do anything … but somewhere this changes.

Mania: The fast ideas start coming too fast and there are far too many … overwhelming confusion replaces clarity … you stop keeping up with it … memory goes. Infectious humor ceases to amuse. Your friends become frightened … everything is now against the grain … you are irritable, angry, frightened, uncontrollable, and trapped.

If you have three or more of the mania symptoms below most of the day — nearly every day — for one week or longer, you may be having a manic episode of bipolar disorder:

* Excessive happiness, hopefulness, and excitement
* Sudden changes from being joyful to being irritable, angry, and hostile
* Restlessness, increased energy, and less need for sleep
* Rapid talk, talkativeness
* Distractibility
* Racing thoughts
* High sex drive
* Tendency to make grand and unattainable plans
* Tendency to show poor judgment, such as deciding to quit a job
* Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity — unrealistic beliefs in one’s ability, intelligence, and powers; may be delusional
* Increased reckless behaviors (such as lavish spending sprees, impulsive sexual indiscretions, abuse of alcohol or drugs, or ill-advised business decisions)

Some people with bipolar disorder become psychotic, hearing things that aren’t there. They may hold onto false beliefs, and cannot be swayed from them. In some instances, they see themselves as having superhuman skills and powers — even consider themselves to be god-like.

So, Bipolar II is similar to but differs from Bipolar I (which is what used to be called Manic Depressive.) 

The similarity is on the depressive side.  With both conditions you would have prolonged periods of depression.

The difference is on the manic side. With Bipolar II you would only experience the milder Hypomania, whereas with Bipolar I it would be full-blown Mania.

With that background, I thought I’d talk a little about what I’ve learned about Bipolar II non-chemical “remedies”.

Here are the non-chemical “remedies”…

1.) Sleep - nightly, for 7-8 hours. Making sure it’s good, restful sleep.

2.) Exercise - daily, vigorous, NOT just before bed.  (That will disrupt sleep instead of enhancing it.)

3.) Diet - healthy eating, including

(I think it’d also be good to assure that it’s a low-fat diet, although none of the emotion-specific suggestions have said anything about that.  I just strongly suspect that a high-fat diet, with the likely resulting weight increase isn’t going to make one feel good… at least not about one’s figure!)

4.) Relationships - healthy, good, positive, supportive, social interaction.  Partially for the emotional support.  But also to help with identifying when emotions are getting out of “normal” and/or out of control.  (Someone who’s severely depressed or severely manic isn’t likely to be able to identify their own condition, much less communicate it to someone else.  But a close friend or relative probably can, and can seek qualified, professional help if need be.)

5.) Prayer/Meditation – to get/stay grounded and peaceful.

6.) Scented baths/Aromatherapy – again to relieve stress.

7.) Light therapy – if also suffering from or triggered by SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) that is: depression triggered by the seasonal loss of sunlight.

8.) St. John’s Wort – OK, this is starting to get into “medication” – sort of.  But it’s an herb, not a chemical drug, that’s supposed to help (after a couple of weeks’ use.)  It can be found in health-food stores.  (This can also help with SAD.)

Well, that’s about all! Please let me know if (and how) this helps! I’d particularly love to hear any positive results from following any of these remedies after a few weeks or months!