Causes – a change of emphasis – Dec 2012
December 14, 2012 4 Comments
A change of emphasis
Finding a person’s causes and triggers for mood disorder is something we have talked about for years and yet it seems it could be time to change the way we say this.
Recovery is most successful when we first tackle the triggers – essentially, what is causing the ‘episodes’/’relapses’ (as the medical people describe the blips we have). We have to tackle the triggers to gain the stability we need to move on.
Traditionally, moving on is about getting back to work, repairing damaged relationships (if it is not too late to do so) and learning to live with the bipolar disorder label for the rest of your life. However, the label stays no matter how well you become, even when you may feel fully recovered. The change we are suggesting here is that; after you have identified and dealt with some of your triggers, to regain that essential stability, it is not time to move on! It now seems this may need to be the time to look for the root causes and in particular identifying if there may be a physical cause of your troubles that has been overlooked.
If your mood disorder has been primarily caused by a physical health problem, then sorting this out is essential to stop your difficulties from returning.
About Roger Smith (in the UK)
Roger Smith (in the UK)
Rethinking Bipolar 
Perhaps so-called bipolar is sometimes related to a blocked trauma and then, subsequently, triggers to the unconscious mind cause a pattern – could it be that it has a lot in common with post traumatic stress disorder.
Perhaps identifying and dealing with the original ‘trauma’ is the answer……
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Yes, I know what you mean. Almost everyone diagnosed can point to an event or series of events that they feel was significant in causing their mood problems. I want to write more about this, especially as bipolar so often seems to be interchangeable with PTSD.
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Get the point-one of my triggers is trying to win the weight gain battle but this is caused by the meds I take not because I fill my face with unsuitable foods. So although it is a physical problem it is,in turn, caused by a mental problem.
If I eat any less I can’t function so where does that leave me……….
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This may be due to glands that have been affected by psychiatric drugs. I also was unable to lose weight while on the drugs. I am hoping the research we are doing will help to explain how these drugs are working and give us better ideas for alternatives.
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