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Originally Posted by genetic
Cognitive functioning disorder? What is your diagnosis? Bipolar illness is a mood disorder,
not an intellectual one.
Nobody's perfect; try to remember that. As for mistakes, we all make them and plenty
of them at times. Don't see yourself as a cognitive dysfunctional person, please.
If your medications aren't helping to control your moods 60% of the time, talk to your
doctor about tweaking them or changing them. Mood stability is what you're aiming
for. If we don't have that I can see that it might distort intellectual functioning, but
medications are designed to help stabilize emotions.
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Dealing with Cognitive Dysfunction
Associated with psychiatric disabilities
Written by:
Alice Medalia, Ph.D.and Nadine Revheim, Ph.D.
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Some facts about cognition:- Cognitive skills are different from academic skills
- Cognitive skills are the mental capabilities or underlying skills you need to process and learn information, to think, remember, read, understand and solve problems.
- Cognitive skills develop and change over time.
- We are born with certain cognitive capabilities - we may be better at some skills than others, but we can improve the weaker skills.
- Cognitive skills can be measured.
- Cognitive skills can be strengthened and improved.
- When cognitive skills are strong, learning becomes easier.
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Myths about cognition- The cognitive problems will go away when the hallucinations and delusions stop.
- The cognitive problems will always go away between episodes of depression and mania.
- The cognitive problems simply reflect a lack of effort.
- The cognitive problems are all caused by medications.
- The cognitive problems are caused by being in the hospital for too long.
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People who have affective disorders, like bipolar disorder and recurrent depressions, often experience problems in the following aspects of cognition:- Ability to pay attention
- Ability to remember and recall information
- Ability to think critically, categorize and organize information and problem solve.
- Ability to quickly coordinate eye-hand movements
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Dealing with Cognitive Dysfunction
Calling bipolar disorder a "MOOD DISORDER" is the biggest stigma perpetrated by the very doctors who are treating most people. The REAL problems comes from the issues with cognition.
"I can't pay attention."
"I can't remember what I just read."
"I forget where I put my keys/purse/wallet all the time."
"I forget what someone said right after they said it."
"I jump from one project to the next."
"I never finish what I start."
Etc. etc. etc.
Some have it worse than others.
Stabalizing your mood is only one aspect of bipolar. But if your cognition continues to fall apart, you are no longer able to function at school, work, home. Period. And a good mood won't help that.