[LadyShadow]

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to tell you guys (which I am sure you probably guessed anyway just based on how you feel), that having bipolar disorder decreases our overall lifespan by 9-20 years.

Here's the article I got this information from if you want to see for yourself:

Many mental illnesses reduce life expectancy more than heavy smoking | University of Oxford

It actually talks about how mental illness reduces life expectancy MORE than heavy smoking does.

All I gotta say about this is, thanks bipolar disorder, that's just *&^%^&ing great! You know, its bad enough having to deal with all this nonsense, and even though welcoming "the end" might be what some people are hoping for, I personally WANT TO LIVE!!!

Sigh, bipolar life.

[SorryShaped]

First rule of Statistics 101:
Statistics are bull5#!+
A lot of stats professors say that on the first day. Don't stress over it. Statistically, stress will kill you. XD

High-risk behaviours are common in psychiatric patients, especially drug and alcohol abuse, and they are more likely to die by suicide. The stigma surrounding mental health may mean people aren't treated as well for physical health problems when they do see a doctor.

You just have to be proactive about your health the best you can. I know that's hard, though.

So tl;dr -- the 9-20 takes into account suicide. I bet if suicide wasn't taken into account, the 9-20 years thing would be drastically different. Also, getting treated well by doctors would affect that number.

This is one reason I want to stick with lithium. It is supposed to be effective against suicide, which is how my mom died too young at 68. Her mom lived to 91.

[SparkySmart]

I'm aware of this statistic. If it's true, I'll probably die next week. Sigh.

The chemicals we take are indeed mind-bending and should be prescribed cautiously. Bipolar is a legitimate condition, but there's no evidence of any chemical imbalance (although there is demonstrable evidence of a change in brain function as a result of drugs). Very concerning. I've always been alarmed that the meds I take "are believed to improve symptoms but it's not known how or why," and that drug trials are often as short as two weeks in duration. The consequences of long-term chemical cocktails are completely unknown. I try not to think about these things often.

While lifestyle changes don't cure bipolar, they may reduce our risks significantly (not to mention making us feel better overall -- exercise and good nutrition can't help but improve our lives).

[Nammu]

Aside from suicide there's the sad fact that for decades those with serious mi were getting little to no care from general Doctors. Any physical symptoms were dismissed and then there's the side effects like high cholesterol, high blood pressure and weight gain due to meds that often went untreated in those with mi all this contributed to the early death. Part of the ACA was to treat the whole person.

[jacky8807]

From what i read into it...its because of unhealthy lifestyle choices we are more apt to fall into. So more likley to over eat over drink not exercise sleep poorly and we end up with all the conditions that come with that
Also.. unfortunatley the meds can do a number causing diabetes, obesity and so on.

[Wild Coyote]

Originally Posted by jacky8807

From what i read into it...its because of unhealthy lifestyle choices we are more apt to fall into. So more likley to over eat over drink not exercise sleep poorly and we end up with all the conditions that come with that
Also.. unfortunatley the meds can do a number causing diabetes, obesity and so on.

YES!!!

My dad died at 40 when he was hit by a car. My mom died at 43 from pancreatic cancer.

When your time is up, it's up. All you can do is make the best of what you get and enjoy the ride.

[Blueberrybook]

I agree, apart from suicide, it is making unhealthy life choices, not caring for yourself by doing things like getting a physical yearly, not exercising, poor eating habits, even not Tajik
King meds for conditions like high blood pressures. Studies have also shown that doing things like brushing and flossing your teeth as recommended or having a pet increases your lifespan as does always wearing your seatbelt.

[pirilin]

I also have a comorbidy that helps to my death. Emphysema.
My life span should be 68.9 years. I'm 68.3, so I have 6 months to live. If a truck or a train doesn't get me first.
Or my heart fails. Or my kidneys go south. Or I keep having too much sex.
I'll keep you posted in seven months.
Death is The Ultimate High!!!. BTW, 69 is my favorite number.

I have final stage liver cirrhosis, so getting there any faster would be swell. All this information is overwhelming anyway.

[Tucson]

WebMD also had this article. There is one paragraph that I think is key to the article.

“Although this study found an association between mental illness and an increased risk of premature death, it did not prove that mental illness causes early death.”

We are talking about statistics here, which that paragraph is highliting. There are many questions that need to be answered on how the statistics were determined before it’s claim is relevant at all to a person with MI. Even then, we still are talking about probabilities.

[tecomsin]

There's a hypothesis that people with bipolar disorder show 'accelerated aging' and this could account for part of the difference in life expectancy. But I think it is hard to disentangle. First you have suicide as already mentioned, then there is the fact that people with bipolar are more often smokers, drug addicts and/or alcoholics. Then there's a factor from being poorer and more isolated than the general population. (Isolation also reduces life expectancy._ Then there's the long term effects of medications on weight gain, metabolic syndrome, diabetes as well as lack of activity or participation in healthy activities.

That order is not meant to indicate which are the most important just that there are so many factors to disentangle that any attempt to do so would get a result that depended heavily on the statistical methods used.

Basically people with bipolar have crummier lives than the rest of the population by and large (not true for everyone by any means) and this is seen in life expectancy. I think it is the size of the difference that is so staggering and depressing.

[SorryShaped]

Then we should all strive to make the healthiest choices we can. Let's kick the statistical butt! Eat healthier. Work out. Get involved in healthy relationships. Get out of unhealthy ones. Stay in treatment.

I say this while looking at the bag of potato chips with eyes that say, "come to me!" And yes, I'm eating them, but I won't do it every day or even once a week. Crunch crunch crunch...

[*Laurie*]

Someone whom I trusted, a man who facilitated a support group I was in, told us that people with mental illness tend to live shorter lives than people without mi. It does not surprise me, for a variety of reasons.

But, as others have pointed out, we have to take into account alcoholism, use of street drugs and the harsh lifestyle that goes along with using, and suicide.

That said, I believe the weight gain, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, and diabetes, from some psych meds can cause early death.

Like many others, I hope to beat the odds. Personally, I believe being mindful of the ingredients in the food we eat is important. Usually.

Mental illness is a disease just like any other, unfortunately.

[BipolaRNurse]

If statistics are to be believed, I'd already be dead. LOL

[Moreta]

I have this bad feeling I'm adding years to my life haha. Man I always wanted to die when I was 60 but I quit smoking in 2016 and now i'm eating healthy and losing weight. Damn being healthy and crushing my goals.

But seriously though I think if they took out the suicide part the statistics would probably be different. I think the general overall life expectancy is going down anyways, in the US at least cause of health care availability or lack there of. The US seems to be a nation of convienince and people aren't eating that healthy in general, but that's just my 2 cents.

[luvyrself]

Originally Posted by LadyShadow

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to tell you guys (which I am sure you probably guessed anyway just based on how you feel), that having bipolar disorder decreases our overall lifespan by 9-20 years.

Here's the article I got this information from if you want to see for yourself:

Many mental illnesses reduce life expectancy more than heavy smoking | University of Oxford

It actually talks about how mental illness reduces life expectancy MORE than heavy smoking does.

All I gotta say about this is, thanks bipolar disorder, that's just *&^%^&ing great! You know, its bad enough having to deal with all this nonsense, and even though welcoming "the end" might be what some people are hoping for, I personally WANT TO LIVE!!!

Sigh, bipolar life.

—-I like what people said on this thread about trying for healthier lifestyles, absolutely vital. Another thought is that I don’t want to be 100 years old and seriously sick. Many of my family members lived into their high 90’s. Modern medicine is always making huge progress. It’s quality, not length of life I care about.

[scatterbrained04]

I can see why. I know I struggle to physically take care of myself due to the depression I'm always in. At 32, I have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and am kind of borderline diabetic. Can't seem to turn things around for myself. Plus I am a smoker.

[LadyShadow]

I want to thank EVERYONE who posted on this thread and shared with me their opinions and views on the Statistics and the article I posted. I took some time for myself, (away from PC), and thought about my life, how I currently eat and exercise, how I sleep, how much medication I am on and what are the side effects - and my conclusion is I WILL NOT become a statistic like this article suggests.

Mental illness is just like ANY illness out there you know, it can be managed and you can live a LONG, HAPPY and HEALTHY life as long as you CONSTANTLY perform acts of self-care to your aging body. We are only given ONE body, ONE mind, and it is up to US as individuals to take care of it to ensure longevity.

Again, thank you ALL for chiming in, it has been really helpful to me, and gives me hope for my future.