Is it possible concussions can cause bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder? I was talking to a counselor the other day and he says I likely had a concussion (never confirmed) in my mid-teens from a mountain biking accident and I'm just curious if the two are related.

Anyone else got a concussion relatively soon before their first symptoms of bipolar?

[tecomsin]

I had quite a bad concussion in my 20s from a scooter accident even though I was wearing a helmet. Didn't go bipolar until my mid 40s but it was a few months after I had a skiing accident and hit my head... also wearing a helmet. Not sure if that was just a coincidence.

I'm pretty sure a got a mild concussion last week falling on the sidewalk. My BP started like 36 years previous to that, so no.

[Nammu]

I already had bipoar when I sustained a concussion in an auto accident. Lost consciousness at the scene and insisted on checking out ama and lapsed into a coma at my boyfriends apt. It didn't cause the bipolar but it did exacerbate the moods and caused rapid cycling.

I don't recall any concussions or injuries to my head. At least nothing major or memorable. Crossing my fingers, I have to say that I've never really had a serious physical injury in my life.

I googled this topic, out of curiosity, and there are results from reputable sources. I would wonder if it is really the concussion itself that may or may not cause mania (or other mental health issues) or if it is the stress resulting from the injury that may or may not cause such issues? I have definitely read many many times that a major stress (or trauma) in life can trigger the disorder. I do know that I had a major stress trigger at 14 years old, when I am sure my first bipolar symptoms started to show. But that was a psychological stressor/trauma, not a physical injury. I clearly had episodes from that point on, but my worst episodic periods were linked to serious psychological stressors or traumas.

I have read that people who develop bipolar disorder generally have a genetic predisposition to it. What I read stated that there may or may not need to be a trigger for the start of the disorder, but often there is. I read that if there isn't/wasn't, it could be possible that a person avoids the disorder (if lucky), or at least major symptoms of the disorder, by it remaining dormant. This is just one theory, but a popular one, I believe.

About a week back, I created a thread asking people to share their mental illness treatment histories. In most all cases, the history started with some kind of stressor of sorts. I saw many of the histories begin in adolescence, which I see as a stressful period. Others were more in their college years. Again often stressful, in a way. Then there is post-partum in many cases (like my paternal grandmother). Again stressful. Or other major life events. I don't think it has to be a very major stressor, though.

[tecomsin]

I was under prolonged workplace stress before developing my first manic episode. I was also under the care of a psychiatrist and on psychotropic meds for the first time in my life. He had me on a high dose of celexa for 'somatoform disorder'. I had a chronic pain condition that was eventually treated by a different doctor with Lyrica.

[BipolaRNurse]

My younger cousin developed bipolar 2 some time after he had a motor vehicle accident in which he got a concussion. I've had a couple of them too, and I have no idea of whether they led to my having BP. It's an interesting hypothesis, though.

[Treyfrancis21]

Correlation is not causation. Ive had several concussive blows to the head, but I don't think any of them triggered my illness. It was more likely trauma from my son's death that got my bipolar rolling.

[Goforward]

I fell off a bike 3 years ago and hit my head. No blackout or concussion. Five weeks later I was hearing voices and chatter. I had never experienced that before. My psychiatrist thinks my delusional disorder is linked to the blow to the head. I wonder.

[Moose72]

I also hit my head- about 2001. (I was diagnosed in 2005.) I came down our basement apartment stairs and my feet slipped out from under me and i hit my head hard on the last (big) step. I felt the vibration from front to back to front again.

[ADWith]

I do strongly believe concussions/TBI's can cause mental disorders, but considering our brains can heal proper supplementation, diet an exercise can provide great improvements.

[Wander]

Well, I have had three major concussions in my life. When I was around 12 my cousin accidentally slammed the boot of my uncles car on my head. I went down fast. I was a psychological mess all day. Laughing, crying - for no reason. Second was a boating accident at age 17. Luckily I didn't totally pass out as I would of drowned. Third is embarrassing. I was the teller at the front desk of a health fund. My handbag was under the counter. I went to grab something out of it and then thought I heard the door open. I was alone at the counter so I rushed my head up to serve the customer. Instead I smashed my head on the bottom of the counter and knocked myself out. That concussion was the worst and I was off work for days.

Anyway, None of these incidents were followed by episodes and my BP symptoms started in my early teens according to my pdoc. I guess it's possible but it would have to be rare.