[James Cadden]

Just throwing it out there do you think the daily rigours of life how bipolars deal with stress and what life throws at them is what causes relapses or is it simply biochemical

I believe it is both. The biochemicals get screwy but I think stressors can really push it.
In my group one of the principles of support says
I understand that mental illness is a medical illness that can have environmental triggers.
I think that pretty much sums that up.

Amy

[Michah]

Absolutely!! I believe in triggers and stress contribute to chemicals. Thats why I have a psychologist for the cognitive and coping skills and a psychiatrist for the chemical. Good combo. Of course it helps that they are absolute champions!

[Sherryanne]

I for me it was both. I had a predisposition to mental illness and then environmental factors and socialization made it worse. If one day we can identify the gene then maybe we can help ppl before the reach full blown bipolar disorder.

[skymonk]

I'd say it's definitely both. I was born with the genes that cause bipolar in the females in my family, but my extremely dysfunctional upbringing made things 100 times worse. My problem is I can't get out of or get over the past bad treatment I've had. Any new stressors like a fight w/my bf can make it WAY worse.

[Berries]

The conventional maintenance treatment for Bipolar is medication and talk psychotherapy.
That means that I'll be in therapy for the rest of my life??????

So that tells me that it is both. If it was merely a medical condition why would therapy help?

I also agree with Michah. Stress affects the chemistry in your brain.

Stress affects the chemistry in everyone’s brains!
But if you have a certain type of brain, like a bipolar brain, stress effects it in ways that cause the symptoms of bipolar.

That's the way I think of it.

[perpetuallysad]

I actually had this conversation with my pdoc yesterday (whom I also get my psychotherapy from). He firmly believes it is biological and sociological. I had a horrible, horrible upbringing and have had some majorly bad things happen to me in my young adult years as well. This, in combination with my already unstable mind, sends me into the most severe and hardly controllable mood swings.

[theama]

Keep in mind that we are HUMAN as well as bipolar. I differentiate between a bipolar depression and a normal depression, we're allowed to have normal depressions jsyk.

Bipolar depressions are biochemical, normal depressions are situational - for example if you lose your job, or if someone close to you dies. But yes, normal depressions can trigger a bipolar depression, but not always.
Depends on a lot of things, with the medication I'm on now - I can be sad because of normal issues (omg it feels so good!) without it spiraling into a depression. But before that; every little stress-factor would explode into a depression. There was no middle grounds, no normal feelings.

I agree with Lbien6. Btw, I'm not in therapy anymore, I don't need it. If you don't need it, then don't go. We usually don't have problems that can be fixed by just talking anyway, not any more than Jane and John Doe does.

[Berries]

Yes, if you don't need it, don't go. And no, talking alone can't fix stuff. It's just part of it. Even if that "talking" is done posting here at PC, or to a good friend it definitely helps.
I guess I am saying that however you get it, therapy is a good thing--for anybody, really not just the mentally ill either.
But if you can do it without having to pay somebody--GO FOR IT!!! That's what I may do, really soon.

[perpetuallysad]

There is no way on earth I am in any sort of way feeling like I could/would quit therapy. There are times when the only thing that keeps me getting up is the thought that I have my pdoc's appointment coming up...So I do need it. Plus, I am not stable in any way. No matter how hard we've tried, meds just don't seem to control my swings in any significant way and my depression is rarely lessened by anything for more than a few months...(I think this is a placebo effect, or I somehow grow tolerant to everything.)

Anyhow, regardless of why, biological or sociological, I am bipolar, I know that I have to see my pdoc.

[Berries]

Originally Posted by perpetuallysad

There is no way on earth I am in any sort of way feeling like I could/would quit therapy. There are times when the only thing that keeps me getting up is the thought that I have my pdoc's appointment coming up...So I do need it. Plus, I am not stable in any way. No matter how hard we've tried, meds just don't seem to control my swings in any significant way and my depression is rarely lessened by anything for more than a few months...(I think this is a placebo effect, or I somehow grow tolerant to everything.)

Anyhow, regardless of why, biological or sociological, I am bipolar, I know that I have to see my pdoc.

I feel like I need therapy, need to see my therapist. I look forward to our appointments, even when I know they are going to be difficult. I get nervous and irritable if I'm late and I hate it when the hour ends, even if it’s a rough session.
But when I say need I fear I might mean it in a desperate way. Like a drug addict needs their fix. And I desperately don't want to stop therapy.
At the same time, I wonder if it makes any difference. I wonder if it helps. I wonder if I just forced myself, I could stop going and actually live to see other days.
I've been in therapy almost non-stop for 25 years. Maybe, for me, it's really not all that helpful anymore? OR maybe it is very helpful.
Maybe for me it’s a crutch. He is my only real live person that I talk to. I have no friends inrl.
And I am saying this for me. I think people, in general, who have mental illnesses or who have some life issues should be in therapy. These are just my personal doubts and hang ups about me, no one else.

[ArtistInTheMirror]

I believe both -- you can do all the right things to take care of yourself and still be symtomatic some days...or not, others. Sometimes doing all the 'right' things will be enough but you still do have a chronic illness and sometimes it will still peek through.

As with any other illness - you will do best by taking care of yourself however sometimes you will still have some sort of breakthough.

Tracy

Originally Posted by James Cadden

Just throwing it out there do you think the daily rigours of life how bipolars deal with stress and what life throws at them is what causes relapses or is it simply biochemical

[noah24]

There is a new study that says if you have one bipolar parent you have a 10% chance of having a bipolar kid, 30% I think of a child w anxiety or depression. Your siblings have a huge possibility of bipolar or other mental illnesses. And I think I read somewhere that after looking at different studies etc that bp is 60% hereditary. That sounds about right. Trauma can be a trigger, like a childhood disease, etc

[jennrachael05]

Well it does get better or worse depending on your environment. I'm only on Celexa now. I was taking klonopin too. In the past I took tons of meds! After my divorce and my husband taking custody of my daughter I felt relieved. I love my daughter very much, but I had a difficult pregnancy and postpartum depression.

You are definitely correct! Bipolar disorder is biochemical and situational. There are certain triggers that can make us become more manic or more depressed. Caffeine is a big culprit. Stress is another.

[brokenwhole]

I agree with others that it's both, although I find that I can swing into a state where I'm more prone to being triggered. It's exactly analogous to the depressive state - I can be there, but not feel particularly depressed unless something triggers it. Either way, I try to remember that it's a physical illness like any other, and we shouldn't feel bad or beat ourselves up if something situational triggers a biochemical cascade.

Originally Posted by James Cadden

Just throwing it out there do you think the daily rigours of life how bipolars deal with stress and what life throws at them is what causes relapses or is it simply biochemical