How to Bring Attention to Bipolar Disorder

For the average person, life can be stressful at times. Personal relationships, raising children, careers and life in general- they all bring there own types of stress. That is just how life is sometimes. Imagine, for just a moment, that you had to battle internally with your own thoughts- if the most basic task caused you to feel overwhelmed. Emotions are something that we deal with every second of everyday. The most mundane task presents a myriad of emotions that most people do not even notice.

The mind of a person that suffers from any form of mood disorder faces such a traumatic decision-making process that it causes their moods to fluctuate so severely. Its up to us to get educated! Society needs to remove the stigma-treat the disorders and stop feeling as though those afflicted with the disorders are not normal.

What is normal anyway? Everyone has their little quirks that make them different. Its called diversity in the human race, not abnormality. There is no such thing as normal in my eyes. I do not want to be in that group anyway. If I were, that would mea
I was not an individual. I am unique, my own person, my own mind.
Did you know that the ones that are suffering from these disorders are the most intelligent people that you would ever come in contact with. To have their I.Q. is something that I can only wish for!

Imagine the mind of a seventeen year old- walking into a geometry class in high school for the first time. Never taking the class, not knowing anything about it-and the teacher being baffled how within 45 minutes she recognizes that this child is capable of not only passing the class without having to attend, but having the mental capacity to take a DOUBLE of Geometry I and Geometry II at the same time? And carrying a 4.0 while doing it? Utterly baffles me!

Here’s a task for you. Pull up a search engine, any will do. Type in ‘famous people with mood disorders’ and see what you find. You will be amazed! I certainly was. Did you know that Abraham Lincoln suffered from mood disorders, Richard Dreyfuss, John Keats, Winston Churchill, Beethoven and Van Gogh, just to name a few.
Society needs to remove the stigma, embrace those that are suffering, so that we can research new treatments, support those that have family members or friends that have been diagnosed and we all need to understand the symptoms so that we can be part of the treatment plan.

Who is Affected by Bipolar Disorder?

* Bipolar disorder affects approximately 5.7 million adult Americans, or about 2.6% of the U.S. population age 18 and older every year. (National Institute of Mental Health)

* The median age of onset for bipolar disorder is 25 years (National institute of Mental Health), although the illness can start in early childhood or as late as the 40’s and 50’s.

* An equal number of men and women develop bipolar illness and it is found in all ages, races, ethnic groups and social classes.

* More than two-thirds of people with bipolar disorder have at least one close relative with the illness or with unipolar major depression, indicating that the disease has a heritable component. (National Institute of Mental Health)

*These are statistics- as published on the National Institute of Mental Health website.

This is just some food for thought.
Be part of the change. Help bring attention to mood disorders!