The definition of Bipolar Disorder is this: "A mental disorder identified by periods of elevated mood and periods of depression."
Let's discuss the facts of this misinterperated illness and seperate it from the stigma.
Just because you are Manic does not mean you are happy.
Someone with Bipolar disorder isn’t necessarily happy during a manic episode, some people feel restless, or agitated during a manic episode. Also during a manic episode, it is often depicted that someone with bipolar disorder just lets loose and has fun when some people ruin their lives during a manic episode without even remembering what they did later. For example, some people with Bipolar Disorder during a manic episode have spent their life savings, or committed a theft, and they don’t realize till later what they did. I contrast sometimes a manic episode isn’t harmful at all, sometimes it is just being overly restless and doing lots of things like baking or shopping but to an extreme where it hinders their lives, by not sleeping or spending too much money.
A depressive state
People with Bipolar disorder are generally depicted being a bit more laid back and shy during a depressive state. If only that where true. Depressive states can become so bad they can lead to suicide or self-harm because the said person is now dealing with all the reckless things they did while in a manic episode. Not to mention sometimes but not all times people don’t remember what they did it isn’t until they see their bank statement or go to the doctor they figure out what they did. It’s like playing a game of Russian roulette with no body but yourself. You never know what you are going to discover you did or did not do while in a manic state and that only adds to the pit you fall into while in a depressive state.
Sleeping Patterns
Most people don’t realize that people suffering from Bipolar disorder also suffer from insomnia. This is because during manic episodes you don’t see they point of going to sleep or you do but can’t because of restlessness, so typically someone in a manic state wont sleep, and sometimes manic states can last for weeks at a time.
They are not two different people in one body
Many times, in movies or television shows people with Bipolar disorder are depicted as being two people in one body, this is not true. Yes, there is a lot of differences between the episodes but that does not mean that the said person is two people the two episodes are just hyperactive polar sides of the same person
It is not something they can just stop
Sadly, it is believed that people with any mental illness including Bipolar Disorder can just stop it. It is not that easy, sometimes mental illness including Bipolar Disorder can be due to a gene. Bipolar disorder is highly hereditary so in some cases you can inherit the gene from a family member now this gene isn’t always active in many people the gene never wakes up but in some people, it does. You can’t exactly just quite your genes, essentially it is like telling someone to not have natural grown hair it is impossible for some people.
Hopefully this article educated you on the ways Hollywood has altered the image of Bipolar Disorder as well as mental illness and that what Hollywood shows you about mental illness isn’t always correct. Don’t feed the stigma.
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