A Lesson Expensively Learnt

Causes of Bipolar Disorder are all ‘may ’s, ‘often’s, ‘seem’s and ‘can’s.

As in:

Bipolar disorder may result from a chemical imbalance within the brain.

And:

Chemicals called neurotransmitters control the brain’s functions. When levels of this chemical are too high, mania may occur. When the levels drop below normal, a person may experience depression.

Also: 

Researchers believe that our behavior can affect our brain chemistry, and that brain chemistry can affect behavior. It may happen both ways.

Duh …

For instance, if a person experiences numerous stressors or traumas this may cause his or her brain chemistry to be affected, leading to clinical depression.

On the other hand, that same person may learn how to change depressed thoughts and behavior and cope with stressful events. Doing this mayalso change brain chemistry and relieve depression.

And then in addition to all the above:

There is a significant genetic component to bipolar disorder. If a family member has bipolar disorder, other family members may be at risk.

However, stress of some kind is often needed to trigger the onset of the disease. The cause of the disease is likely a combination of multiple genetic and environmental factors.

Sometimes a period of emotional stress, drug use, an illness, or another event seems to trigger the onset of the disease. Stresses can also trigger a manic or depressive episode in people who are known to have the condition.

In the light of all the afore mentioned:

I have Lupus, and many with Lupus also have Bipolar – something to do with the production of antibodies against the neurotransmitters. But I would have thought the levels of the neurotransmitters would then drop and so lead to Depression. So I am not very clear about how the Bipolar can be explained. It can of course be an independent diagnosis.

A few of my family members are diagnosed with Depression. They are on prescription drugs. Some others are borderline and given to occasional meltdowns. But as far as I know nobody is Bipolar.

Laying the blame completely on the genes I have inherited from the well-known eccentricities of my family is convenient. There are side splitting incidences of behaviour from my Paternal Grandfather’s and my Father’s generation. Just so it is clear that I don’t come from a gene pool of muddle headed goodness and cuddly teddy bears, there have been some mean people too. And Mean married to Mean is an equation nobody should have to deal with.

I would like to think that I am good at coping with ‘stressors’, 'triggers', in a bit of the old –“ We shall overcome ” – spirit.

Anyway, whatever the reason, I still need to swallow those tablets. And if I were asked to make a list of a ‘ few of my favourite things ‘, these would come at the very top. If I were to make a trip these would be the first to be packed. Everything else would follow after. Because only if my mind works will I have need for anything else.