By Stephen Propst
Columnist Stephen Propst debunks the misconceptions of what it means to live with bipolar disorder. And he breaks down WHY these myths need to be busted.
Do you know that there are many myths and misconceptions that surround bipolar disorder? It is essential that such false notions be corrected. Until people learn the truth about bipolar, they will continue to deny that the illness exists, deny that it is as real a medical condition as cardiovascular disease or cancer, and deny that it can be successfully treated.
Patients, family members, mental health professionals, and society fall prey to these false perceptions. The resulting consequences negatively affect those with bipolar disorder and their families and friends, typically in the following three ways:
- Patients are not as compliant with treatment and they do not work as diligently to recover.
- Family members may often distance themselves and offer less-than-optimal support.
- Mental health professionals negatively impact progress by failing to motivate their patients and by not engaging in comprehensive treatment.
Indeed, bipolar disorder is viewed by many as some strange, inexplicable illness, thereby perpetuating stigma and discrimination.
Let’s examine some of the more common misconceptions, or myths, about bipolar disorder. In each case, ask yourself a few questions. What myths have you been guilty of subscribing to, and perhaps perpetuating? Are you willing to examine any attitudes you have that may be negatively impacting how bipolar is recognized and managed? Will you help to stomp out the misunderstanding and spread the truth? No matter how your life is impacted by bipolar disorder, it’s important to have the right picture.
MYTH 1: There’s no cure for bipolar disorder.
REALITY: There may be no cure in theory, but there are many strategies to use to successfully manage your life.
The fact is that there’s no cure for life itself. When difficult situations arise, you either confront them or seek help from others. The same is true in dealing with bipolar disorder. Dwelling on there being no cure is self-defeating. The goal is to manage the issues that arise and regain a meaningful, purposeful life—and research shows this is something the majority of people, even those with bipolar disorder, can achieve.
MYTH 2: I’ve done everything I can.
REALITY: Exasperation over thinking you have done all you can does not mean there isn’t still hope.
Recently, a young lady attending a support group said, “I’ve tried everything.” Before the group session was over, that same young lady told the group, “I’ve learned there’s still a lot more I can do.” What changed? Her perspective did when she was able to reexamine her situation and see things in a new light. Attending a support group can indeed change a person’s outlook—for the better.
MYTH 3: My situation is unique.
REALITY: It’s true that an individual is unique, but it’s doubtful that each case of bipolar disorder is.
Thinking a case of bipolar is exceptional may be a cover to avoid facing the illness head-on. If your car is not running, it’s not running. You wouldn’t settle for the mechanic saying that your car’s problem is special and leaving it at that. The goal is to have the car running smoothly again, regardless of the exact fix. Likewise, to keep moving forward to recovery, use whatever proven techniques it takes.
MYTH 4: I haven’t found the right medication yet.
REALITY: There’s more to recovery than finding the right medication.
Today, in an increasingly scientific-based psychiatric community, it can be difficult to remember that drugs are not a panacea. Medication does nothing to change a person’s underlying assumptions, false beliefs, or negative thinking. A prescription does not teach anyone effective behaviors nor can it generate positive reinforcers. Finding the right medication that yields results with minimal side effects is an essential ingredient in recovery, but it alone is not the answer.
MYTH 5: Bipolar disorder is all in your head.
REALITY: Conditions like bipolar disorder are real biological medical conditions that can be diagnosed and treated.
There are many outspoken individuals who have made a career of misinforming the public about the true nature of bipolar disorder. While they argue that the illness cannot exist because the exact biological defect has not been discovered, they fail to recognize that the same is true for high fever, yet it is no less an ailment. A wide variety of medical tests, including brain scans (MRIs, CTs), reveal the difference between a bipolar brain and a “normal,” healthy one. To ignore or distort the science behind bipolar disorder is simply irresponsible.
MYTH 6: Bipolar disorder is a personal problem not a societal problem.
REALITY: Bipolar disorder is everyone’s problem.
In fact, the impact bipolar disorder has on society is shown in the following statistics:
- Bipolar disorder is the sixth leading cause of disability worldwide with more than 5.7 million people affected. (World Health Organization)
- People living with bipolar disorder spend as much as one-fourth of their adult lives in the hospital, live one-fourth of their adult lives disabled, and lose as many as 14 years of cumulative productivity. Bipolar disorder results in 9.2 years reduction in estimated life span, and as many as one in five living with bipolar disorder take their own lives. (National Institute of Mental Health)
- The unemployment rate for people with severe and persistent mental disorders, including bipolar, is close to 90 percent. (U.S. Surgeon General Report on Mental Health, 1999; National Alliance on Mental Illnesses, 2014)
- Bipolar disorder costs the US economy $45 billion annually. (Wyatt and Henter, 1995)
- The combined indirect and related costs of mental illnesses like bipolar disorder, including costs of lost productivity, lost earnings, and societal costs, are estimated to total $148 billion. (National Institutes of Mental Health, 1999). In 2015, the total and excess costs of bipolar I disorder were estimated at $202.1 and $119.8 billion, respectively. (Cloutier, Greene, et al., 2015)
Indeed, society pays a huge price, both financially and in terms of human suffering.
MYTH 7: Recovery from bipolar disorder is not possible.
REALITY: Appropriate treatment can allow a person to have a meaningful, fulfilling life.
For years, bipolar disorder was viewed as a permanent, untreatable problem. People were more likely to be locked away than given the opportunity for recovery. Significantly, today the focus is on wellness and reintegration into society. Despite having a persistent illness, a person can achieve substantial improvement in managing symptoms and lead a productive, fulfilling life.
MYTH 8: Some people are just more motivated to recover than others are.
REALITY: Motivation is not internal; it’s external and a matter of reinforcement.
Have you ever heard someone say, “I’m too depressed to get out of bed”? But when that person is asked, “What if the house was on fire?” he changes his mind! Motivation occurs when the perceived benefits of getting and staying healthy exceed those of staying sick. Family, as well as mental health professionals, should offer help and encouragement to tip the scale further in the direction of recovery.
What a person believes does matter. In fact, what someone believes about bipolar disorder can be more disabling than the condition itself. Hopefully, you will rethink what you may have been blindly accepting as reality. Having the right picture opens the door to recovery and a better future for you or someone you love.
Used by permission.