Do you miss Mania?

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This will be a short post, just something I thought of last night and wrote some thoughts down.

While I am not a fan of the cycling that goes with Bipolar Disorder, I have to admit that my mania and I have become friends. We spend our days dreaming, writing, taking pictures and enjoying life. Time passes quickly when we are together; my to-do list is finished in no time and the sun shines bright.

It seems I can take on the world, and then…….the inevitable brick wall shows up, nasty thing that it is and takes away all my fun. What really gets me then is all that I did while I was manic is still here and now that I have no energy and no interest, I still need to keep going. All to often it has happened that I volunteered for things, or agreed to do this or that, then when the mania is gone………..I have to find a way to manage it all.

So, basically I miss my mania – we’re friends.

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Bipolar Disorder and the Biological Clock

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According to a study published in September, there may be a link between bipolar disorder and our “biological clock.” The study suggests that abnormalities in the genes that control our biological clock contribute to the development of Bipolar Disorder.

The study, done with mice, showed that mice carrying a mutation in one of the key genes of their biological clock have similar behaviors of someone in a manic phase of Bipolar Disorder, and when given the drug lithium, they returned to a more normal behavior.

It has long been known that maintaining a schedule is vital for someone with Bipolar Disorder, a variation in schedule can trigger a manic or depressive episode. So, discovering the connection is important in that it may lead to the discovery of more specifically targeted medications for Bipolar.

I do agree with this study, I know if I am off my schedule, my mood does change – however, it is not always for the worse. Losing some sleep to have a couple days of hypomania is not always a bad thing. I welcome my moments of mania, those moments when my mind is clear, I am able to focus and accomplish everything on my to-do list. The inevitable crash, however, is not so welcome – so maintaining a schedule is vital and I know it.

If these studies can help lead to a more specific type of drug to help regulate my brain, I’m all for it.

And for the record, I am an Early bird! I always have been, but never really put the two together and I know for a fact that it is all connected. I know, for me, that if I sleep past 8am, my day is doomed. To me anything past 8am is wasting the day, the day is over and trying to accomplish anything is basically useless and can affect my entire day.

Do you find sticking to a schedule vital?

Placebo Power - the effectiveness of “fake” drugs

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Do we have the power to make ourselves better? Most people would say no, but according to recent studies it may be a reality. Maybe.

A study, done over a 19 year period found that an average of 30 percent of those who received a placebo instead of an anti-depressant, improved. The higher numbers seem to be found in younger groups. In one study, where children were given either Zoloft or a placebo – 59% of those given the placebo improved, while 69% of those given Zoloft improved. What does this tell us?

As you can imagine there are several schools of thought – one could be that commercials are so convincing that this is what you need to feel better that it becomes so, psychologically. So is it the drugs or our own ability to “get better?”

When referencing the study of children and Zoloft, it is thought that the results are due to the prevalence of depression in young people and that they have fewer bouts, leaving open the idea that it has not taken a hold on their lives yet. Also, it is thought that placeboes may work because of the support and attention received during such trials, these things alone may help improve a person’s mood and out look on life.

Drug companies see this as a problem since they are using these trials as a way to show their drug works for the particular illness, but if those in the trial are improving on the placebo and the drug, it makes their case more difficult.

One more factor that may play into the outcomes, is today those entering clinical trials are not only the most severely depressed, but also those who may have a milder form of depression. These milder cases may respond to the placebo just as well as someone with a more severe case responds to the actual medication. How then do we tell the difference if it is the medication or our minds?

We can’t know for sure, everyone is different. It’s trial and error and requires further study as well as getting to now the individual person, what their personality and history are and what will work for them.

Maybe we can rely on ourselves more?