Posted by AMenz on June 25, 2001, at 0:39:47
In reply to thought this was interesting..., posted by judy1 on June 24, 2001, at 12:43:20
The way I see it-although only as a metaphor because I am not scientifically inclined- the brain seems to have a righting mechanism. People react to stresses and get sad, angry mad and sooner or later go back to a euthymic state. I think bipolars have a damaged righting mechanism (which must be based on neurotransmitter firing or reuptake). Thus the stressors send the person into a prolonged or exagerated glad, sad, mad state.
I see that correlation in myself and my daughter, although some cycling seems clearly biochemical. I do not believe for a minute that anyone goes into a manic state as a psychological defense.
I think anxiety disorder more clearly have a trigger which sets off underlying reactions that seem biochemical in nature.
I also think the self talk issue is backwards. People give themselves negative self talk because they are depressed not the other way around since anti depressants seem to change this type of thinking without the requirement of therapy. It thus must be chemically based on some level.
> I haven't posted for a while, but one of the interesting things about being pregnant and unable or unwilling to take some meds is a growing interest in the psychological aspect of my illness(es). One thing my shrink has mentioned his suspicions that my manic swings may be a coping mechanism. While he and I agree that the genetics are strong, some of my episodes are clearly reactive, I guess similar to panic- how some attacks come out of the blue, yet others are cued. I was curious if anyone has had a mood episode that was not completely situational based or chemistry based, but something else. Or am I being to obscure- thanks, judy
poster:AMenz
thread:6747
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20010622/msgs/6761.html