Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 6685

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Personality types and manic depression

Posted by Cynthia on May 27, 1999, at 23:29:41

Do most manic depressives have intensely emotional personalities? I am and I do, and all of the people I have met with the illness are intensely emotional people. Are there logical, practical manic depressives that want to go to work at the bank Monday to Fridays? So manic-depression is biological, but why, from what I have seen, are most highly reactive, extremely emotional people? anybody know. p.s. I am very happy to find this sight. I am very surprised to see how much so many of you seem to know. breaks the isolation.

 

Re: Personality types and manic depression

Posted by Sean on May 28, 1999, at 15:16:28

In reply to Personality types and manic depression, posted by Cynthia on May 27, 1999, at 23:29:41

> Do most manic depressives have intensely emotional personalities? I am and I do, and all of the people I have met with the illness are intensely emotional people. Are there logical, practical manic depressives that want to go to work at the bank Monday to Fridays? So manic-depression is biological, but why, from what I have seen, are most highly reactive, extremely emotional people? anybody know. p.s. I am very happy to find this sight. I am very surprised to see how much so many of you seem to know. breaks the isolation.

Cynthia,

From what I have read, the concept of "temperment"
is emerging as a key component of how the medical
community is studying bipolar/dysthymia folks.
I can't remember the exact classifications, but
apparently there are some good personality assess-
ment tests which do a fair job of predicting or
identifying persons with a higher risk of the
bipolar spectrum conditions.

It is a little bit like the chicken and the egg
I suppose too; If a person's internal experience
of the world is typified by intense events (as
in strong emotional reactions, quasi-religious
experiences, mood swings) you might expect this
to have an effect on a yet more fundamental part
of our makeup which is capable of reacting to
these feelings. A person who never reaches these
extreme states of mind would not have the same
opinions and feelings about life. They would not
seek out the same kinds of behaviors, hobbies,
love partners, risk taking, etc... which are all
major markers for "personality".

Intense, risk-seeking experiences followed by
depressed or agitated states weave in and out of
the bipolar life in a way that doesn't always
seem to be part of the "disease". Us humans are so
complex, our motivations, existential views, and
drive are so unique it blows my mind daily...

Very good question!

Sean.



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