I know it’s one that both villainized and sensationalized by media, I want to know what it’s really like and not some fear-mongering missinformation a lot of people spread. Thanks
In: Biology
Going to do my best. My dad is bipolar, and I grew up living with his condition. I’m not as well-versed in the medical side of it, but I’ve been given some explanations about how he acted.
Imagine you’re balancing on an individual board, or a see-saw. Point is, there are two sides, and you need to maintain a balance in the middle so that neither side touches the ground. It’s not easy, while you’re standing in the middle. One wrong move, and you can lose your balance, and you can’t correct the shift before everything falls over.
Now, most people have the ability to regulate their moods a bit. Their brains release chemicals that keep their moods on the milder side, and easy to manage. I’d compare this to that see-saw, with the bars the everything rotates on booted tightly into place. Everything still moves, but the bolts make the shifts slower and easier to catch and get under control.
Bipolar disorder is like someone removed the bolts, and coated everything with grease. You have little to none of those mood stabilizers, because your brain doesn’t make them. Which means your mood can change dramatically very quickly, and go to extreme highs and lows beyond what many people feel. This, in turn, can lead to self-destructive behaviors: you self-harm in a moment of intense depression, or you over spend in a moment of intense euphoria and lose your savings.
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