In the final installation of my mixed moods series, I talk about how to treat mixed moods in bipolar disorder. If you need a refresher on mixed moods in bipolar 1 or bipolar 2, see the first three articles in this series:
I mentioned last week that St. John’s wort has been shown ineffective at treating mild depression as well as moderately severe depression (major depression).
Nevertheless, St. John’s wort is the most well-known alternative treatment for depression and many people take it. However, there are absolutely some dangers in taking St. John’s wort that you should know about, especially if you’re bipolar.
In today’s 3 New Things series I talk about:
As I’ve said, mental illness treatments often don’t work. And you have to keep trying treatment anyway. Because without doing anything new, you are condemned to being stuck in the same mental illness mire you are currently in.
But in all honesty, mental illness treatment requires faith. Trying psych med after failed psych med requires a belief that something will work in spite of the evidence to the contrary. It requires a belief that is not based on proof.
I hate that.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the manual that defines all mental illness in the US, is being revised and a new version is due out in 2013. One of the proposed changes to the DSM is to the diagnosis of mixed moods. This change is being proposed by a mood disorders workgroup. It aims to reflect clinical practice where doctors already refer to a “mixed” mood that doesn’t officially meet the DSM criteria. (As I noted, mixed moods are only technically recognized in bipolar type 1.)
Changes to the mixed mood diagnosis will help people with bipolar 1, bipolar 2 and unipolar depression get better treatment.
You might have notice I’ve been soliciting more reader feedback lately. This is for two reasons:
Because without those two things, this site turns into me just talking to myself, and well, I do that a lot already. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned about readers it’s that they surprise you. Actually asking you what you want is infinitely better than me guessing.
I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to share their thoughts with me. You’ve provided me with great topics to write about, and of course, your questions inspired the posts on mood tracking and the series on mixed moods in bipolar disorder, which is currently underway.
60-Second FeedbackToday I’m launching a 60-second survey to get a bit more information about you. This survey is completely optional, but I would appreciate one minute of your time so I can learn a bit more about you.
I’m running this survey through a site called WEGO Health. WEGO Health focuses on finding people who are leaders in health communities. These are people who:
Basically, they’re looking for many of you. I know many readers here fit their profile and would possibly benefit from their services.
WEGO Health runs webinars, chats and whatnot on health topics. You never have to attend if you don’t want to.
That’s perfectly fine. There’s a checkbox at the bottom of the survey that will opt you out of all emails.
One of the good things about running it through a third party is you’ll be anonymous to me so you can be completely honest. If there are things you don’t like here, it’s OK – be honest about them.
By taking this survey you will get customized social media tips provided by WEGO Health.
And as a bonus, two lucky survey responders will receive my new ebook, currently in production: Electroconvulsive Therapy – Everything You Need to Know Before You Go Under the Electrode (it’s a working title, I know, inflammatory).
OK, go spend 60-seconds for me. I appreciate it.
(Note: I have no direct or financial ties to WEGO Health. If anyone has any questions about the survey, feel free to leave a comment here or contact me directly.)
In a continuation of the 3 New Things series, this week follows up on the British Psychological Society’s critique of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, version 5 (DSM-V), talks about irritable mood in bipolar disorder and expresses my general disdain for people who can’t report about mental health accurately.
As I mentioned, mixed moods are technically considered part of the manic phase of bipolar disorder and thus, by definition, are only a part of bipolar disorder type 1. However, those of us with bipolar type 2 can tell you we mix it up with the best of them.
So, in part II of this series on mixed moods in bipolar disorder, I look at mixed moods in bipolar type II.
Mixed Moods in Bipolar Type IINow that we’ve wandered into Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-free territory, definitions on mixed states get a bit looser.
Mixed mood states may be, in fact, the most common way of experiencing bipolar type II. I find most people have a hard time distinctly separating “depression” from “hypomania” from “normal” moods. There is just too much crossover.
Additionally, considering mixed moods to be part of the manic phase of bipolar disorder becomes useless when looking at bipolar II. As an article in Psychiatric Times suggests, there are really two types of mixed moods in bipolar disorder:
Those two mood types better reflect my own experience and I think the clinical experience of other patients and doctors.
As one of the Burble’s commenters mentioned, there seems to be a lack of good information on mixed moods available. After some Googling, I would tend to agree. While mixed mood episodes are pretty common for us bipolar folk, few people seem to be discussing it.
This is the beginning of a four-part series on mixed moods in bipolar disorder:
Sometimes writing for a living drives me bonkers. Basically, I have to be brilliant on-command. And seriously. That’s hard.
It’s a lot of work for me. My brilliance gets tired and bogged down in the bits of my job I don’t like doing.
However, then I’m reminded there are many wonderful things about my job. Specifically, I get to learn new things, every day, all the time. While others work at real jobs I spend all day looking up facts and studies and learning things I didn’t know when I woke up.
I love that stuff.
So, I’m creating a weekly feature by sincerely flattering Jane Friedman and stealing her idea. (Jane writes Three Happy Things about writing once a week. Go check her out.) I’m not sure they will be three happy things, exactly, but I will be sharing three new things about mental health I’ve learned each week.
This will give me a chance to share smaller details that don’t make it into a full blog post, pimp the resources I like and otherwise share my knowledge.
On board? Great!
As loyal readers know over the last couple of weeks I have written quite a few pieces both on the Burble and on Breaking Bipolar on suicide after a person I consider a friend attempted suicide. Luckily he is still with us, and I think the writings on the topic will help others who have been through a suicide attempt and the loved ones of those who have attempted suicide.
I don’t want to say something “good” came out of my friend’s suicide attempt because I think that diminishes his personal experience. But maybe others have been helped. And that is thanks to him. Thanks to his honesty and bravery in speaking about his suicide attempt. I’m honored to know him.
So here are articles for:
As requested, I’m going to provide the details on the custom mood / variables I use in the T2 Mood Tracker. These are just my variables, they certainly don’t have to be yours, but they might be good to glance over.
As I mentioned, the difficult a case you are, and boy am I difficult, the more challenging the patterns can be to find. This is why I’ve included these extra variables. Custom moods / variables include:
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