Bipolar Disorder: What's in a Label?Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D. Updated: Sep 24th 2009 Bipolar disorder affects approximately 6 million adults in the United States alone (National Institute of Mental Health). There is a lot of stigma around the label bipolar disorder, but what is it exactly? Is it a psychological issue or a physiological issue or both? The latest research tells us it is a genetic and chemical disorder. Prior to it being called bipolar disorder it was called manic-depressive disorder and before that it was called cyclothymic personality disorder. But what's in a label?
Many professionals liken bipolar disorder to diabetes. If someone with diabetes is low on blood sugar they may certainly be experienced as having psychological issues. In the same vein, some make the argument that a person may be perfectly psychologically healthy, but if they have bipolar disorder they are prone to experiencing manic and depressive episodes when the chemicals get imbalanced.
Does having bipolar disorder make you crazy? Sometimes I feel like the uneducated stigma out there supported by the insurance companies endorses this view. I've seen people who fall into depressive episodes and then at times seem to get very excited for a while. However, throughout these times they were able to manage life without medications and without major problems. It's the people who end up in the hospital who we hear more about that hence the stigma for bipolar disorder.
It's good to bring our lenses back a bit when we think about the labels that are written the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). These names often change (e.g., cyclothymic disorder now being bipolar disorder) and while having a label can be comforting to some, it can feel confining to others. It's good for professionals who can have a common language to talk about a cluster of issues.
However, it is dangerous when the professional loses sight of the person and only sees the disorder. This is true with all labels.
If you or someone you love has bipolar disorder, it may be good to check out a few different therapies that have been shown to be effective in helping manage. Bipolar specialist, Dr. Jay Carter recommends four different therapies. These are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Family-focused therapy, Interpersonal Social Rhythm Therapy, and Group Therapy.
Everybody is different so while one therapy might be better for one, another might be more effective for another.
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Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D. is a Clinical Psychologist and conducts a private practice in West Los Angeles. He is co-author of A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook (New Harbinger, February 2010).
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