Posted by sheilac on July 24, 2011, at 11:36:08
In reply to Re: Genetic Mutations In Bipolar Disease » Toph, posted by Phillipa on July 22, 2011, at 20:10:40
Interesting article. Often wondered what a genetic test would look like on various members of my family.
I KNOW there is a genetic link. Mother suffers from severe anxiety. Father was severe BPI ended up committing suicide. His moods were all over the place - buying 2 cars in one day, selling the house and buying another house, being very violent & destructive, really crazy stuff (no wonder I have issues). He went on Lithium and was a wonderful person, but ended up stopping because he didn't think he needed it anymore and he didn't want the hassle of bloodwork & weight gain. He went through a cycle of self-medicating with alcohol, then depression, then severe abuse and destructiveness, then would cycle all over again. You never knew what would set him off.
My sister is exactly like my Dad, and refuses to deal with it. She's had more jobs in the last 5 years than most people have in their entire lifetime - usually being fired & escorted from the building for her irrational behavior. She believes it's everyone else and not her. I have sat with her on the phone many a nights talking her down from killing herself. Funny, she'll drink alcohol, smoke and take illegal drugs, but won't take legal, prescribed meds that could help her. Says she doesn't like taking meds everyday - doesn't believe in it. ??? I don't understand this at all. Again, self medicating through alcohol, caffeine, nicotine and speed.
I am more BPII, periods of depression, anxiety and at times hypomania or mania. Never wanted to kill myself like my father or sister. Rarely do I drink and if I do it's one glass of wine. I drink one cup of coffee in the morning. Since I was 20 & on my own I have gotten help and have been able to keep a steady job, friends and maintain a marriage.
Others in my family have "issues" as well. One who is BPI won't take meds and deals by obsessively working out everyday (probably helps her BP - but still has bad mood swings). She's irritable & abusive like my sister and thinks it's everyone else - not her. She will however drink a couple bottles of wine, sleep for 4-5 hours, get up drink a pot of coffee and off to work out - no matter the weather.
I have anxiety and depression on both sides of my family.
There must be some gene that connects my family in our various degrees of this disease. I would love to know what that common thread is. When will they start being able to clearly test us and properly diagnose us and get people the right meds.
I know my sister and other family member will not take time to go through various meds to find out which ones work for them. Plus, I think a lot of bipolars like to self-medicate. They like the highs and like the drinking to come down and fall asleep.
Would love to learn more about these genetic mutations. Have a nephew & when he was 2, I told my mother, "he has it". We'll see. But I can see how it has gone from my father to my sister to one of her children. Scary and sad.
poster:sheilac
thread:991562
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20110714/msgs/991701.html