We Pray to the Lord - Part 3: For A Better Understanding of Medications Used to Treat Bipolar Disorder

Yes, I’m writing more about Bipolar Disorder in my Liturgy House blog. Liturgy is Life. Life is Liturgy. In my life recently, I’ve really really really been focused on The Prayers of The Faithful, the General Intercessions, as it were.

These are public prayers said at the formal, public liturgy of the Church and should reflect the needs of the community present. And these prayers demand a response, a real viable response. . . and I’m not just talkin, “Lord, here our prayer.” . . . “full, conscious, active participation,” remember that phrase?

I have come to know several people with Bipolar Disorder in recent years, one in particular, that have really helped me to become aware. . .aware of this invisible illness. . . .aware of what is still lacking in our understanding of this illness. . . .aware of how people avoid the subject of this disease. . . . aware of how our recited prayers are sometimes empty. . . .aware of how prayers of action are, at times, well,... nonexistent. . . .and so, I write more on the subject of Bipolar Disorder. This blog entry in particular will touch a little on the medications used to treat those with Bipolar Disorder.

Bipolar Disorder (sometimes referred to as Manic Depression) is a real treatable illness that affects the brain.  It can’t be overcome by “snapping out of it.” Asking someone with Bipolar Disorder to “think positive” or to “just snap out of it”  is like asking someone with diabetes to change his or her blood sugar level by simply  thinking about it.

Bipolar Disorder is primarily a biological disorder that occurs in a specific area of the brain and is due to the dysfunction of certain neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers, in the brain. These chemicals may involve neurotransmitters like Serotonin and Norepinephrine.

Those who suffer with Bipolar Disorder are often prescribed Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). 

SSRIs block the reabsorption (reuptake) of the neurotransmitter Serotonin in the brain. Changing the balance of Serotonin seems to help brain cells send and receive chemical messages, which in turn, elevates mood. SSRIs are called “selective” because they target serotonin, not other neurotransmitters (Dopamine, Norepinephrine).

Sometimes, however, an SSNRI may be prescribed. As it sounds, SSNRIs target both Serotonin and Norepinephrine.

One of the things I have learned is that ADHD and Schizophrenia are in the same “family” of diseases.  DRIs, or Dopamine Reuptake Inhibitors, are often prescribed for those with ADHD or Schizophrenia.
       
Benzodiazepines may also be prescribed. Benzodiazepines, also known as anxiolytics,(antipanic or anti-anxiety agent) help to reduce anxiety. They are often used in the acute stage of a mania, a manic episode, to try and calm a person down, and they can be quite helpful.  People with Bipolar Disorder tend to have racing thoughts and the Benzodiazeprines tend to calm this. They also are used quite frequently in depression with comorbid anxiety to work on the anxiety piece of this disorder.  (Comoborid: the presence of one or more disorders in addition to a primary disease or disorder.)

As you can see, there is a lot to learn about Bipolar Disorder.  There are many pieces of the puzzle that must be put together. It is complicated and so misunderstood. There is so-o-o-o much to learn.

When someone learns they have diabetes or high blood pressure or heart disease they learn all the can about their illness. Bipolar Disorder is no different. When someone has diabetes or heart disease they change their lifestyle, eating habits and more to combat their illness. Bipolar Disorder is no different. Those who live with people with diabetes or high blood pressure often change their diets and lifestyles in support of their loved one. Bipolar Disorder is no different.  When someone has diabetes they check themselves and take necessary medication at specific times of the day. Bipolar Disorder is no different. In fact, those with Bipolar who take Lithium must check their blood regularly.

The big difference is the many myths and misunderstanding of what Bipolar Disorder is and what Bipolar Disorder isn’t. I pray that what I write in the upcoming days may help change that a bit. Because, really, those of us who live with Bipolar Disorder could really use your support.

So please, if someone you know has Bipolar Disorder, please please please don’t tell them to just “snap out if.” You would be way, way, way off the mark. And please, don’t tell them to stop taking their medications. You could be causing them a tremendous amount harm. As people of faith, I would think we would have more heart than that. The best thing you can do is get informed. And then, be a friend and be there.

Bipolar Disorder can take years to get diagnosed. And then it can take seemingly forever to find the right medication.

It would be nice to know that you are there along the way, offering your prayers, your support, your presence. Please, be there.

For those with Bipolar Disorder;
We Pray to The Lord.

For a better understanding of the medications
used to treat Bipolar Disorder;
We Pray to The Lord.

For doctors who treat those
with Bipolar Disorder;
We Pray to the Lord.

For family members living with those
who have Bipolar Disorder;
We Pray to the Lord.

* * * * * *

Part 1 - For Those Who are Ill

Part 2 - For A Better Understanding of Bipolar Disorder

* Part 3 - For A Better Understanding Of The Medications Used To Treat Bipolar Disorder

Part 4 - To Get To Know Others With Bipolar Disorder

Part 5 -  For A Better Understanding Of The Different Types Of Bipolar Disorder

Part 6 - That We May Learn To Listen To Those With Bipolar Disorder

Part 7 - What Can I Do To Help Someone With Bipolar Disorder?

Part 8 - To Learn More About Bipolar Disorder

We Pray to the Lord - Part 2: For Better Understanding of Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder.
In the past it was known as  manic-depressive illness.

More than a mood disorder,
it is actually a brain disorder
that causes shifts in mood,
shifts in energy and activity levels.
Sometimes it makes it next to impossible
to carry out normal daily life.

Mind you,
these are NOT the normal ups and downs
of day to day living.
Bipolar ups and downs are severe, extreme.

In the severe “Up” state
(the manic or hypo-manic state)
the person can manage on little sleep,
if they sleep at all.
They might do something like start putting laundry away,
then shift to cleaning out the closet. . .
. . and before you know it the whole bedroom is re-arranged,
cleaned from top to bottom. . .maybe even painted. . .
And all this happened when the rest of the house was asleep.
And morning comes,
with no sleep having been had,
but another day with other “projects” begins. . . .

Lack of sleep
may bring about
hypnagogic hallucinations,
which has her own set of problems.
Hypnagogic Hallucinations
is the hearing voices,
but this is due to lack of sleep.
It’s like dreaming while you are awake.
It’s like being half awake
and half asleep.
One hears what one would hear
while dreaming in the full sleep state.

In the manic state,
the person may be extremely chatty
and not quite able to understand
why everyone else is not as busy and productive as they are.
It’s often next to impossible
to interrupt the chattiness
as they have so much to say.
They have a hundred million different thoughts
racing through their head
and are trying to get them all out.
And they have a million projects
going on in their head as well.
They become busy and active
trying to accomplish everything
that is going on in their head.

And then there is the “down” state.
It can happen suddenly, quickly.
One moment the person is active, productive
doing all sorts of works and projects,
and quite literally a moment later
they take a 180 and are down. . .
depressed, sleeping.

The shifts in mood can last several days
or even weeks.
The shift can come with little or no warning at all.

Some with bipolar disorder
experience this 2 or 3 times a year.
Some cycle quickly,
in a matter of weeks.
Our household
has experienced
the Rapid Cycling Bipolar Disorder.

Bipolar disorder
often develops in a person's late teens
or early adult years.
At least half of all cases start before age 25.
Some people have their first symptoms during childhood,
while others may develop symptoms late in life.

Bipolar disorder is not easy to spot when it starts.
The symptoms may seem like separate problems,
not recognized as parts of a larger problem.
Those around a person with Bipolar Disorder
might see the separate events
as occurring after some specific event,
the loss of a job, a relationship break-up,
death of a loved one. . .
and, therefore,
miss the mark.

Sometimes,
the events are not so major.
The person might fail to pay phone bill,
even though they have sufficient funds,
and the phone gets turned off.
Or they fail to put laundry away
and things around the house start to pile up.
The depression, the down side,
is so severe,
that these simple every day tasks
are seemingly impossible to do.

Seeing these events,
both the large and small events,
as separate events that might cause depression,
those around a person with Bipolar Disorder
fail to connect the dots.
And so,
many fail to see
that these are all bits and pieces
of a much larger puzzle.

And because of this
some people suffer for years
before they are properly diagnosed and treated.
Like diabetes or heart disease,
bipolar disorder is a long-term illness
that must be carefully managed
throughout a person's life.

And for goodness sake,
find the right doctor.
We spend more time shopping for a used car
than we do for a good doctor.
If your doctor isn’t answering your questions
or helping in the way you need,
fire him/her
and find a doctor who will.
Seriously,
fire your doctor.
This is too important
not to get the help that is needed.

In my next blog entry
I will discuss a bit
about how the medications work
and what exactly they are prescribed for.

For now, though,
you might glean a little something more
from this video.
It’s brief and very informative.

 
For a better understanding of Bipolar Disorder,
We Pray to the Lord.

For those with Bipolar Disorder,
We Pray to the Lord.

* * * * * *

Part 1 - For Those Who are Ill

* Part 2 - For A Better Understanding of Bipolar Disorder

Part 3 - For A Better Understanding Of The Medications Used To Treat Bipolar Disorder

Part 4 - To Get To Know Others With Bipolar Disorder

Part 5 -  For A Better Understanding Of The Different Types Of Bipolar Disorder

Part 6 - That We May Learn To Listen To Those With Bipolar Disorder

Part 7 - What Can I Do To Help Someone With Bipolar Disorder?

Part 8 - To Learn More About Bipolar Disorder

We Pray to the Lord - Part 1: For Those Who Are Ill

Please know
that I thought once, twice, thrice
and even more
about posting this.
It’s very personal
and very painful.
But you know,
sometimes we just know
that it’s time to make a move.
Sometimes
it’s just time to speak out.
Sometimes
it’s just plain time.

And with what’s going on in the media lately,
well,
I guess it really is just about time
that I quit holding on to these articles,
finish them up
and post them to my liturgy blog.

Liturgy is Life.
That is the premise of this blog.
Life needs to be a Liturgy.
If what we do and say at the Sacred Liturgy
doesn’t match what’s going in our lives,
well,
then something is wrong.

But sometimes things don’t match
because people are afraid to speak out,
afraid to speak up
and say that a problem
or a situation exists.

Because if a problem exists
the liturgy will get messy,
and in turn,
our lives and our ministries will get messy.
We will need to change
how we view certain things,
how we do certain things.

So be it.
SO BE IT.
Maybe the change is necessary.
At least it is for me.
And so,
after thinking and re-thinking this blog post
(and the subjects of the posts that will follow)
I write about my experience,
what I have learned.
And I hope
this will help someone somewhere.

And so,
I begin with The Holy Mass,
the Sacred Liturgy itself.
I spend so much time there.
I attend or serve as a musician
for 2 or 3 parishes each week.

At most masses
during The Prayers of The Faithful
we tend to remember those who are ill.
Sometimes
we mention people by name
because they are in special need of God’s healing power.
And sometimes
the mass is specifically scheduled
for those who are ill
to receive the sacrament of anointing.

But what do we mean when we pray,
“for those who are ill, we pray to the Lord??”
It’s a good prayer,
and one that needs to be prayed.

. . .but sometimes I wonder
if we are just handing our needs over to God
and saying, “Daddy, fix this.”
Sometimes we have no alternative.
Sometimes only The Merciful One can heal.

But sometimes, I think,
we just don’t want to deal with things ourselves.
Sometimes, even,
we utter the words
so that we won’t have to do anything more.

Even more,
we make ourselves “busy” in prayer
with rosaries and novenas
so that it will look like
we are doing something about the situation.

Now,
don’t get me wrong.
I believe the prayers at mass
are good and necessary.
I believe that rosaries, novenas
and other prayers
said at home or in private
have the utmost value.
And I am in no way stating
that we should stop the prayers
for those who are ill.

Remember,
this is the person
who oft has blogged about
the power of words spoken and written,
about The Power of The Word.

So please,
don’t get me wrong here.

But I must say I’m reminded of that hymn in Spanish,
Con Vosotros Esta. . . .

“Su nombre es el Señor y pasa hambre
Y clama por la boca del hambriento,
Y muchos que lo ven pasan de largo,
Acaso por llegar temprano al templo.”

(His name is the Lord and He is hungry
He calls to you from the mouths of the hungry
But many just pass him by
just so they can get to church early)
   
“Su nombre es el Señor y sed soporta
Y esta en quien de justicia esta sediento,
Y muchos que lo ven pasan de largo
A veces ocupados en sus rezos.”

(His name is the Lord and He is very thirsty
and He is all of those who thirst for justice
But many just pass Him by
too busy with their private prayers)

Sometimes we say the prayer
because it’s easier to take the time to pray
than to take the time and
going over and asking our neighbor
how we can help them
with the illness found in their household.

Let’s face it.
Sometimes saying the prayer with words
is easier
than being the prayer in action.

Let me say that again:
Sometimes saying the prayer with words
is easier
than being the prayer in action.

Am I making sense to anyone?
Or am I just venting?
Either way
I’ve got your attention.
Please read on.
Perhaps you’ll learn something.

In my extended family over the years
we’ve been challenged by asthma,
diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrom,
scleroderma, carpal tunnel
and ADHD.

There was even a time
where I, myself,
was hospitalized twice during the same year.
And the time
when I was walking with a cane,
which in the end turned out to be
a misdiagnosis.

My mother,
now in her eighties,
took a fall in the spring of last year
and had to have surgery
due to a broken shoulder.
Visits to the orthopedist
are now part of her regular medical care.

But none of the above
is what I intend to focus on in this blog
at this time. . .

. . there is one illness. . .
one illness that has forced me
to get educated. . .

. . .One illness
that has required much, much more from me
than a myriad of recited prayers,
though believe you me,
I’ve done more than my share.

Someone very close to me
was diagnosed
with Bipolar Disorder
in November of 2010.
At the time,
the diagnosis
came as a relief.
We finally understood
what was causing the problems.

Finding the right medication, however,
proved to be quite another cross to bear,
taking a year and a half
just to find the right meds,
meds that didn’t send things
into a further state of depression.
And we still aren’t quite there yet.
We’re close,
but not quite there yet with medication.

Still so much to learn,
so much to learn.

And while we are learning
and coping
the outside world continues,
the church continues to offer Her prayers,
for those who are ill.

But you know
I have never heard a prayer petition
in The Prayers of The Faithful
specifically asking for healing
for those with Bipolar Disorder,
though I have heard other illnesses mentioned.
I have NEVER heard a petition
for Bipolar Disorder.

And what’s more
few ask us about Bipolar
and how they can help.
At least two people
have asked me about aggressive behavior,
which I found to be so off the mark.
They obviously
don’t know or understand
Bipolar Disorder.

And so few ask
how they can help with Bipolar.

I think it may have a to do with
a fear of the unknown.
In all honesty,
I think it may have to do
with sheer ignorance.
People don’t ask
because they don’t know what to ask.
People don’t move from recited prayers
because they don’t know how.
People don’t move from recited prayers
because sometimes they just don’t want to.
To become the prayer, well,
that can get very messy.

It’s not an illness
that confines one to bed or hospital,
although at times it might.

It’s not an illness
that requires a cane or a wheelchair.

It’s not an illness
that requires IV therapy,
although at times it might.

In short,
bipolar disorder is not an illness
that one can see directly,
unless of course,
you are living with
or very close to a person with this disorder.
Bipolar Disorder
is an invisible disease.

But it is an illness
that requires much love and patience.
It requires persistence, perseverance
and insistence from medical personnel.

Bipolar Disorder
is an illness
that requires much time and attention
from those who care for those with this disorder.

And,
yes, my friends,
it surely requires prayer.
And, I might add,
prayers recited
and prayers of action.

I will write more about bipolar disorder
in the weeks to come.
I will about what it is
and what it isn’t.
I will write about ways
that you can help those with Bipolar Disorder,
and how to help those
who care for those Bipolar Disorder.   

My friend, Marcy,
always states
that everything happens for a reason.
Perhaps one of the reasons
our family has been called
to live with Bipolar Disorder
is to help educate others about it,
to help others through it.
And so,
in the days/weeks to come
I will write a lot about the subject.

But for a now
a few things
that may surprise you.

There is a connection between ADHD
(Attention Deficit Hyperactivety Disorder)
and Bipolar Disorder.
(And if you think ADHD is only about
consuming excessive sugar,
you are really neanderthal in your thinking
and need to do some extensive reading.)

There is also a correlation
between seizures and Bipolar Disorder.
(For our family member
the bipolar progressed extremely rapidly
after a few seizures, which, at the time,
the doctors could not explain.)

Bipolar Disorder
affects approximately 5.7 million adult Americans,
or about 2.6% of the U.S. population
age 18 and older every year.

83% of cases of Bipolar Disorder are classified as severe.

The median age of onset for Bipolar Disorder is 25 years.

Bipolar Disorder is the sixth leading cause
of disability in the world.

Some 20% of adolescents with major depression
develop Bipolar Disorder
within five years of the onset of depression.
(A friend of mine has a teenage son
who struggles with depression,
and I am writing these blog entries, in part, for her.)

Some with Bipolar Disorder develop a dual diagnosis.
They may start drinking or taking drugs
in an effort to numb the symptoms of their mental condition
and “even out” their bipolar state.
They aren’t drinking/taking drugs to get high,
but to experience what most of us call “normal,”
trying to get up and out of the black hole of depression
and “up” into a state of normalcy.
It is, for the most part,
an unconscious attempt to self-medicate.
But this, in turn,
brings on a whole slew of other problems
to be contended with.

Prison systems have a significant number
of dual diagnosis patients under lock and key.
Research has found that over 20%
of those currently residing in the United States prison system
could be classified as dual diagnosis.

The rate of suicides among people with Bipolar Disorder
is even higher than that for schizophrenics.
Some studies have come up with rates as high as 30%-50%.
Those with a dual diagnosis
have the highest risk of suicide.

Each year, over 30,000 people in the U.S.
take their own lives.
More than 90% of these people
are believed to have
a diagnosable mental disorder.

So,
the next time you say a prayer for those who are ill
I ask you,
I beg you
to specifically say a prayer
for those who live with bipolar disorder.
And then,
if our Good and Gracious God calls you to it,
become the prayer in action.

For those with bipolar disorder,
We Pray to The Lord.

For doctors and medical personnel
who treat bipolar disorder,
We Pray to The Lord.

For those family and friends
and others who care for those
with bipolar disorder,
We Pray to the Lord.

St. Dymphna, Pray for us.

Our Lady of Good Health, Pray for us.

Dearest Jesus,
Please afford all those in need of healing
the ability to reach up
and touch the hem of your garment.
Amen.

* * * * * *

* Part 1 - For Those Who are Ill

Part 2 - For A Better Understanding of Bipolar Disorder

Part 3 - For A Better Understanding Of The Medications Used To Treat Bipolar Disorder

Part 4 - To Get To Know Others With Bipolar Disorder

Part 5 -  For A Better Understanding Of The Different Types Of Bipolar Disorder

Part 6 - That We May Learn To Listen To Those With Bipolar Disorder

Part 7 - What Can I Do To Help Someone With Bipolar Disorder?

Part 8 - To Learn More About Bipolar Disorder