Appealing a special needs trust, what a nightmare!

Here is my story.  When my mother passed away in 2014 i was on ssi.  She did not want me to lose my benefits so she left me out of the will.  It was understood that a trust would be set up for me.  My sister received a larger inheritance to fund a trust.  My sister obtained a lawyer and a special needs revocable trust was set up on my behalf.  2 years went by and i had to do a review with Social Security as they do from time to time.  They asked me a series of questions, one being do you have a trust.  I had nothing to hide, so i said yes.  The first thing they said is why do we not know this.  I had assumed that papers were mailed from the attorney and i was good.  So, this was the first big mistake.
Mistake # 1
1. Not notifying Social Security about the trust.

I had to give tons of information showing 4 years of my checking account, my mothers will and  how the trust was funded.  This process took weeks and 7 trips to the Social Security office.  The result from this was that the trust was not good and i owe all the money back from 2 years, $17, 993 and 3 cents.

Time to get a Lawyer
I find the best lawyer for this type of case.  A lawyer that does nothing but set up special needs trust.  I should have went with this type of lawyer in the beginning but i figured my sister new what she was doing and i never gave it a thought at the time.

Mistake # 2
2.  When setting up a trust get a lawyer who knows trusts inside and out, not an everyday lawyer.

Here is where it really gets confusing.  I meet with the Special needs trust attorney and she says that the trust is good, as long as you followed the rules of the trust.  She looks over everything and says your good and appeals.  The appeal goes to what they they call the Tribunal.  This is a panel the reviews cases for Social Security.  I get back the appeal letter and a date is set to meet at the Social Security office.  This time i bring an attorney with me to the Social Security office.  This is now my 8th time down there but at least i have some support.

I go up to the window with my attorney and proceed to talk to the same lady, who is quite rude and who i have talked to before.  This time the attorney is explaining to her why the trust is good.  She is caught off guard by his Questions.  He asks to see the results from the Tribunal and she says she can not give him the information.  He states the case why the trust is good and asks her for her name and say to her, do you understand our position.  She says smiling, yes, and i should receive another letter in 2 weeks.

Only 3 days go by and i get the letter, i could not believe how fast it came.  The letter states that you brought us no new evidence and i am denied.  There are 4 levels of appeal.
4 levels of appeal
• Reconsideration;
• Hearing by an administrative law judge;
• Review by the Appeals Council; and
• Federal Court review.

This was the reconsideration level that i just lost.  Your odds are not very good at winning at this level.  By the way, you are cut off from your monthly check and your medical before you get to this point.  They do not consider or care that you have a disability, it is all about the money.

When people hear the word trust they think that you have a lot of money.  That may be true in some cases, but not mine.  By the time i pay back money and attorney fees i will have very little left.  I will also have no insurance.  The reason for the trust is that it can make your life a bit better and buy some comforts.  Here is what you can buy with a special needs trust.
What can a special needs trust pay for

What should i do?  At this point, the attorney's can show nothing as to why my trust is good, other than their opinion.  I owe them for the reconsideration part of the appeal.  Do i proceed with the appeal?  I am not sure.  Maybe someone reading this has a suggestion.  Let me know.  I feel that i might be beating a dead horse.  Nobody seems to have a good answer for me.  I have Social Security and there lawyers telling me it is not good and my attorney saying it is good, what a mess.  As of 11/3/2018 i got another letter demanding money and i am cut off the system.  I am writing this post to just vent my feelings and hopefully warning someone what not to do.  Get the right attorney to set up a special needs trust.  Do your homework and let Social Security know what your doing.  Your mental state is at risk and this type of situation is very stressful.  Had i gone to this attorney that i have now, i probably would not be in this situation.  I will let you know what my decision will be in the next post.

Sucks to be fat again is it my meds?

Wow, I am back to fat, and it sucks!

I thought I had this weight problem under control.   I even bragged in earlier posts how I had it all figured out.  Ya, Right...  I ended up losing 112 pounds.  I was so smug telling everyone how I did it.  I got down to my dream weight of 180 pounds, the hard way, working out and eating right.  We'll I gained it all back.  I guess when I accomplished my goal I realized I still had all the same problems.  

I was still depressed.  When you are losing weight you get lots of compliments, you look so good, how did you do it, and I bragged how I did it.  The adulation wore off and the depression came back and it was off to all of my favorite fast food places.  Oh how I wish I could go back and stop myself from eating so much.

For a large part of my weight loss I was in mania, which made it easy to work out.  Now, I just don't seem to be interested in being healthy.  I am sure you know the feeling which depression only magnifies.  The thoughts of suicide and just how easy it would be to give up.  I guess I blame myself and not my illness.  I am no spring chicken and the weight is really catching up with me.  Legs are hurting and I am getting very uncomfortable.

I have lost and gained this weight several times and it is getting tiring.  I am not sure I even want to lose it again.  I know what I should eat, I know how to exercise.  How do you exercise when you are in depression and really don't care if you live.  I am sure there is some weird reason I keep doing this.  I am on the right drugs and I am pretty sure this is as stable as I can be.

When I lost the weight at least I could scratch that problem off my long list of other problems.  It's back on the list, along with job, relationships, isolation, and a long list of others.  I am now 54 and really do not care what I look like.  It was nice to feel good even for a short time.

I am really lost on what to do.  Should I just give up, and except being fat.  Let me know if you have any ideas.  Maybe there is a better way to think.  I am on lithium, Seroquel and Lamictal.  I have tried all the others.  

Bipolar and using your creativity

Are people with Bipolar more creative?  

I think so?

Published on Oct 28, 2015

Van Gogh, Beethoven and Edgar Allan Poe were luminaries in their respective fields of art, music and poetry. Their passion for their art forms kindled a creative fire of productivity that affects humanity centuries later. Yet, all of them, like many other creative artists, poets and musicians, suffered from depression or bipolar disorder. In this age of advancement in the neurosciences we have been empowered to explore the age old question that this pardox presents: Is "madness" a part and parcel of "creative genius?" In this seminar we will explore the links between mood disorders and profound creativity. We will go below the surface-level historical links and epidemiological associations and explore the neurobiology of mood disorders and that of creativity to come to an empirically-based answer. In doing so, this seminar will examine the junctions between art, medicine, neuroscience and ethics, and attempt to uncover the secrets of what moves us emotionally as humans.

Dr. Mohammad Alsuwaidan directs the psychiatry specialty clinic at Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital in Kuwait. He is an assistant professor of psychiatry at both Kuwait University and the University of Toronto. He is the Program Director for the Kuwait Board of Psychiatry Residency Training Program. He previously served as Founding Head of Mood & Anxiety Disorders, Inaugural Director of Education and Interim Chief of Psychiatry at the Kuwait Center for Mental Health.

Dr. Alsuwaidan completed his psychiatry residency, mood & anxiety disorders fellowship and medical education fellowship at the University of Toronto. He also trained in mood disorders at the Stanford University bipolar clinic and the Tufts Medical Center mood disorders clinic. He completed a Masters of Public Health (MPH) at Johns Hopkins University. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and is certified in public health (CPH) by the National Board of Public Health Examiners.

For more information please visit www.MohammadAlsuwaidan.com

Here is an interesting site of talented bipolar paintings 

http://www.bipolarartists.com/index.html  

How the death of my mother caused my bipolar mania to explode part B

How the death of my mother caused my bipolar mania to explode part B.

A strange thing about mania is that I enjoy it at the time.  You take risks, start projects, you think you have supernatural powers, at least I thought so.  The death of my mother triggered all of this.  Mania to me is a relief to the months of depression and the feeling of sadness, and the thoughts of suicide.

So, I will continue with my story.  After leaving Gerry at the casino I went home.  I was still hearing the voices of my departed mother.  In a way it was comforting I felt she was with me.  I also had everyone around me worried sick.  My energy became so extreme I had no time to listen to anyone, I had all the answers to every thing.

After all, this was just one of many of the strange manic episodes that I have had.  I have traveled from my home in Michigan with no plans and very little money.  I ended up in Nebraska one time thinking I was in California.  Ending up at a farm in the middle of no where. I really thought this farm belonged to me.  Long story short, the police were called and I ended up in a straight jacket and was taken to the hospital.  Strange thing is,  I felt glad to be in a straight jacket it felt comforting.

 Back to the Death of my mother.  I began to barricade myself in the basement where I lived.  I felt my mother was down there and I wanted to be with her.  I could talk with her and she could talk with me.  She was a decorator and we decided to decorate the basement.  We painted the walls and I made a chandelier out of a wire tomato hanger.

I went back and forth to the Greek Town Casino with my mom of coarse.  Losing money from my fathers credit card.  I dressed different, I looked different, I wore jewelry and I was becoming a completely different person.  My mothers house was up for sale.  My brother who lives in California was the executor and my sister were in charged of the estate.  I became a big pain in the ass, taking things and moving things in the house.  Mom was always with me.  I would place towels in the house in the sign of the cross, move things and prove to them that mom was with me.

My anger turned toward my brother who was out of state.  In my mind he was stealing and I would not let him.  He was planning to get married at the time and I made threats to ruin his wedding.  I felt he had my computer bugged and had helicopters watching my every move.  I emailed threats to him a nd told his bride to be how awful he was.  I went to a Lawyer and decided I would sue him.  The Lawyer knew I was not right and even said are you on medication.

My brother did not know what to do, so he called my counselor and tried to get me put in the hospital.  When I went to my therapist she said I had to do a drug test, I passed and there was nothing they could do.

That night I went back to the casino spending more off my fathers credit card.  I figured I could win and pay him back easily.  Lost again, down about $2500.  I had already lost all of my own money about $2000.  I will just win it back, no problem.  After I lost, I went in to a gas station in Detroit to get a protein bar.  All of the sudden 3 young black dudes surrounded me and asked me if I was a police officer.  Are you an officer they said?  I said maybe.  They ran around me nervously I guess they were deciding as to robbing me or not.  One was outside guarding the door the other two were inside.  The attendant rolled the bullet proof glass shut.  Again they asked are you an officer, I said maybe!  This is how it is going to end, shot and killed in a gas station, a common thing in Detroit.

My hands were shaking.  I threw my wallet, car keys, and gold chain on the counter and put my hands in my jacket.  They ran around, knocked a few items off the shelf, and left.  After they left, the attendant opened the window and yelled at me. You should have told them you were a cop!!!  I told him to F**** OFF.

After I left the station I became paranoid and figured they were following me, so I drove back to downtown Detroit trying for hours to find the police department.  I frantically found the police station.  I sat in the parking lot until a cop came over.  I told him what happened and that I was bipolar and could not find my way home.  My brain just could not figure out where I lived.  He did nothing to really help me.  Hey, in Detroit this is no big deal and you get no help.  I sat behind the steel gates at the police department until I was calm enough to find my way home.

My mania went on for another couple of months.  I woke up one day sleeping on an air mattress and instantly snapped out of mania.  I now realized the havoc and the pain that I caused.  I felt so ashamed!

 I would have to write a book to explain the ups and down of my manic episodes.  I will give you a list of other things that I went through.

1.  Maxed my 36 credit cards
2. Threw money out the car window
3. Became an Angel
4. Trashed cars
5. Blew money at Casinos
4. Rented a bus and 3 cars which I did not drive
5. Went bankrupt 3 times
6. Ended up in hospitals in different states
7. Bought pounds of weed (not even a pot smoker)

I have felt tremendous shame from all of this and I am pretty stable right now.  Even though I am 53 now,  I have never had a relationship to speak of or  held down a normal job.  Some how I keep going and I do not know why.  I am afraid to get close to someone, I keep a wall up.  Walls keep you from getting hurt.  They also make you a prisoner.  I do not  have any jealousy as far as material things.  I give most things away.  It is just all junk,  I just want peace.  I just want to live happy in my mind.  If I can live happy in my mind, my location and my stuff does not matter.

 My walls are built well.  I have built them to last.  They are made of 2" steel.  I have built many.   I am the only one who might be able to burn through, but I am not a welder.  If they were made of wood I could just light a match and watch them burn. I am not sure how many walls are behind the first one, there could be hundreds.

For now I live inside my walls.  Not sure if I will ever completely get out.  Really not sure if  I want to.  I do get some visitors, my dog Ben can get in and out.  He knows how, he is my best friend.  He walks right through the steel.  We play and talk and he leaves when he wants to.  One day he may show me how he does it.  I think animals are smarter than we think.  I love animals and we can learn a lot from them.  They know how to love and are a reflection of how we they are treated.  They give us way more than we can ever give them.  Just get a puppy, you will see what true love is.        

http://www.free-range-humans.com/out-of-the-box/fpassions/
   

   

How the death of my mother caused my bipolar mania to explode part A

    Like so many other families, we have lost to many people to Cancer.  My sister at 36, my niece at 29. My Mother did her very best to take care of both of them. Now she was also fighting the battle against uterine cancer.  They found a five pound tumor.  People were shocked, she always looked so beautiful.  She was a tap dancer.  Everything she touched had to be perfection. She loved her friends and she had dozens of them.  The Surgeon gave us very little hope.  Three to six months.  She never asked and did not want to know how much time she had left.  She had places to be and many things to do.  I think of her as high voltage, always moving with a great zest for life.  Time was passing quickly and she was trying to cram everything in. Traveling, golfing, and even tap dancing which she loved to do with her friends in Arizona. She went through Chemo and her hair fell out.  She was so sick.  It was hard to watch my Mother, my best friend suffer so much.

  All of this is hard to handle even for the most stable of  minds.  I became her rock and took care of her every day for weeks.  As my mother got closer to the end, the stress became more and more and my mind started to race and reality began to slip away.

  The day my mother died.  It was March 4 2014, as I look at the clock it was ten minutes to ten I realized that I had to give her dilaudid in liquid form.  It was like feeding a baby bird.  She was in the front room the only place the hospice bed would fit.  She did not want to be in that room because my step father died in the same room three years before and was pronounced dead at 10:05 pm.  I was also there with my mother when he died.

  I was lucky to have my sister Karen who has been a nurse for many years.  She had left that morning to go take a shower.  I was getting ready to give my my mother her meds when I heard a gasp.  I went quickly to check on my mother.  That was her last breath.  I stood at the foot of the bed and then sat with my mother who was still warm.  I heard a knock at the door.  It was the hospice nurse.  She pronounced her death at 10:05 am.  The same time as my step father.  She was am he was pm.  I had been like a robot the whole time my mother was sick.  I did not have any feelings of sadness like one would expect.  I called my sister and she said she was on her way.

I was no longer able to keep my mania in tack and the Craziness began!

I began to hear my moms voice and bells ringing.  When she was sick and could not talk I gave her a bell and now it was ringing and haunting me.  The same night my mother died in my sleep I flashed pictures.  I am a sleep walker and I sometimes would even drive a car in this sleep state.  I no now it was caused by Ambien, which I no longer take.  When I looked at the pictures on the camera there were images of my mother in her bed just as she laid there when she died.  I showed the pictures to my father and he said that is your mother and he was confused.  I really think that some Bipolar people are able to tap in to the supernatural when they are in Mania.

Bipolar and my trip to the Casino with Mom. 

My mother and me always went to play the slots.  The same morning I took the pictures I heard my mother voice say lets go to the casino.  I said lets go mom and off I went with my departed mother.  Mom was still with me and I was happy to go with her.  I had $100 dollars and thought I can not lose with Mom here with me.  Well I lost 80 bucks real quick at the Greek town Casino.  I could not hear my Moms voice anymore so I went to get a coffee. 

At the coffee machine there was a lot of commotion going on.  A  homeless lady was getting asked to leave the casino I guess she wore out her welcome.  I stepped in and said she is with me and they said she can stay as long as she is playing.  She asked me for money for the bus and I gave her my last twenty.  She said thank you and headed for the exit.  Instead of leaving I seen her go right for the slot machine.  I kind of got mad and she said something that blew me away.  She said she was a street minister and she was going to pay other peoples bills if she won.  

This is not her but close to what she looked like.

I told her I would like to join her and she said her name was Gerry and there would be no hanky panky being that she was a minister.  I said I would never make a pass even though she was so beautiful.  She began to talk to people who were not there.  I asked who she was talking to and she said your mother.  I was stunned at first and then it made perfect sense.  I followed her as she looked for the perfect machine.  She said that the one, the Panda machine.  She put the twenty in the penny Panda machine.  I told her to just play 35 cents at a time and she told me that she only plays high voltage.  I said what is high voltage and she said it is the max.  I figured well were not going to be here for long.

Jack Pot!!!!  Free spins!!!

Normally this machine will hit for 8 free spins, accept the free spins hit for more free spins for a grand total of 108 free spins.  The free spins went for about twenty minutes when the spinning stopped and the light went on and signaled a big win.  Over $1,200, the casino guy countered her out twelve new hundred dollar bills.  Gerry offered me some of the money and I told her to keep it.  She then asked me for a ride to her boyfriend and reluctantly I said ok.  I drove her to where she said in the worst part of Detroit at a CVS store in the hood.  She said stop, there is my boyfriend and hopped out of the car he was also homeless.  I began to back up the car to leave.  She said you can not leave until we pray and I minister to you.  I told her that I am not a believer and she grabbed my hand and began to pray over me.  I thought to myself hurry up and pray so I can get out of here.  As she prayed I looked to my left and across the street was a church with a giant cross.  The prayer seemed to go on forever and I told Gerry I just can not believe like you do.  She said that is ok I will make sure you get in.  I said ok and she let me go.

I will pick up from here in my next blog, give me a comment if you want me to continue.

  

 
  

  
 

 
    
   

Is it possible to be happy with Bipolar?

  First of all, lets define happiness.  According to Merriam-Webster.  Happiness: The state of being happy.  An experience that makes you happy.  I started researching the word happiness.  Wikihow had 11 steps on how to be happy.  I got maybe 4 out of the 11 on the list.

  Being happy is not something you can maintain all the time.  You can only grab moments of happiness while life is happening.  The more moments you can grab the happier you become.  I think when you are Bipolar your emotions are more extreme.  This can make a sad situation worse and a happy situation better, depending where you are on your high or on your low.

   Live in the moment - Being happy,  happens to us in small doses.  You can not be happy all the time it is impossible.  It is easy to be happy when things are going good, but how do you be happy when life sucks.  This is really a challenge for Bipolar people.  Counseling, psychotherapy, and the right combination of medication will play a crucial role in helping to keep you from sinking into that very dark place that is the essence of depression. Be patient, but don't look for miracles. It may be that you will need the help of professionals throughout your life to maintain a generally even keel.      

Does having money make you happy? -  Everyone says no, but I sure would like to give it a try.  Being broke sucks!  Having money has to be better because your basic needs are met.  You do not see rich people giving their money away to be poor and happy.  I know you can be rich and miserable, but it is still better than being poor and miserable.  A lot of people who are Bipolar can not hold a steady job.  This has been an issue for me and a big obstacle for me.

I am not very happy or content at this time are you? - I am just going through the motions of everyday life.  I guess I am on the depressed side.  I guess I just feel empty and I am not sure how to fill myself up.  I know I have to make things happen if I want life to be more interesting, I am just not sure how.  I should be happy that I lost over a 100 pounds, yet even that seems sad.  I was so focused on losing weight that it kept my mind of of other problems that I have.  I think I am possibly a perfectionist, not in a good way.  There is never any satisfaction in anything I do, it is never good enough.  I have read a lot about being happy.  I understand the concept of trying to be happy.  Maybe I am trying to hard.  I just know that life could be so much better.

Complete this sentence.  Am I a happy or a content person?  Let me know I could use some ideas and advice.  If your not happy tell my why not.  Here is a video on being happy.      

  

Creating a Bipolar road map leads to success!

  Bipolar people are some of the most creative people in the world!  

  How can you tap in to this creativity and still manage your Bipolar symptoms?  Create a life road map.

  Start with clear road.  Keep in mind that this is your road and you can drive any speed that you like.

  As you accomplish things you will travel further down the road.

  Remember, slow and steady wins the race.  You will also have bumps,hills,detours,ditches, and will have to maintain this road.  Baby steps!

  Here is an example of my road!   

Maintaining my road!

1. Taking medications as prescribed by your doctor
2. Getting enough sleep
3. Not using drugs or alcohol
4. Eating healthy
5. Keeping my mind active
6. Trying to stay balanced and positive
7. Not isolating myself or make impulsive decisions

How to get out of a ditch! (Severe depression)

1. Seek out professional help
2. Realize you are not alone.  (Other people are in similar situations)
3. Give yourself a break. (Do not beat yourself up)
4. Try to enjoy simple things.

  

  Now draw your road map placing things that you would like to achieve along the road.  Realizing that you will have bumps,hills,detours and ditches.  

Things I want to achieve on my road

1. Lose weight (Lost 90 lbs) 15 lbs to go, not bad!
2. Be independent (Still working on it)
3. Go to my counseling and doctors appointment (Doing good)
4. Being kind to myself and others 
5. Help others, makes you and them feel better
6. Keep positive (This is the hardest for me, creating this map to help visualize has helped my thinking.  It makes me feel like I have better control over my life.  

    Remember to take what is special about you and use that for fuel to keep going on your road.  You build and maintain this road exactly the way you want.

  Some famous people with Bipolar! 


Sincerely, Dan

Bipolar and Getting Back in Shape

  Gaining weight has been a big issue with me.  I have been dealing with it all my life.  I gained over a hundred pounds.  I think it was mostly due to depression and lack of energy.  It is easy to lay in bed  and eat, then face the world.  Depression will beat you up.  How do you lose weight, when you are not sure that you want to live?

  Here is how I lost the weight.  First of all losing weight is not easy no matter what your circumstance is.  The first thing I did was get on the scale.  I weighed in at 293lbs.  I am 5'9" tall and 49 years old.  The one thing I did have is that I was still alive.  I was lucky to be alive after some of my manic episodes.

  Looking at that number made me even more depressed and turning it around seemed impossible.  I decided I would not make any more excuses.  I decided to take charge and make a plan.  I would not make any excuses for not losing the weight such as, money, meds, time, age or let anything stand in my way of losing the weight.  I layed out a simple plan.

1.  I weighed myself (know where your starting from)

2. Create a diet of healthy foods that you like, that you can stick with forever.  That way when you lose the weight your diet will not change.

3. Decide what is a realistic number of weight that you would like to be.  Know how many calories you should should eat to achieve your desired weight.

4.  Be stubborn!  Stick to your plan.  If you have a bad day, jump back on the next day.  Remember, no excuses.

5. Exercise.  It cost no money.  I started out walking.  Pick any activity that you like.  I use a stability ball and a couple of weights to do all my exercises.  You can do a lot of ab exercises and tighten your core.  That way if you have a lot of weight to lose you can decrease the amount of extra fat that will hang if you do not exercise.

   I think eating is about 80% 15% is exercise and 5% is genetics as far as weight loss goes.

  I did not set a time frame for losing my weight.  Time will pass and the weight will come off.  Take it day by day.  Eventually the weight comes off.

  I did not set a goal.  That way there is no failure.  I did become stubborn.   I was only stubborn one day at a time.   I woke up and was stubborn.  I was not going to give in to my old excuses for this one day.  That was my thinking.

  After a while it becomes automatic.  You start to see results and even get compliments.  So far I have lost 93lbs.  I still have a little bit more I would like to lose.  It has taken over a year to get this much weight off, but it doesn't really matter because I have designed a way of life for me, not just race to get the weight off.

  Yes, Bipolar is a struggle and it is very hard sometimes.  Feeling better about your body also helps your self esteem and your over all health.  Exercise also helps with depression.  It is not easy, but if your stubborn like me, you can and will lose the weight. 

GOOD LUCK!

DAN 



  

   

History of Bipolar Disorder - Bipolar Disorder Already Existed Centuries Ago

Bipolar Disorder has been discovered many years ago however, a lot of people find it hard to understand the condition and was not accepted as an illness right away. The history of Bipolar Disorder can be traced back as far as the second century when Aretaeus from the ancient city of Turkey called Cappadocia determined some of the symptoms of mania and depression. He thought that both mania and depression warning signs were interrelated. The world of medicine didn't recognize his findings back then since no one was able to support his theory.

The next study that followed the second century findings wasn't around for many centuries. It was only made public in 1650 when Richard Burton, a scientist, wrote and published a book called "The Anatomy of Melancholia." He was the first one to successfully study the condition of depression and his book is still widely used today in the mental health field as a key reference. Because of this, he was named the father of depression as a mental illness.

In 1854, Jules Falret instigated the term "folie circulaire" which means circular insanity because he discovered the difference between the depression moments and heightened moods of an individual. He even supported that depression and suicide are both linked together. His findings of depression and manic episodes led to the term Bipolar Disorder but in 1875, his findings were officially called Manic-Depressive Psychosis and it has been recognized as a psychiatric disorder that is different from simple depression alone. Falret even proved that the disease has a genetic linkage as he observed that it is present within certain families.

Francois Baillarger has made an important role in the history of Bipolar Disorder as he differentiated bipolar disorder from schizophrenia for their characteristics of depressive phase. His findings allowed the Bipolar Disorder to be classified apart from the other known mental disorders during the era.

Emil Krapelin in 1913 coined the term manic-depressive as he studied the effects of depression and manic episodes. His unique approach to the mental illness was fully accepted during his time and became the most widely accepted theory of the early 1930's.

In 1948, Dr. John Cade, a Psychiatrist of Bundoora Repatriation Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, was able to discover the positive effects of Lithium Carbonate in treating some of the World War II veterans who have been experiencing manic-depressive psychosis. This was the first time a drug has been discovered to have some successful effect in treating a psychiatric condition. Until now, the compound of Lithium Carbonate is being widely used as a medication for the Bipolar Disorder.

The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disorder published an article in 1952 about the genetic linkage of manic-depressive. It has revealed the possibility of manic-depressive to run in the family stricken with the mental illness. In the 1960's, anyone who has been showing the symptoms of the disease were institutionalized but were given little help by the government since they refused to accept manic-depression as a mental illness. The early 1970's made the mark for new laws that established to help those who were afflicted with the manic-depressive illness. The year 1979 was the year of birth of the National Association of Mental Health or NAMI.

The term Bipolar Disorder replaced the known manic-depressive disorder in 1980 when the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association used it as a diagnostic term. Throughout the 1980's, studies have been conducted to tell the difference between adult and childhood bipolar disorders. To this day, the history of Bipolar Disorder continues to prosper as more and more studies are being conducted to know the probable causes as well as newer methods to treat the mental illness.

Bernadette Guadiz is an expert writer that has been in the online writing industry for several years. She specializes in SEO and keyword-rich articles for website content, blogs, and even forum postings. Should you wish to hire her services, you can contact her through her email bernadetteguadiz@yahoo.com

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Do not let Depression become your friend

Depression can begin to play with your mind.  It can become your identity and take over your life.  It becomes your new best friend.  The kind of friend that moves in and you can't get rid of.  Other people will leave you but depression moves in and stays.  It becomes stronger, as you become weaker.  It lies to us and wants to destroy us.  It becomes familiar and comfortable and dangerous.

Getting rid of depression can be one of the hardest things you will ever do.  It takes effort, work and professional help.  I am not talking about being a little down.  I am talking about the kind of depression that freezes you and can kill you.  People die from depression everyday.  Everyone will say something like, "I new he was feeling kind of down, but I didn't know it was that bad."  It is to late because he or she took their own life.

If you feel like depression has completely taken over your life and you feel helpless here are some good resources.  There is nothing shameful about seeking help! 

HOTLINE & HELPLINE INFORMATION
24-hour Hotlines

National Hopeline Network 1-800-784-2433 (1-800-SUICIDE) http://www.hopeline.com/

National Suicide Prevention Helpline 1-800-273-8255 (1-800-273-TALK)
Helplines & Resources

Includes many local 24-hour hotlines along with support for suicide survivors, suicide prevention and suicide statistics

American Association of Suicidology http://www.suicidology.org/

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention http://www.afsp.org/

Befrienders International with The Samaritans:


Search for support worldwide at http://www.befrienders.org/

Search resources in the United States at http://www.befrienders.org/helplines/helplines.asp?c2=USA

Families for Depression Awareness http://www.familyaware.org/

Prevent Suicide Now http://www.preventsuicidenow.com/

Psycom.net


Suicide prevention resources, worldwide hotline links http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.suicide.html

Suicide Hotline Listing by State http://www.suicidehotlines.com/

Suicide Prevention Action Network USA http://www.spanusa.org/

UCLA School Mental Health Project:


Hotlines for suicide prevention and other crisis resources http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/hotline.htm

ULifeLine College network http://www.ulifeline.org/

How would you describe Bipolar Disorder

How does pot affect depression, bipolar

Studies that have looked closely at whether marijuana use is associated with major depression suggest, in general, that any such association is either weak or nonexistent. Remember, too, that association does not prove causality -- meaning in this case that it is at least as likely that depressed people use pot, as that pot causes depression.

Indeed, studies that have attempted to clarify what causes what generally do not find that pot causes depression, even when used regularly. On the other hand, a number of studies do associate regular marijuana use with depression and anxiety in both adolescents and young adults.

Although there have been recent studies in animals suggesting that compounds that affect cannabinoid receptors in the brain may offer promise for the treatment of depression, I couldn't find any studies suggesting that regular marijuana use was associated with less depression. So I think we'd have to say that on the whole, marijuana is best avoided if one is concerned about -- or struggling with -- depression.

Interestingly, evidence is stronger that regular marijuana use is a risk factor for young people to develop psychosis (defined as loss of touch with reality, i.e. insanity). It also appears to increase the risk for mania, a disastrous state that frequently includes psychotic symptoms. Marijuana is also famous for giving a minority of people panic attacks. These attacks are so miserable that they usually end a person's marijuana use.

On the plus side, marijuana (or more technically cannabis) appears to be beneficial for nausea and a number of chronic pain conditions -- and has a medical indication for these uses in several states.

There is no hard-and-fast definition of chronic use, but most professionals would probably set the line somewhere in the neighborhood of daily use.

Cannabis dependence is more exactly defined and includes 1) developing tolerance so that over time more drug is needed to get the same effect; 2) withdrawal symptoms occur when the drug is discontinued (this has been demonstrated to occur with marijuana when used heavily); 3) using more or for longer periods than intended; 4) unsuccessful attempts to cut down on use; 5) a pattern of life centered around obtaining and using the drug; 6) the abandonment of important occupational or social facets of life to use the drug; and 7) continued use despite knowledge of significant problems caused by the drug.

More than whether use is chronic, the presence of these signs and symptoms of dependence clearly signal that one's marijuana use has become problematic.

Michigan Prison Kills Inmate With Bipolar Disorder

You wouldn't imagine these days that a mental patient could be chained to a concrete slab by prison guards until he died of thirst, but that's how Timothy Souders died and he is not alone. 


Souders suffered from manic depression. And like a lot of mental patients in this country, he got into trouble and ended up not in a hospital, but in jail. It was a shoplifting case and he paid with his life. 


As correspondent Scott Pelley reports, no one would have been the wiser, but a medical investigator working for a federal judge caught wind of Souders' death and discovered his torturous end was recorded on videotape. The tapes, which are hard to watch, open a horrifying window on mental illness behind bars.  This story was on "60 Minutes" Read the rest of this shocking story here.

The U.S. Is the Most Bipolar Country in a New Survey

Are Americans more prone to bipolar disorder? You might get that idea looking at the data from a new survey on the condition from the World Health Organization. The survey, which examined nearly 62,000 people in 11 countries, found that the illness occurs in roughly 2.4% of the population worldwide. But in the US, that figure was at 4.4%, the highest of any of the 11 nations, the LA Times reports.


The survey also reached some disturbing conclusions about the disorder, finding, for example, that 1 in every 4 or 5 persons with bipolar I or II disorder had attempted suicide. “Bipolar disorder is responsible for the loss of more disability-adjusted life-years than all forms of cancer or major neurological conditions such as epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease,” the researchers said.


Putting it all together:
When we look for the cause of bipolar disorder, the best explanation according to the research available at this time is what is termed the "Diathesis-Stress Model." The worddiathesis means, in simplified terms, a physical condition that make a person more than usually susceptible to certain diseases. Thus the Diathesis-Stress Model says that each person inherits certain physical vulnerabilities to problems that may or may not appear depending on what stresses occur in his or her life. Durand and Barlow define this model as a theory "that both an inherited tendency and specific stressful conditions are required to produce a disorder."

So the bottom line, according to today's thinking, is that if you are manic depressive, you were born with the possibility of developing this disorder, and something in your life set it off. But scientists could refine that theory tomorrow. The one sure thing is, they won't give up looking for answers.

Is there a connection between alcohol or drug abuse and bipolar disorder?

Yes, definitely. A significant number of teenagers who abuse these substances are really suffering from an underlying mood disorder such as depression or bipolar disorder. Without realizing it, they may be trying to "self medicate" their symptoms of clinical depression or manic depressive illness.
Teens with mood disorders who abuse alcohol or drugs may seek these substances because they temporarily offer relaxation, or help them feel more confident or energetic. Unfortunately, this is temporary and can cause the depression to worsen, resulting in two serious conditions rather than one.

Celexa And Bipolar Disorder

There are many treatment options for bipolar disorder. Most patients with bipolar disorder require a combination of medication and therapy or counseling for successful treatment of symptoms. However, minor cases of bipolar disorder may not require medication, but may require instead cognitive behavioral therapy. There are some cases, such as in patients with a history of drug abuse, where medication may be recommended but is not a viable treatment option. These cases typically also use cognitive behavioral therapy to assist patients in coping with their illness.

Celexa is an anti-depressant, commonly used with bipolar patients. Celexa, or citalopram, is a serotonin reuptake inhibitor, or SSRI. This family of medications has the effect of balancing serotonin levels in the brain, which are thought to be responsible for mood stabilization.

Celexa is most successful as a treatment for unipolar depression and bipolar disorder type two patients. This is because it is an anti-depressant. Serotonin, the chemical in the brain that balances moods and particularly controls strong emotions, often presents imbalances in the form of depression. Celexa corrects these imbalances, giving the patient relief from depression.

Celexa is most successful as a treatment for bipolar disorder type one patients when used in combination with a mood stabilizer. As an anti-depressant, Celexa alone causes bipolar disorder type one patients to swing into a manic episode. Used in combination with a mood stabilizer or anti-psychotic, however, can allow for a balance of moods to take place, ending rapid or raging mood cycling.

Celexa has several possible minor side effects when used for treatment of bipolar disorder. Common side effects include drowsiness, cotton mouth, nausea, and trouble sleeping. Less common side effects include abdominal pain, anxiety, gas, headache, heartburn, increased sweating, pain in muscles or joints, increases or decreases in weight, weakness, and vomiting. If these side effects persist or become unbearable, you should contact your doctor.

Celexa can also have several possible major side effects when used for treatment of bipolar disorder. Common major side effects include a decrease in sexual desire or ability. Less common major side effects include agitation, confusion, blurred vision, fever, increase in urinal frequency, lack of emotion, decreased memory, skin rashes, and trouble breathing. If you experience any of these side effects you should contact your doctor immediately.

Friends, family and patients with bipolar disorder should keep in mind that even when using anti-depressants such as Celexa, suicide, suicide threats, and suicide attempts can still occur. Always be aware of the signs that can lead to suicide so that medical treatment can be found before an attempt is made.

Bipolar disorder should, in all cases, be treated with a combination of Celexa, or other medications, in conjunction with therapy or counseling. Bipolar disorder patients are encouraged to take active part in their treatment plans. Additionally bipolar patients should not attempt to self medicate or treat symptoms with medication alone. If you show symptoms of bipolar disorder, you should contact your doctor about Celexa and other treatment options.
By: Tarnow2008

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Overspending, Adhd And Bipolar Disorder

A lot of people with ADHD and bipolar disorder have trouble controlling their spending. This is attributed to their dysfunctional inhibitory control, which means that their urge to spend is greater than their capacity to inhibit this behavior.

The deficit in this impulse control may be a result of various aspects such as:

One's own life story: This happens when, somehow, the person learns to spend. The spending behavior may function as pleasure inducing or as a way to reduce discomfort. To some people overspending may come without ill side-effects (debt, property loss...), while others may even had pleasure outcomes (feelings of power, self-reward, getting rid of a bad feeling and such...).

There are still situations where the person is stimulated into overspending because of her environmental models (including fathers, grandparents, friends...). On this situations, it is important for the sufferer of ADHD and bipolar disorder to learn to assign new roles to the spending behavior, substituting the pleasure a relief roles for other more adequate ones.

- Changes in brain functioning: This situation includes people showing a brain injury compromising the proper functioning of her cognitive abilities. This injury may come as a result of a brain trauma or disease.

Brain functioning may also be modified by a neurochemical imbalance, in other words, a deficiency in some neurotransmitters may cause difficulty in controlling some behaviors, such as buying impulses. If this is the case, it is recommended for the bearer of ADHD and bipolar disorder to make use of medications that aid in regulating these brain disorders.

A quick tip to decrease overspending is to NOT USE CREDIT CARDS or CHECKS. In other words, only shop with cash, the reasoning being your control over the amount of money you have is amplified. A credit card of check are payment methods where the consequence of your money decrease only occurs some time after the purchase act, so buying seems to not lead to money decrease. As our behaviors are reinforced by their immediate consequences, when we spend with a credit card or check the consequence is only that of purchasing the goods, and not the immediate decrease of money, so the spending behavior increases in frequency, being associated only with the positive aspects, for example, the acquisition of goods.

Following these apparently innocuous tips may help a lot in controlling the urge to spend and keeping some of the ill side effects of ADHD and bipolar disorder at bay.
By: Marina Merlin

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Marina Merlin holds a bachelor degree on Psychology by PUC Campinas, and a masters degree by UNIFESP. She currently practices on her clinic in Campinas, São Paulo, where her main focus is on ADHD ( TDAH ) and Bipolar Disorder ( THB ) in children and adults.

Why do some people avoid treatment for Bipolar Disorder

There are many reasons why people avoid getting treatment for mood disorders. Unfortunately, there is still shame or stigma surrounding these disorders, even though they have a biological cause just as in diabetes or asthma. Although the public is gradually becoming more educated about clinical depression and bipolar disorder, fear, prejudice and misconceptions still exist and make some individuals reluctant to admit that they have a mood disorder. They fear that people will discriminate against them. They may even believe that if they seek treatment they are weak-willed, defective, or even "crazy." Sadly, many people with these incorrect beliefs would rather suffer than seek treatment. Some people think that they deserve to feel bad, another sign of impaired judgement. They also may feel guilty about issues for which they are not responsible. Another reason that people avoid treatment has to do with the feelings and beliefs that are part of the disorder. Those who feel awful, who are always tired and believe that they are always going to feel bad may not have the energy to push themselves to get help.

DMX Speaks On His Bipolar Disorder, Drug Addiction & More

The 40-year-old rapper has admitted to suffering from bipolar disorder. He claims he doesn't really know how to separate Earl Simmons from "X." "X, X is the bad guy," DMX argues. "I used to be really clear about who was what and what each characteristics each personality had, but at this point I'm not even sure there is a difference." "I'm Earl when I'm with my children," DMX replied with sad emotion. "I miss my children, I miss my children, I miss my children." Instead of drugs, DMX said music is his fix now. Each day a new beginning. (ABC 15 News)

How to cope manage and control Bipolar Disorder

Dear Friend,

Either you or a loved one is living with bipolar disorder. You know what a roller coaster ride it is, and you've witnessed first hand, how traumatic the high's and low's can be.

But there's something that you may not know.

Regardless how severe or the actual type of bipolar that you or your loved one is suffering from, there ARE things you can do to take control of your lifeand regain that confidence, happiness and put you on the path towards living the life you were truly meant to live.

Bipolar disorder is a difficult diagnosis for many. From social stigma to limited information on the topic, it's easy to become frustrated, confused and ashamed of your condition, or that of a loved one.

Society associates bipolar with "controlled behavior", many believing that it's something that can be easily 'cured' just by calming down and being rational in stressful situations.But you and I both know that is far from reality.

When a high hits, you feel like you can take on the world. There is nothing you can do, in fact, you can operate on less sleep and still be incredibly productive.

You're happy, you feel a rush of inner peace, and you hang onto it for as long as you can because you know that the next day might bring on a low.

The low's.. this is the hard part about living with bipolar. You can go from walking on clouds to feeling as though you can barely get out of bed. Nothing seems to get you out of this depression but time.

You feel as though the world is crashing around you and that you ultimately are the cause of that - somehow.. yet you don't know why you feel so down.. you just know the only way out of it is by waiting for it to pass.

And it does.. and the high's and low's keep on coming.

Living with bipolar is like being on an energized, intensive and unstoppable roller coaster ride. You cling to the moments where you feel at your best because you know they seldom last too long, and you're back in the rigorous, intensive and outright heartbreaking cycle again and again.

But it doesn't have to be that way.. You CAN regain control of your life..

Don't give up.. Don't believe for one minute that you simply need to resign to feeling the way you do. You don't have to live this way.

When I was first diagnosed with having bipolar disorder, I was told that I would live a life being feed a dozen different prescription drugs, while attending regular "sessions" where someone had me talking into their ear about how I felt, why I believed I felt that way.. it was absolutely ridiculous and I felt ashamed, incompetant and worthless.

For one, the way I felt at that very moment, talking to a therapist wasn't the same way I felt later that day! Sure, a support group can be a tremendous help but you need to learn how to handle and control your disorder on your own - and on your own terms.

And you can.
There are ways to avoid a lifetime of preventative medication and in being able to control your massive mood swings, and I'm here to tell you that if I can do it - there is NO reason you can't do it just the same.
I've managed a five-kid family, a full time career, a strong and happy marriage EVEN despite the high's and low's simply because I learned how to "detect" - "prevent" and "control" my disorder, and you can use this information to dramatically improve the quality of your life.

You deserve to live the life you were meant to. Don't let anything take that away from you.