Adults who experience severe bipolar disorder will likely have to remain medicated their whole life. However, it's common for people to go off course with their medications or even stop them entirely. Below are a few common reasons a patient might come off their treatment plan.
“Around half of people with bipolar disorder don't take their medication which can lead to a relapse of symptoms. And this can have a knock-on impact with problems at work, strained relationships with family and friends, hospitalisation, and an increased risk of suicide.
If You Have Bipolar Disorder and Don't Take Medication
You may experience more severe symptoms: If you don't take medication for bipolar disorder, you may experience more severe symptoms. This can lead to a greater risk of hospitalization or suicide.
The reasons include unpleasant side effects, difficulty in remembering to take the medications, fear of addiction, and preference for an alternative treatment.
Outline Benefits and Have a Plan Ready
Talk about the benefits treatment could bring. For example, if your loved one is struggling to live the life they want to, talk about how treatment can help them make changes and set and achieve goals. Hone in on specific things about their life that they don't like.
The life expectancy for someone with bipolar disorder is approximately 67 years old. A 2021 study researched the effect of bipolar disorder on longevity and found that: risk of death is 2.6 times greater than the general population. the average life span is between 8–12 years shorter than the general population.
Bipolar may worsen with age or over time if this condition is left untreated. As time goes on, a person may experience episodes that are more severe and more frequent than when symptoms first appeared.
A stressful circumstance or situation often triggers the symptoms of bipolar disorder. Examples of stressful triggers include: the breakdown of a relationship. physical, sexual or emotional abuse. the death of a close family member or loved one.
Bipolar Triggers and Warning Signs
Bipolar disorder features extreme shifts in mood that are unpredictable and often disruptive to daily functioning. Changes in sleep patterns, eating habits, emotions, and behaviors accompany the mood swings.
Bipolar disorder is frequently inherited, with genetic factors accounting for approximately 80% of the cause of the condition. Bipolar disorder is the most likely psychiatric disorder to be passed down from family. If one parent has bipolar disorder, there's a 10% chance that their child will develop the illness.
Although there is no official classification for end stage bipolar disorder, mild structural changes in the brain that lead to cognitive dysfunction can severely reduce someone's quality of life, especially toward the end of life.
Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness that causes unusual shifts in mood, ranging from extreme highs (mania) to lows (depression).
While bipolar disorder cannot develop into schizophrenia, it's possible to experience symptoms of both. Before you consult a mental health professional, here are a few things you should know about the two conditions.
Research shows bipolar disorder may damage the brain over time. Experts think it's because you slowly lose amino acids. They help build the proteins that make up the insulation around your neurons.
The risk of developing dementia is much higher among people who've had bipolar disorder, according to several studies. A 2020 analysis determined that people with bipolar disorder are about three times more likely to develop dementia, while another expansive analysis also found a significantly increased risk.
Both the ADA and SSA consider bipolar disorder a disability. That qualifies you to get extra protection and benefits under the law. To start the process, talk with your doctor. You will need documents to prove to the government that bipolar disorder affects your ability to work.
"For many patients, the use of antidepressants in bipolar disorder runs the risk of making the long-term course of the illness worse, rather than better.
Hospitalization is considered an emergency option in bipolar disorder care. It becomes necessary in extreme cases where the disorder is causing someone to be an immediate threat to themselves or others. It may also be used when medications need monitoring or adjustment.
First of all, it's normal for people with bipolar disorder and other mental health conditions to “shut down” when their brain gets overwhelmed.
Bipolar disorder affects men and women equally, as well as all races, ethnic groups, and socioeconomic classes. Although men and women appear to be equally affected by bipolar disorder, rapid cycling is seen more often in women. Women also tend to experience more depressive and mixed state episodes than do men.