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Why I believe that my bipolar disorder is probably a biological illness, not a psychological reaction to stress or trauma
... a thread
... a thread
First, let's define illness. An illness is something a man has, a disease is something organ has.
Some psychiatrists use Scadding definition of disease as “the sum of abnormal phenomena by which organisms differ from a norm so as to place them at a biological disadvantage”.
Some psychiatrists use Scadding definition of disease as “the sum of abnormal phenomena by which organisms differ from a norm so as to place them at a biological disadvantage”.
My first depressive episode was triggered by mumps, a viral illness. Many subsequent depressions were triggered by 'flu, another viral illness. Scientists have found association between depression and viral load, as well as higher prevalence of depression in winter 'flu season.
My bipolar condition has responded to drug treatment. Sometimes unhelpfully. But response of either kind indicates that drugs have causal effect on condition. They are not 'just treating symptoms'. After taking antidepressant after 18 months untreated, I recovered within 1 month.
I don't think my bipolar condition is stress reaction to adverse social problems. I am middle class. I have always had food and housing. My father's business went into receivership but there was never a question of us becoming destitute, we simply went and lived with my grandma.
Some psychologists argue that mental disorders operate on a different level from biology. It's irrelevant what's going on at the level of individual synapses, because unhelpful thoughts and stress reactions can still cause problems based on a healthy biological substrate.
Making analogy with computers, unhealthy psychology would be like software bugs causing computer crashes even when individual circuits are functioning correctly.
I find this unpersuasive given the visceral nature of my automatic depressive thoughts. They don't respond to reason.
I find this unpersuasive given the visceral nature of my automatic depressive thoughts. They don't respond to reason.
It typically takes me 1 month to go from state of euthymia to hypomanic state. During that month, I can limit height and length of episode. Exercise, avoidance of alcohol & caffeine, remaining grounded ... But I have no power to stop the episode.
Viewing my bipolar disorder as involving range of abnormal phenomena affecting some of my organs including my brain and potentially putting me at biological disadvantage makes a lot of sense. It helps to conceptualize the condition and provides pointers to mitigating strategies.
Until someone gives more persuasive arguments for why it is not a biological illness, I will stick with this concept.
