PARADOX OF A PLAIDED SWEATER: Students dealing with bipolar disorder deserve respect

There is a common misconception that mental illnesses don't really need medication — people just need to talk themselves through it.

This concept stings me and leaves me completely baffled at some people's ignorance. Would the same sort of statement be made to a person with diabetes and heart diseases? Probably not.

Bipolar disorder is a real mental illness that cannot be cured with will power. It is a disorder that needs medication.

Perhaps it is a lack of understanding that makes people believe mental illnesses can be treated with therapy only. Many people will only experience situational depression, so it makes sense in those situations that medication is not completely necessary; there is a beginning and ending point.

However, this is not the case with bipolar disorder. There is no explanation for why people who live with this disorder are depressed or experience suicidal thoughts. It is a neverending process.

The effects include constantly racing thoughts, intense paranoia, impulsive behavior (such as having sex with up to five men in one week or blowing thousands of dollars in a day), an incredible amount of energy, suicidal thoughts, drastic mood swings, poor concentration and insomnia or an excessive amount of sleep. It is an exhausting, draining series that occurs at every minute of the day, for the patient's entire life.

There is a 15 percent rate of suicide among the patients who live with this illness, which is about 30 times higher than the general population, according to bipolar-lives.com.

With the patients' mind racing throughout the entire day, it's not surprising that so many people with bipolar disorder commit suicide. The lows are so extreme that self-destructive options seem to be the only answer.

When in a manic state, however, the patient feels happy, energetic and ready to conquer the world. Anything and everything seems plausible in a manic state.

The medication used to treat bipolar disorder falls into five different categories: mood stabilizers, anti-depressants, antipsychotics, anti-anxiety drugs and sedatives. It is important to note the medication relieves symptoms but does not provide a cure.

Anticonvulsants are also commonly used, such as Lamictal and Depakote. These aid in stabilizing the mood by tranquilizing hyperactivity in the brain.

There is debate among those with the disorder who don't want to be on too much medication for fear of losing their manic side, which is connected to their personality. While a psychiatrist seeks to relieve all mood swings and impulsive behaviors, the medication would then damper the extreme highs, which can be incredibly rewarding for patients.

However, some argue that patients with the disorder can accomplish a great amount of things while in mania and become very successful, but their lows will bring them so far down that they will destroy everything they have created.

It would be much easier if professors and students would understand this disorder and could aid in helping those with the disorder instead of turning a cold ear and telling them to lessen their medication and talk to a therapist.

I don't think isolating those with the disorder has any benefits, and I don't think people should dismiss the importance of medication. Why not try to put themselves in the position of someone dealing with the disorder? Most likely, they'd be thankful they don't have to deal with the nonstop intense emotions that leave the patients feeling so burnt out.

Maybe instead of ignoring, we could learn to lend a helping hand. Maybe instead of judgmental tendencies, we could learn to look deeper. Maybe instead of inconsideration, we could learn acceptance.

Write to Meira at mabienstock@bsu.edu