I hate the term bipolar

I hate "bipolar" and "manic-depression." Granted, it's the only mental disorder characterized by episodes of mania and depression (including cyclothymia but not cases of schizophrenia), but it just doesn't do it justice. Most people seem to think it's just a series of ups and downs. People use it as an adjective for people who are acting moody. I've always known what bipolar was, but I never understood that it transforms your mind into a complete battleground. I don't recognize the person I see in the mirror; I don't know which me is me; I make more irrational decisions than rational ones. These past few months, including my psychosis, hospitalization, and diagnosis, have been so wild beyond anything I thought would come from bipolar disorder. I don't know. I'm not expecting anything to change I'm just rambling I guess. Anyone agree? Disagree?

I think the term 'bipolar' is misleading. Depression and mania are not at two ends of a spectrum. If they were, how could mixed episodes occur? We can become sick in different kinds of ways. The 'bipolar' terminology can lead to think that the disease is extreme happiness vs extreme sadness. In reality there are all kinds of emotions involved, emotions that get twisted.

I prefer the term 'manic depression' if the word 'manic' is used as an adjective, to describe a particular variety of depression. I personally believe that bipolar disorder is a type of depression, and that mania occurs as the mind tries to fight depression. Mania I believe is the body's knee-jerk reaction to impending depression. Only some people have the genetically inherited capacity for mania. How the depression occurs in the first place, I have no more theories than already exist.

If I were to rename bipolar disorder, I would call it 'living hell disorder'. Possibly that name could attract stigma though

Overall, I'm okay with it. I prefer manic-depression to bipolar for descriptive purposes, but it can be misleading as well, as manic-depression sounds like it's just a mixed state. Manic-depressive illness is probably the most accurate of the bunch, and I wish they'd just stuck with that. They apparently changed it due to stigma, but now that's probably the least stigmatized way to put it, so... Yeah. Kind of a stupid reason to change a name, knowing the new name will likely acquire just as much stigma regardless. I can see suggested switches like changing borderline personality disorder to emotionally unstable personality disorder, because it's descriptive and makes a lot more sense than the enigmatic "borderline." But bipolar? Manic-depressive illness was WAY more descriptive, and made plenty of sense.

I switch up which terms I use where, though: if I'm in an academic setting and I need someone (like a professor) to be aware of it as an important issue, but not to scare them, I'll say "I have bipolar disorder"; if I don't particularly care if it's going to scare the person, or I know they already know and won't judge me for it, I'll say, "I'm bipolar"; if I'm in a casual situation where I'm just mentioning it, and I don't want people to pay attention to it, get scared, or even really think of it as a big deal, I'll say, "I'm manic-depressive."

Side notes: Technically, all mental illnesses can be properly used as adjectives OR as nouns, depending on preference. They're just misused as non-medical adjectives by the general public, which is where the problems come in ("omg, s/he's so bipolar, why is s/he so mad at me today!" or "it was just sunny and now it's raining, the weather is so bipolar!"). I also wanted to add that, while schizophrenia does not entail mood episodes, schizoaffective disorder does (which is essentially schizophrenia plus either depression or a flavor of bipolarity). Fun facts!

-- Sun Jan 26, 2014 4:01 pm --

bipolarbirdie wrote:I personally believe that bipolar disorder is a type of depression, and that mania occurs as the mind tries to fight depression. Mania I believe is the body's knee-jerk reaction to impending depression. Only some people have the genetically inherited capacity for mania. How the depression occurs in the first place, I have no more theories than already exist.

If I were to rename bipolar disorder, I would call it 'living hell disorder'. Possibly that name could attract stigma though

While interesting, I'm not sure this quite works as a mechanism, given that there do exist people who are bipolar but have little or absolutely zero depressive issues... And others who have their manic and depressive episodes far apart from one another, or in reverse order. Technically, bipolar disorder is characterized by the presence of (hypo)mania... so it can be diagnosed in the absence of depression. I definitely agree with the renaming, though!

It like many other labels are misunderstood as well as misused. Most people don't know what mania is. I didn't until I acknowledged I was bipolar and really studied the illness. Most people know what depression is but not like those of us with bipolar know it. So the label won't mean much to those who are not intimately familiar with the illness. I have not told anyone I have bipolar, my wife knows and my psychs too, but that's it. If I told others that I was bipolar I know that much explaining would be necessary. Don't focus on the label, focus on yourself and how you feel.

I like to call it jokingly tripolar, because in my opinion irritability should have its own axis with depression&mania. :p

In finnish there's also "two directional mood disorder" if you'd prefer longer explanation than bipolar or manic-depressive.

I completely agree with you. I have been through hell and back with this disorder and yet I still continually hear people referring to small mood swings as bipolar. They have no idea. Myself, I'm still in the closet with my bipolar. Only some very close friends and family know I have it. Most people have no clue. When I was in the hospital, even some of the other patients couldn't figure out why I was there because I "don't look like I have any problems." I had to tell them about my psychotic break to get them to believe me.

On one hand its good. I mean, I don't stick out in a crowd and I can fly under the radar. But on the other hand, it's lonely and frustrating. People expect more from me than I can give sometimes due to my bipolar, but I can't tell them why.

Some day I will probably go more public. But for now, I'll just stick to this forum. You all inspire me.

I object to comedians making jokes about people with bipolar. (Unless they are actually bipolar and are using comedy to educate people)
It is on a par with jokes about handicapped people.

People using the term to describe trivial ups and downs also annoys me.

Otherwise, I have no problem with the term.