Bipolar Disorder: One Man's Story

"I'll never forget the day when my doctor put his comforting hand on my shoulder and said the two words that cleared up a lifelong mystery:

"Bipolar disorder.

"Until then, I simply couldn't figure out why, like an out-of-control roller-coaster, I plunged into a downward spiral from extreme happiness to extreme depression, why I plummeted from such highs to such lows.

"Throughout my life, I'd experienced such incredible highs emotionally. I felt like I could do and accomplish anything. Just tell me, and I'd accomplish it.

"Or so I thought.

"I didn't need much sleep. My friends complained that I talked too quickly.

"I felt almost as if I were one of those tops that would spin uncontrollably when its string was yanked. I was spinning so fast that people around me seemed to move too slowly.

"Then, almost like turning off a light switch, I would plunge into the depths of depression and sadness. When I was a kid, I became such a prisoner of my down moods that I skipped school, simply because I just couldn't get out of bed.

"Later in life, my job was getting more stressful, and my 'up' and 'down' times became more frequent. Even my wife and friends said I acted very differently from my 'usual self.'

"I ignored them or told them to leave me alone.

"Suddenly, my world came crashing down: I simply couldn't keep my life together. I quit going to work. I stayed in bed, hunkered down in the covers, all the time, for days.

"My life had spiraled so low that at 3 o'clock one morning, as I retreated beneath the bedcovers, I concluded that my life wasn't worth living anymore. Frightened for my welfare, my wife made an appointment for me to see our doctor and she insisted that she go with me.

"Much to my surprise, my doctor referred me to a psychiatrist, a medical doctor trained to treat the kinds of problems I was having.

"A week later, the psychiatrist talked with me about my feelings and actions over the past six months. And we talked about how my grandfather had serious ups and downs like me.

"Then, he uttered two words that were unfamiliar to me: bipolar disorder.

"When he described the symptoms, he was describing the demons I had fought my entire life. Finally, I knew my ups and downs were actually periods of 'mania' and 'depression' caused by an illness that my psychiatrist could treat.

"I began taking prescription medication to stabilize my moods, and now I see my psychiatrist once a month and a psychologist for "talk" therapy, which helps me learn how to deal with my bipolar disorder in everyday life.

"I'm not saying I'm out of the woods. The first few weeks were the hardest in my life as I waited for the medicine to kick in and my talk therapy began working.

"There were times I thought I wouldn't make it, but my wife and friends kept pushing and supporting me.

"Now, my mood changes are much less severe and less frequent. I go to work each day, and I'm productive once I'm there.

"I'm enjoying life again. I'm enjoying my wife and kids again. Yes, indeed, life is good! Finally!

Caring for Loved Ones Is More Rewarding Than Expected

Findings from the CVS/pharmacy and Caring Today 2007 "Caregiver Insights Study: Well-Being and Care Management" indicate that family caregivers find the caregiving experience more enjoyable than expected. Findings further revealed that those caregivers who were better prepared to fill the caregiver role and responsibilities had more positive experiences than those who were unprepared.

The online study, conducted by Anderson Analytics among 514 prescreened qualified adults between April 26 and May 20, 2007, was intended to better understand the impact of family caregiving on caregivers' lives by examining many aspects, including impact on health and emotional well-being, relationships, medication management, and available resources.

Preparation Is Key

According to the study, 76 percent of participants reported that, in general, they enjoyed the tasks associated with being a family caregiver. In addition, 54 percent indicated that they bonded with their care recipients more than they had anticipated. The study also found that level of preparedness makes a difference in caregivers' emotional response and behaviors. While only 26 percent of respondents found themselves prepared for the role, the ones who were prepared were significantly less likely to experience feelings of depression. Prepared caregivers were also significantly more likely to eat properly, feel focused, and continue to see friends.

"While it's difficult for anyone to really be prepared to take on the monumental challenge of being the primary caregiver for someone, this study shows that it's never too early to start thinking that one day this might be a reality—and to start learning about resources out there to help," said Victor Imbimbo, president and CEO of Caring Today.

Managing Medications

The study also surveyed medication management trends. Caregivers reported that their care recipients take an average of 4.5 prescription drugs and 46 percent take five or more. The vast majority (87 percent) of respondents reported that understanding medication is very important. Their primary concerns were not knowing enough about drug interactions (36 percent) and not recognizing side effects (21 percent).

"Caregiver confusion about medications is understandable, especially when administering more than one," said Papatya Tankut, vice president, Pharmacy Professional Services at CVS/pharmacy. "Caregivers can have questions about side effects, adverse interactions, and timing of dosages. We encourage them to discuss these questions with their pharmacists, in addition to the prescribing physician."

The study revealed that fewer than half of caregivers (46 percent) talk with their pharmacist to learn more about the medications their care recipient is taking. Less than 44 percent of respondents reported that all of the recipient's medicines are coordinated by one doctor. "To avoid potential interactions, caregivers should inform their doctor(s) and pharmacist of all the prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, herbal remedies, and vitamins the recipient is taking," advised Tankut.

Who Cares for the Caregiver?

For caregivers, juggling the demands of work and family with parenting our own parents can be a struggle. Just listen to the emotional turmoil expressed by fellow caregivers attempting to manage a turbulent, uncharted course and fill a role they most definitely never wished for.

In Their Own Words

"It's like no experience I've ever had. When I'm at work, I worry about her alone at home, and when I stay home, I'm a basket case thinking that I'll lose my job. I barely have words to describe how hard it is." --P.P.

"Guiding decisions for my in-laws who live in Florida while I'm in Connecticut is like walking through an unlit minefield. It requires understanding legal, financial, and medical regulations and terms that are the equivalent of trying to learn three foreign languages all at the same time. I am beyond crazed." --M.S.

"From the day they diagnosed my mom with Alzheimer's, I felt like Alice in Wonderland, falling down a rabbit hole into a totally alien world—no compass, no map to guide me. Desperation doesn't begin to describe it." --H.M.

Taking a Toll on Women

What's more, according to Homewatch International, the task of caregiving in America is increasingly falling on women. Acknowledging the physical, emotional, and psychological toll such as role can take, the National Women's Health Information Center urges female caregivers to be especially mindful about making their health and well-being a priority.

"Studies show that female caregivers have more emotional and physical health problems, employment-related problems, and financial strain than male caregivers," the Center reports. Plus, "caregivers for people with Alzheimer's disease or other kinds of dementia are particularly vulnerable to burnout.

12 Tips for Caregivers

The good news? You can take positive steps to prevent exhaustion and burnout by following 12 self-care tips:

1. Ask for and accept help.
2. Stay in touch with friends and family (social activities can help you feel connected and may reduce stress).
3. Find time for exercise most days of the week.
4. Prioritize and establish a daily routine.
5. See your doctor for a checkup; ask about symptoms of depression or sickness you may be having.
6. Ask your doctor about taking a multivitamin.
7. Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and low in saturated fat.
8. Look to faith-based groups for encouragement and support.
9. Join an online support group for caregivers.
10. Try to get enough sleep and rest.
11. Take it one day at a time.
12. And finally, with the dawn of each new day, do something to make your life a little bit better, a little bit easier, a little bit happier. If you do, you will have learned how to make inner peace a way of life instead of an occasional experience!