Attention Whores?

[jillio]

About bipolar disorder, I wonder which one is high rate -- men or women ?

Women and men have an equal rate of diagnosis.

 

[jillio]

Googled this:

Oops! Didn't realize you had already answered the question!

 

[jillio]

First of all, please do not call Spears "screwed up." Thank you.

As Jillio mentioned, her behavior was caused by bipolar disorder. People with bipolar are known to exhibit extreme anger/agitation, alcohol and/or drug abuse and reckless behavior. Spears was most likely suffering from an acute manic episode which resulted in her symptoms.

Exactly. People with Bi-polar Disorder are not "screwed up." They have an illness. When it is uncontrolled, the manic episodes result in extreme behaviors. It is not something they willfully do.

 

[Hear Again]

If any of you would like to have a first hand account of what it is like to have bipolar, check out Julie Fast's website at:

Julie Fast BipolarHappens.com Blog

Julie has bipolar II with psychotic features and has written two books about the disorder:

"Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder"
"Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder"

as well as a book about coping with depression:

"Get it Done When You're Depressed."

I've read all three of them and they are an excellent read.

 

[Hear Again]

Women and Bipolar Disorder
* Although bipolar disorder is equally common in women and men, research indicates that approximately three times as many women as men experience rapid cycling. (Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 58, 1995 [Suppl.15])
* Other research findings indicate that women with bipolar disorder may have more depressive episodes and more mixed episodes than do men with the illness. (Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 58, 1995 [Suppl.15])

Since I've already discussed this in a different thread, I suppose I could mention it here since it's nothing to be ashamed of. I was diagnosed with bipolar in 2006. Unlike the information presented above, (I'm female) I have more difficulty with manic episodes than I do depressive or mixed episodes. I also don't rapid cycle. Fortunately, my symptoms have been kept under control thanks to meds. However, if I'm not on my meds or I accidentally miss a dose, let's just say it's not pretty.

Now I think you can understand why I don't take too kindly to people calling Spears "screwed up," "crazy" or a "drama queen."

 

[VamPyroX]

How about ADD or ADHD? She don't know how to take care of her hair. Someone is fixing her hair and do makeup all the times. That what I watched on MTV. She screwed up her life.

Or... she does know how to fix her hair and put on makeup, but acts like she doesn't so others will do it for her. That is what attention whores do sometimes... act helpless.

 

[VamPyroX]

Exactly. People with Bi-polar Disorder are not "screwed up." They have an illness. When it is uncontrolled, the manic episodes result in extreme behaviors. It is not something they willfully do.

If it's an illness that cannot be helped, then she shouldn't even have kids in the first place.

If I knew you had an illness that would put my children at risk, I wouldn't let you around my kids or do anything that would lead you to harm yourself or harm my kids.

 

[Oceanbreeze]

If it's an illness that cannot be helped, then she shouldn't even have kids in the first place.

If I knew you had an illness that would put my children at risk, I wouldn't let you around my kids or do anything that would lead you to harm yourself or harm my kids.

This is discriminatory. How would you like it if someone said to you you shouldn't father a child because you're deaf or Hoh? You could put your children in harm's way if you do.

Same thing.

Lots of people with bipolar disorder are being successfully treated with medication and counseling services. There's no reason whatsoever why a stable woman with bipolar disorder shouldn't have children.

Please educate yourself about this illness.

 

[Hear Again]

This is discriminatory. How would you like it if someone said to you you shouldn't father a child because you're deaf or Hoh? You could put your children in harm's way if you do.

Same thing.

Lots of people with bipolar disorder are being successfully treated with medication and counseling services. There's no reason whatsoever why a stable woman with bipolar disorder shouldn't have children.

Please educate yourself about this illness.

 

[VamPyroX]

This is discriminatory. How would you like it if someone said to you you shouldn't father a child because you're deaf or Hoh? You could put your children in harm's way if you do.

Same thing.

Lots of people with bipolar disorder are being successfully treated with medication and counseling services. There's no reason whatsoever why a stable woman with bipolar disorder shouldn't have children.

Please educate yourself about this illness.

Being deaf has nothing to do with putting your kids in harm's way.

There are different types of bipolar disorders. I have friends who are bipolar, but they don't go running around shaving their heads, hitting other cars with umbrellas, driving with their babies on their laps, doing hit-and-runs, etc. Either their bipolar is mild or they are on medication that helps them deal with it.

If a person with severe bipolar refuses to take medication that can help them, then they are willingly putting themselves and others at risk. That's like handing a big sharp knife to a little kid who doesn't know what a big sharp knife is.

 

[VamPyroX]

I'm not saying that a person who is bipolar should not be allowed to have kids.

I'm saying that a person who willingly puts himself/herself at risk as well as everyone else... shouldn't have kids.

If a deaf person likes to drive crazy, is an alcoholic, smokes pot, swears around everyone, etc... then I wouldn't want that deaf person around my kid. If a person who is bipolar does the same thing, I still wouldn't want that person around my kid. That person is either bipolar or deaf... it's their state of mind that I'm worried about.

So, I'm not discriminating against bipolar people... just the state of mine that Britney Spears was in.

 

[Jiro]

This is discriminatory. How would you like it if someone said to you you shouldn't father a child because you're deaf or Hoh? You could put your children in harm's way if you do.

Same thing.

Lots of people with bipolar disorder are being successfully treated with medication and counseling services. There's no reason whatsoever why a stable woman with bipolar disorder shouldn't have children.

Please educate yourself about this illness.

Britney Spears doesn't seem like a stable woman w/ Bipolar Disorder though.... Raising little children is a huge test especially for a person with Bipolar Disorder. Worst of all... she's a celebrity which means bigger pressure and constant stress. A bad combo! IMO - I think the judge was right to give a full custody of children to father.

 

[Wokamuka]

I have friends who are bipolar, but they don't go running around shaving their heads, hitting other cars with umbrellas, driving with their babies on their laps, doing hit-and-runs, etc. Either their bipolar is mild or they are on medication that helps them deal with it.

If a person with severe bipolar refuses to take medication that can help them, then they are willingly putting themselves and others at risk. That's like handing a big sharp knife to a little kid who doesn't know what a big sharp knife is.

I see your point. I should point out that your friends are not followed by paprazzi at all times nor are their lives scrutinized in every conceivable way.

Truth be told, I'm sure Spears' nanny does most of the work. Put your mind at ease.

 

[Oceanbreeze]

Being deaf has nothing to do with putting your kids in harm's way.

There are different types of bipolar disorders. I have friends who are bipolar, but they don't go running around shaving their heads, hitting other cars with umbrellas, driving with their babies on their laps, doing hit-and-runs, etc. Either their bipolar is mild or they are on medication that helps them deal with it.

If a person with severe bipolar refuses to take medication that can help them, then they are willingly putting themselves and others at risk. That's like handing a big sharp knife to a little kid who doesn't know what a big sharp knife is.

I know that bipolar disorder presents in different ways. I'm very familiar with the illness, and I feel you are making a generalization here. You're effectively saying that ALL people with bipolar disorder don't take their medication and are unstable and therefore, should have their kids taken away, and that's simply not true!

I would agree with you that if a woman is unstable and has children, the children's welfare comes first. In that case, protective services should take the kids and the woman should be mandated to get treatment, but if the woman is stable on medication, there's absolutely no reason why she shouldn't have children.

 

[Oceanbreeze]

Britney Spears doesn't seem like a stable woman w/ Bipolar Disorder though.... Raising little children is a huge test especially for a person with Bipolar Disorder. Worst of all... she's a celebrity which means bigger pressure and constant stress. A bad combo! IMO - I think the judge was right to give a full custody of children to father.

I agree that Britney Spears should have had her kids taken away, but he made a generalized statement that seemed to take in ALL women, and that's why I said what I did. You shouldn't demonize people who have this illness. Just because a subset of people go off the meds and become unstable, doesn't mean all people do.

 

[VamPyroX]

I see your point. I should point out that your friends are not followed by paprazzi at all times nor are their lives scrutinized in every conceivable way.

Truth be told, I'm sure Spears' nanny does most of the work. Put your mind at ease.

She contacted the paparazzi herself and had them follow her in some situations. So, that's her own fault and shouldn't be used as an excuse for being "stressed out".

 

[VamPyroX]

I know that bipolar disorder presents in different ways. I'm very familiar with the illness, and I feel you are making a generalization here. You're effectively saying that ALL people with bipolar disorder don't take their medication and are unstable and therefore, should have their kids taken away, and that's simply not true!

I would agree with you that if a woman is unstable and has children, the children's welfare comes first. In that case, protective services should take the kids and the woman should be mandated to get treatment, but if the woman is stable on medication, there's absolutely no reason why she shouldn't have children.

Well, I'm not saying all people who are bipolar should not have kids. I'm saying that anyone who shows signs of being at risk of putting themselves and others in harm's way... shouldn't have kids.

 

[Wokamuka]

She contacted the paparazzi herself and had them follow her in some situations. So, that's her own fault and shouldn't be used as an excuse for being "stressed out".

She told them to show up at the courthouse dates?

 

[Jiro]

I know that bipolar disorder presents in different ways. I'm very familiar with the illness, and I feel you are making a generalization here. You're effectively saying that ALL people with bipolar disorder don't take their medication and are unstable and therefore, should have their kids taken away, and that's simply not true!

I would agree with you that if a woman is unstable and has children, the children's welfare comes first. In that case, protective services should take the kids and the woman should be mandated to get treatment, but if the woman is stable on medication, there's absolutely no reason why she shouldn't have children.

I agree that Britney Spears should have had her kids taken away, but he made a generalized statement that seemed to taken in ALL women, and that's why I said what I did. You shouldn't demonize people who have this illness. Just because a subset of people go off the meds and become unstable, doesn't mean all people do.

that's true but... very difficult. Deaf disability is a physical disability. Homosexuality is not a mental illness. Those should not have any bearing in legal factor when it comes to children. However - (BD) Bipolar Disorder is a mental illness which can be unpredictable even with medication/treatment. In short - it's a ticking bomb. Wouldn't it be nice to have some kind of reliable & accurate scale to measure the severity of BD? but we don't... so it's up to family members/doctors/etc. to judge it when it comes to custody of children.

I think it's safe to say that Britney Spears is on severe level of BD and will remain a ticking bomb for rest of her life... even with medications. She should not be left alone with kids at any time as kids can trigger it at any moment.

 

[Oceanbreeze]

I'm not saying that a person who is bipolar should not be allowed to have kids.

I'm saying that a person who willingly puts himself/herself at risk as well as everyone else... shouldn't have kids.

If a deaf person likes to drive crazy, is an alcoholic, smokes pot, swears around everyone, etc... then I wouldn't want that deaf person around my kid. If a person who is bipolar does the same thing, I still wouldn't want that person around my kid. That person is either bipolar or deaf... it's their state of mind that I'm worried about.

So, I'm not discriminating against bipolar people... just the state of mine that Britney Spears was in.

That's still walking a slippery slope. For one thing, she wasn't diagnosed until after she had the children and her mindset and behavior deteriorated. Second, bipolar disorder can be successfully treated. Are you saying that just because she has bipolar disorder she should lose her children permenantly? Again, that's discriminatory.