Squiggles and depression ?
Q.I have noticed that people who get depression also have anxiety. In my case, this is redundant as I am bipolar and the "polarities" are already recognized by medical classification. But, in the case of "unipolars" or just plain depressed people, the anxiety is considered to be something distinct. I wonder if there is any justification for thinking that all depression is "bipolar" and that anxiety-depression is an example of this. Any ideas?
A.There are different aspects to depression. The anxiety you refer to may occur in depression, or it may not. Some people who are depressed feel no anxiety. They feel nothing but lethargic resignation. Other times one may find themselves in a state of "aggrivated depression". I think of that as sort of a "pro-active misery". This type definitley has anxiety. Non of the above mentioned states has anything to do with being bipolar, other than the fact that it might be like the bipolar *downside* only. The reverse polarity, of bipolars being depressed, may be manifested by a dysphoric mania which could resemble aggrivated depression. But with mania, I tend to characterize it as a high energy state, whether happy or miserable. A dysphoric mania is different from depression. So, people with unipolar depression would not be experiencing this as we do, or shall I say, with cyclical frequency. With dysphoric mania, it would differ from depression with anxiety. I think manic behaviors are much more bizarre, aggressive, energized, delusional and hostile, depending on the individual personality. Anxiety/panic disorder/phobias can coexist with bipolar disorder. People without bipolar disorder can also have these problems. Celebrities who have gone through clinical depression, seem to get treated and recover, apparently they are fixed pretty good. Why not us? Clinical depression (unipolar?) is different than bipolar, but reportedly unipolar can be diagnosed wrong, or later change to bipolar. Why were/are people with bipolar often/sometimes dxed as schizophrenic? Some of the symptoms in psychosis were/are the same. Bottom line I don't know much about reasons. Mental illnesses have a lot of symptoms, it is only with the labels that attempts are made to identify the major problem. At times I am depressed a lot, for a long time, at times I am euphoric a lot for a little time, a times I am angry, (it hangs around) at time I suffer panic, at times I am psychotic (delusional) I was once all at the same time and it did not feel good. What of the connection between ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) there is a connection there with bipolar. And, the point is, if anxiety-depression is similar to manic-depression, then lithium should work on the anxiety by analogy. Also, lithium is very soothing and what is called a soporiphic (induces sleep).
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