Is Bipolar A Spiritual Issue

According to qualitative research, stable bipolar disorder patients often perceive their experiences as both religious and spiritual, as well as having pathological aspects, whereas in psychiatry, such experiences are frequently associated with psychopathology and investigated as religious hallucinations and delusions (Ouwehand et…

What is bipolar spirituality?

A rapid increase in spiritual or religious thoughts or practices might be an indication of bipolar disorder. Hyper-religiosity, or an increase in spiritual experiences, can be a hallmark of mania or psychosis. As a result, many people with bipolar disorder (and their healthcare practitioners) wonder if their spiritual experiences are “genuine” or just a consequence of their illness13. Misdiagnosis may occur as a result of difficulties distinguishing spiritual experiences from psychotic symptoms, which can be detrimental if persons receive inappropriate therapies or if a manic episode goes untreated.

Spiritual experiences are viewed as an indication of disease based on a variety of cultural factors. In one culture, seeing visions or hearing voices is praised, whereas in another, it is regarded as a symptom of serious disease. To avoid turning spiritual beliefs into physical disorders, the psychiatric diagnostic handbook (the DSM) provides separate ways of thinking about spiritual difficulties. At the same time, it recognizes that sickness symptoms might have spiritual meanings that need to be explored. A real delusion, for example, is defined by the DSM as a strongly held, incorrect belief that is not “shared by members of religion/culture/subculture,” such as a “article of religious faith.”

How does bipolar affect you spiritually?

People with bipolar disorder may benefit from a strong spiritual connection since it can help them manage and establish a sense of self-worth.

“Religion may be supportivesocial support and resources, as well as an internal means of coping with the burden of the illness on their lives,” says Mario Cruz, MD, associate professor of psychiatry at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in Albuquerque.

Excessive religious conduct was once thought to be a hallmark of psychosis, according to Dr. Cruz, but there is little evidence to back this up. Rather, his research, which includes interviews with people who have bipolar disease, reveals that persons with bipolar disorder frequently engage in religious activities, particularly prayer and meditation, as a means of coping with discomfort.

A 2013 study of 168 bipolar illness patients found that individuals who describe being able to deal through spirituality, such as feeling a spiritual connection with others and believing in a fundamentally benevolent world, had a higher quality of life and are less depressed.

What symbolizes bipolar disorder?

• The black-and-white striped ribbon is used to promote awareness for bipolar disorder.

Every year on March 30, the world commemorates World Bipolar Day. Its purpose is to raise awareness of bipolar disorder.

Because it is Vincent van Gogh's birthday, March 30 was chosen as the day for World Bipolar Day. It's thought that the famed painter suffered from bipolar disorder.

As more people learn about and understand bipolar disorder, the stigma associated with mental illness may fade.

There are a variety of ways to commemorate World Bipolar Day — and the people who suffer from it — in support of this goal.

Can God help bipolar?

She went to Sunday School because it was expected of her because she was born into a Christian family. She abandoned religion when she was a teenager. She was ready for a spiritual adventure by the time she turned 40, with a recent diagnosis of bipolar disorder following two decades of uncontrolled symptoms. She went to the library as a result.

“Marja says, “I looked up ‘God' in the card catalog and discovered some books.” “‘OK, I can believe this,' I thought. ‘What's next?' Then I got ahold of a, and it was as if God was a brand new concept to me. In so many of the things I read, I could see the truth. I simply reached out and had to give up.”

When dealing with the highs and lows of bipolar disorder, faith and spirituality—whether formal or informal, and regardless of doctrine—can be a huge source of strength and solace. When circumstances are rough, faith traditions can provide a sense of control and serenity by providing a message of hope, a plan for living, and a method to interpret the world.

There is no shortage of general research on the mental health advantages of faith in a higher power, such as improved coping abilities, reduced anxiety and depression, decreased substance misuse, and a happier, longer life span. However, further specific studies on the health benefits of people with bipolar disorder are scarce.

Some people believe that faith can help them cope with their condition. Belief in divine forgiveness, for example, can help relieve guilt over manic behavior's harmful behaviors, and singing and praying as a group during religious services can foster a sense of community. According to a study published in the journal Bipolar Disorders in February 2010, prayer or meditation may be an essential coping method for those suffering from bipolar disorder (co-existing symptoms of mania and depression).

Other research suggests that people with bipolar disorder are less likely to attend religious services since it is difficult to concentrate while the mind is racing or to leave the house owing to depression's lethargy. In May, Baylor University psychologists published a study of four Protestant denominations that indicated families with a member who suffers from mental illness frequently cut ties with their religious organization.

Because Buddha has given us 84,000 teachings, spending time with him is always uplifting because he has already given you the answer.

Those who participate in corporate worship or have a dedicated personal practice often credit their faith or spirituality with helping them feel more anchored when life becomes rocky.

John T. of Chesterfield, Missouri, finds comfort in his nondenominational Christian church, where the pastor is a close friend and emotional support. He also seeks solace in the. During one psychiatric hospitalization, he wrote in the margins after reading the Psalms of David: “I'm not the only one who feels this way. I don't feel abandoned.”

Since being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1999, the former cop has struggled with suicidal thoughts, delusions of grandeur, and other uncontrollable symptoms. John thought he'd lost his identity and focus after having to surrender his badge due to bipolar-related conduct. Volunteer work at his church, where he helps to maintain the grounds and runs a bipolar support group, helps him fill the need.

He admits to praying to God on occasion “Why don't you just heal me?” says the narrator. Nonetheless, via the lens of his religion, he may find meaning in his bipolar disorder.

“He says, “I honestly consider it a blessing that I've been allowed to have this disease.” “I have the ability to assist others.”

Redefining Affliction

According to Harold G. Koenig, PhD, co-director of Duke University Medical Center's Center for Spirituality, Theology, and Health, the Judeo-Christian heritage provides a potent therapeutic model for overcoming illness and suffering.

“The essential role model in Christianity is Jesus Christ,” writes the author of works like The Healing Power of Faith and Faith and Mental Health. He was in excruciating pain. He had been rejected, mocked, and was in excruciating anguish.

“Being a Christian means being like Jesus, so do you expect things to go smoothly here?” Certainly not. Suffering, of course, has eternal importance.

“With this condition, that's what gives people hope,” Koenig adds. “It has significance.” And it's simpler to tolerate when it has meaning.”

Other religions provide similar themes about dealing with life's challenges. For example, one of Buddhism's core tenets is that existence is suffering, and that the Buddha's teachings provide a way to cope with this unavoidable sorrow.

T. Martin, who grew up without much of a religious foundation, has come to Buddhism and Christianity in his adult life.

Martin, a retired supervisor from Upstate New York who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2005, says, “When you read a lot of Buddhist and Christian teachings… they're the same.” “They give you the impression that you're being delivered a message, and all you have to do is listen.”

Martin takes scripture lessons and meditation workshops on a weekly basis. He attends Buddhist seminars on topics like emptiness and impermanence. When he can't sleep, doesn't want to do anything, or feels like “a lump of goo,” he spends time in his yard with a tranquil Buddha statue.

“Being with Buddha is usually really uplifting because basically he's already given you the answer,” he says, citing Buddha's 84,000 teachings. Yes, you work with people who are in pain. But so do the rest of us. “All you need is compassion.” Sarah thinks that difficulties and tribulations provide opportunities for progress in this life and rewards in the afterlife as a Muslim.

“I recognize that, even if it's a difficult lesson for me to learn, any tests I have to go through are a method for God to bless or reward me,” Sarah, a journalism student from Florida, says. She was diagnosed in 2007 when she was 19 years old.

Sarah's religion also helped her deal with the shame she felt when she came upon a letter written by her mother in some papers at home one day. Her mother claimed in the letter that she had missed a lot of work because she had to care for her kid. Sarah had believed that her mother had simply taken a lot of vacation days.

When Sarah realized how her illness was affecting her family, she remembered a passage in the Koran in which the prophets—whom she characterizes as “the best humans who ever entered this earth”—bear more hardships.

Allowing me to have this disease is actually a benefit in my life. I am capable of assisting others.

Although mood swings sometimes make her spiritual practice difficult, Islam provides discipline in her life. It's tough for her to concentrate on the five daily prayers that Muslims are expected to perform when she's manic; it's even more difficult when she's lethargic and sleeps a lot.

Sarah was too depressed some days to pray at all after her spouse filed for divorce after only two months of marriage, blaming her bipolar for the breakup. Her connection to a religious group, on the other hand, helps her deal when she is bothered by symptoms.

“In our religion, there's a proverb that believers are all one body, and when one component is unwell or suffering, the entire body suffers,” she explains. I have a great network of Muslim friends and counselors to whom I may turn for help. The Islamic rope has always been there for me to grab.”

In God's hands

Belief in a heavenly power has a good influence on well-being, in addition to the comfort of scripture and the support of a faith community.

According to research from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology in 2010, believing in a caring God can help patients with serious depression or bipolar illness respond better to medical treatment. The beneficial response to medication was directly linked to believing in a superior being who cared, rather than just a supreme deity.

University of Toronto scientists discovered that believing in God can help reduce anxiety and stress in a general population of people of various religions. Their findings, which were published in March 2009 in the journal Psychological Science, revealed major brain abnormalities between believers and non-believers. The lower the activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, an area of the brain responsible for self-generated negative thoughts and psychological anguish, the higher the religious fervour. As a result, believers were less likely to be concerned about encountering uncertainty, according to the study.

Michael Inzlicht, PhD, lead researcher and associate professor of psychology at the University of Toronto Scarborough, believes “This could have a soothing effect on people with bipolar disorder, even if it only gives you one more tool to assist you regulate your own emotions.”

Religious beliefs, on the other hand, might cause distress in some cases. People with mood problems, according to Marja B., may feel guilty if their faith isn't strong enough to help live “a life of happiness and tranquility.”

“They believe there is a problem between them and God, that they aren't praying or believing enough, or that the Devil is gaining control of them,” she continues.

A Firm Place to Stand was written by Marja to assist people with mood problems who are struggling to blend in with their spiritual communities. She explains her metamorphosis from an anxious, withdrawn lady to a leader, activist, and the founder of Living Room, a Christian peer support group with 15 chapters in Canada and the United States over the last five years.

Living Room, according to Marja, provides a safe and comfortable environment for persons suffering from depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder to share their faith as well as their mental health issues. Church groups give diverse interpretations of what it means to have a mental illness, whereas secular support groups avoid religious subjects.

She prefers to think of her bipolar disorder as “It's a gift,” she adds, “albeit it's a very terrible one.” “Because I've had to rely on God so much, it's made me spiritually stronger.

“And it's given me a sense of meaning and purpose in life—to help the church overcome its stigma. If I didn't have this task to do, I don't think I'd be doing as well emotionally right now.”

Does meditation help bipolar disorder?

Meditation will not be able to substitute typical bipolar illness therapy, so see your doctor about any additional therapies you may require, such as medication or psychotherapy. Meditation can help you relax and reduce tension, even if it isn't a treatment for bipolar disease. It can also assist you in disengaging from unpleasant or anxious thoughts and improving mood regulation.

Meditation is simple to do at home or in a class, and everyone can do it. It might be a good supplement to your bipolar illness treatment.

Can hypnosis help bipolar disorder?

Under hypnosis, bipolar I patients were more likely to obey motor instructions than cognitive recommendations. Furthermore, bipolar disorder patients and healthy volunteers also showed links between manic levels and specific hypnotic susceptibility characteristics. Our research contributes to a better understanding of bipolar disorder's altered conscious states and recommends the use of associated psychotherapy for these individuals.

Is mania a symptom of bipolar disorder?

Bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic depression, is a mental health illness that involves emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression) (depression). You may feel gloomy or hopeless when you are depressed, and you may lose interest or pleasure in most activities.

What happens when you have a spiritual awakening?

As Kaiser argues, this is the start of your spiritual journey, as you begin to doubt everything you previously believed. You begin to purge certain aspects of your life (habits, relationships, and outdated belief systems) in order to make room for new, more meaningful experiences. You may sense that something is lacking, but you aren't sure what it is. It's common to feel disoriented, confused, and down during this time.

What is hyper religion?

Hyperreligiosity is a psychiatric disorder in which a person has strong religious beliefs or episodes that interfere with daily life. Hyperreligiosity is characterized by abnormal beliefs and a focus on religious or even atheistic material that obstructs job and social functioning. Epilepsy, psychotic illnesses, and frontotemporal lobar degeneration are just a few of the conditions that can cause hyperreligiosity. Hyperreligiosity is a symptom of Geschwind syndrome, a temporal lobe epilepsy condition.

Is bipolar a chemical imbalance in the brain?

Chemical imbalances in the brain are thought to be the cause of bipolar disorder.

Neurotransmitters, which include noradrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine, are the molecules that control the brain's functioning.

There is some evidence that if the levels of one or more neurotransmitters are out of balance, a person may develop bipolar disorder symptoms.

There's evidence that episodes of mania can happen when noradrenaline levels are too high, and episodes of depression can happen when noradrenaline levels are too low.