Bipolar Violence May Occur Without Properly Treated Bipolar Patients

Bipolar Violence - May Occur Without Properly Treated Bipolar Patients
This could be a self-caused treatment failure. The medical term used to describe for this self faliure is called "noncompliance."When you fail to take your medications, you could be causing great danger to yourself and possibly others, and it could even be fatal.

Studies have shown that nearly 25 percent of prescriptions are not taken as prescripbed. When it comes to bipolar and other psychic medicine, this can be doubled. For bipolar disease, nearly 50 percent of bipolar patients will stop medication in the first year of treatment; usually because they will experiment with their dosage and/or go off their medication altogether (primarily because they're on a manic "high").

But if the prescribed medications keep the patitent's bipolar under control, why do they become noncompliant?? These are some of the excuses:

>Refusal to medicate away their "true selves." They feel like they'll turn "robotic."
>Side Effects. This is the most common excuse people give for not taking their medication. However, there are many ways to minimize the side effects of bipolar medication.
>Oversedation - perople do not want to feel like they're in a fog.
>Weight gain: Many use this excuse even though not all bipolar medications cause weight gain.
>Sexual dysfunction. This is not a very big side effect of bipolar medication; however, it is still a fear for some people, and a reason why they won't take their medication.
>Lack of money. They will say that they can't pay for their medications; however, there are many drug companies that now provide medication for free.
>Lack of insurance. This, too, is no longer a valid excuse, as there is Medicaid and Medicare for needy people and, as previously stated, there are drug companies who will provide medication for free (especially for those people who fall in "the doughnut hole" of Medicare).
>No transportation. They will say they have no way to get to the pharmacy to get their medication, and the pharmacy doesn't deliver.
>Stigma and shame. They will blame it on society if they take medication.
>No need: People believe they have no need for medication becauase they can handle the issue on their own without medicine.
>Cured. They believe they are cured (because they are feeling better) and no longer have a need for medication.
>Alcohol or Drugs: Abuse of these substances can mask the real symptoms of bipolar disease. People often think they don't need the medication or are afraid to do both..
>Long Term effects - some persons are worried about long-term effects of medication
>Pressure: Some people feel that their family, friends or co-workers (or society in general) are pressuring them not to take their medicine.
>Religion - is often an excuse that people give for noncompliance..
>12-Step Program. They will say that their 12-Step Program forbids any chemicals from entering their body, even prescriptions.
>Pregnancy, is often used by some women who are worried that their prescribed medications will affect their unborn fetus..
>Performance: some feel they will still perform at a better level when not taking their medications.
>Creativity. They believe they are more creative without medication.
>Productivity. They believe they get more done without their medication.

Bipolar violence may occur as a result of untreated bipolar disease. However, the excuses not to take bipolar medication may be as varied as the people who are prescribed the medication. Nonetheless, the statistics of people ceasing to take their medication, along with the asssociated suicide rates, are staggering..

If you have been prescribed medication for your bipolar disorder, please DO NOT go off your medication. There are many reasons given for stopping, but they are just excuses. No matter how you look at it, the excuses are not valid.

If you are having any difficulty, please discuss your medication issues with your doctor.Whatever you may think, do not go off your meds on your own -- this can be very risky and very, very dangerous becuase bipolar violence can cause serious harm and sometimes fatal.
For more information, please see here for more about bipolar violence.