Bipolar Violence The Sad Result For Many NonTreated Bipolar Disease Patients

One of the most serious side effects of untreated bipolar disorder is the bipolar violence associated with it. This could be a self-caused treatment failure. The term used to define this is called "noncompliance."When you fail to take your medications, the opportunity for bipolar violence increases as well as the chance to hurt yourself or others.

Medical studies have shown that approximately 25 percent of prescribe medicines are not taken. When it comes to psychiatric medicines, this number can be doubled. With bipolar disorder, one in two patients will stop their medication in the first 12 months of treatment; usually because they will experiment with their dosage and/or go off their medication altogether (many because they enjoy their manic "highs").

But if the medications can control the person's bipolar disorder, why would they stop taking it? 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. Not all bipolar medications make a person gain weight, but this is still used as an excuse not to take their medication.
* Sexual performance - Although not a side effect of most bipolar disease medications, it's still used as an excuse to stop taking prescribed medications.
* 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.
* Shame and/or Stigma: People will blame everything on society of they use their medications
* No need for it. They believe they can handle their bipolar disorder on their own, without medication.
* Cured - because they think they are cured (mostly because they're on a manic high) and don't have a need for medication.
* Drugs/Alcohol. Substance abuse can mask the symptoms of bipolar disorder, so they don't think they need the bipolar medication, or are afraid to mix the two.
* Longterm effect -- people are afraid of the longterm effects of the medicine.
* Pressure: Some people feel that their family, friends or co-workers (or society in general) are pressuring them not to take their medicine.
* Religion - people say their religion prevents them from taking medicines..
* 12-Step Program. They will say that their 12-Step Program forbids any chemicals from entering their body, even prescriptions.
* Pregnancy: Some females will be concerned that their bipolar disease medicine will affect their unborn child..
* 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 can be the result of untreated bipolar disorder. 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 are prescribed medicine for your bipolar disease, please Do Not become noncompliant. 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 problems with your medication, please discuss these problems with your doctor. You should never stop taking prescribed medications without discussing them first with a professional health provider -- this is very, very dangerous, and the resultant bipolar violence can cause serious bodliy injuries or even death.
For additional information, please click here for more about bipolar violence.