The excerpt below from the CNN article, Growing up bipolar demonstrates planting a certain belief (in this case “disease mongering”) by people who most stand to benefit. A quick Internet search revealed that Dr. Charles Raison’s Mind-Body Program at Emory University gratefully receives funding from:
Anonymous Donor Support; The Dana Foundation; The Emory-Tibet Partnership; Glaxo Smith-Kline; The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI); The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH); NARSAD; Schering-Plough
Dr. Rakesh Jain is in private practice in Texas.
Is it possible to stop medication?
For the past year, Jennifer has been off of all medications but still sees a therapist, and the family has a relationship with a psychiatrist in case of relapse.
In general, people with bipolar disorder must stay on medication for life because relapses are common, said Raison, who has not treated Jennifer. But some are fine for periods of time without them, he said. (editor: Relapses are not common if you get your act together.)
Jain agreed that some patients who do well can go for stretches without medication, but he has never been able to completely remove a bipolar patient from drugs and say, “you’re cured.” Bipolar disorder should be viewed as a chronic illness like hypertension or diabetes, which require lifelong management, he said. It is wise for anyone who does go off medicine to continue to see a mental health professional and closely watch for symptoms of recurrence, Raison said.
See also another aspect of The ties that bind
My son provided some insight into the psychotic break that I found insightful and thought I would share:
He indicated that a fundamental issue at the root of the problem is the interpretation of I dislike, or hate, myself. There may be any number of sources for this interpretive distinction that vary from person to person. As a consequence of hating myself I wish to disassociate with myself and therefore create an altered state of reality.
He went on to say if I love myself unconditionally there is no reason to disassociate with who I am.
I imagine that the stimuli available in various situations (many of them social) are conscious, or unconscious, reminders that validate the interpretations that lead to the conclusion that I hate myself.