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mental health Archives - Suzanne Wallach

What Does The Term ‘High-Functioning’ Bipolar Disorder Mean?

bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic-depressive disorder or manic depression, is listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) as a chronic mental health illness. Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that is characterized by noticeable, unprovoked, sometimes extreme, changes in mood and behavior, that typically present as severe episodic mood swings, shifting between emotional highs (manias) to emotional lows (depressions) with intervals of stable moods. According to the diagnostic criteria outlined in the DSM-5, bipolar disorder is diagnosed when a person experiences three or more manic symptoms and five or more depressive symptoms. Bipolar disorder can develop at any age, but it is most diagnosed in individuals younger than age twenty-five. Bipolar disorder affects nearly 4.4% adults in America. A 2020 study suggests that nearly 23% of those with bipolar disorder could be considered high functioning.

High Functioning Bipolar Disorder

High functioning bipolar disorder (HFBD) is not an official clinical diagnosis. Further, there is no technical definition for the term “high-functioning” bipolar disorder, but HFBD generally refers to how well a person can deal with bipolar disorder and, in large part, mask its symptoms. Since people with bipolar disorder can experience both depression and mania simultaneously or consecutively, the same individual may appear highly productive (mania) as well as unproductive (depression) at different points in their lives.

It is important to note that although people with HFBD are able live their lives with less interference from the symptoms than a lot of other people with the same diagnosis, being labeled as high functioning has no bearing on the severity of their condition. The main difference between bipolar disorder and high functioning bipolar disorder is the person’s ability to perform under the demands of their symptoms. Most people with HFBD are highly adept at concealing their symptoms, contributing to the fact that it is not uncommon for their condition to go overlooked, undiagnosed, or untreated. The name “high functioning bipolar disorder” is both misleading and stigmatizing, which is why many now use the term “bipolar disorder with low support needs” in its place.

Treatment In Calabasas

Calabasas is a city in California. It is a well-known suburb of Los Angeles, located west of the San Fernando Valley and north of the Santa Monica Mountains. Over the past decade, the city of Calabasas has grown in its reputation for luxury as well as for privacy which makes it a hidden gem for residential living for society’s elite, and one of the most desirable destinations in Los Angeles County. It is also home to a plethora of highly qualified mental health clinicians providing an array of therapeutic services and treatment options.

The information above is provided for the use of informational purposes only. The above content is not to be substituted for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment, as in no way is it intended as an attempt to practice medicine, give specific medical advice, including, without limitation, advice concerning the topic of mental health. As such, please do not use any material provided above to disregard professional advice or delay seeking treatment.

Eating For Mental Wellness: Myths About Healthy Eating

Mental Wellness

Mental health refers to emotional, cognitive, and behavioral well-being. The World Health Organization (WHO) explains mental health as “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.” Wellness is an active and dynamic process of change and growth to reach one’s fullest potential and strives to enhance overall well-being. According to The National Wellness Institute, wellness is a “process through which people become aware of, and make choices toward, a more successful existence” by focusing on its eight dimensions. When it comes to food and nutrition, there are countless misconceptions, erroneous myths, and inaccurate messages that have circulated throughout time, including things related to:

  • Food Groups:
    • Myth: Some groups of food are unhealthy or bad.
    • False: Although all foods are not made equal, there is no objective standard to qualify any treat, food group, or nutrient as inherently bad.
  • Vitamin C:
    • Myth: Vitamin C can keep you from catching a cold.
    • False: Research has shown that vitamin C generally does not ward off colds.
  • Carrots
    • Myth: Raw carrots are more nutritious than cooked carrots.
    • False: Antioxidants may be enhanced when some vegetables are cooked, such as carrots. Researchers in a 2008 study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, found cooking carrots increases their nutritional value.
  • Eggs
    • Myth: Eggs should be avoided because of their cholesterol content.
    • False: In a 2018 study in the journal Nutrients, researchers found eggs do not contribute to high cholesterol. In fact, eggs are an inexpensive source of many nutrients, including zinc and iron, antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, vitamin D, and the brain-boosting chemical choline. Further, the American Heart Association says one whole egg or two egg whites a day can be part of a healthy diet.
  • Carbohydrates
    • Myth: Cutting carbohydrates from your diet improves your health.
    • False: Integrating healthy carbohydrates, such as whole grains, is essential to your overall well-being. Several studies, including a 2016 study in the British Medical Journal, show that people who eat whole grains have 20 to 30 percent less heart disease, and researchers further concluded that an increased intake of whole grains is associated with a decreased risk of chronic diseases and premature mortality.

Common food myths can greatly influence the habits and patterns one develops surrounding healthy eating and nutrition. Eating is a fundamental necessity of life, and even a minor nutrition deficit can have a significant effect on your physical health and mental wellness.

Treatment In Calabasas

Calabasas is a city in California. It is a well-known suburb of Los Angeles, located west of the San Fernando Valley and north of the Santa Monica Mountains. Over the past decade, the city of Calabasas has grown in its reputation for luxury as well as for privacy which makes it a hidden gem for residential living for society’s elite, and one of the most desirable destinations in Los Angeles County. It is also home to a plethora of highly qualified mental health clinicians providing an array of therapeutic services and treatment options.

 

The information above is provided for the use of informational purposes only. The above content is not to be substituted for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment, as in no way is it intended as an attempt to practice medicine, give specific medical advice, including, without limitation, advice concerning the topic of mental health. As such, please do not use any material provided above to disregard professional advice or delay seeking treatment.

Covid’s Impact On Mental Health

man wwearing a mask suffering from mental illness

The 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), also known as COVID-19, is a new disease that has not previously been seen in humans. Clinical Microbiology and Infection (CMI) asserts that COVID-19 “is associated with a respiratory illness that may lead to severe pneumonia, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).” The fact that the method of transmission, severity of symptoms, and long-term affects of coronavirus-19 were largely unknown not only caused worldwide panic and but also initiated the surge of a global pandemic. In efforts to slow the spread of the virus, states all across America instituted social distancing guidelines, implemented sporadic stay-at-home orders for all non-essential workers, prohibited in-restaurant dining, closed schools, theaters, exercise studios, museums, public libraries, and more. Many hospitals around the country prohibited individuals that were not there for treatment from entering the building (e.g. loved ones of patients). Further, due to its highly contagious nature a strict no visitor’s policy was established both in healthcare settings (e.g. designated COVID-19 unites) as well as in the general public (e.g. mandatory quarantine for a minimum of 14 days) for those that tested positive for the virus. Sadly, this too meant that for individuals who became terminal from COVID-19 they would be unable to be in the company of loved ones in their last living moments. 

Mental Health Impact

Nearly every person in America has experienced the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even in rare situations where an individual does not have a direct connection to someone who has contracted COVID-19, the pandemic could still negatively affect their mental wellbeing. For example, extroverted individuals that thrive on social interaction were required to adhere to the stay-at-home orders and social distance mandates for extended periods of time, which surely affected their mental state. Some individuals lost family members and/ or loved one’s to COVID-19 and were unable to visit with them, see them or be by their side as they passed, which could gravely imprint an individual’s psyche. Depending on the individual, when contracted, the physical toll the virus can take on an individual can be immense, and the recovery process from COVID-19 can leave an individual vulnerable to lingering adverse effects. Having to deal with newfound, seemingly long-term physical complications can contribute to one’s mental state, and could ignite any dormant mental health ailment. The fear surrounding the unknown was palpable, not only in the United States, but all over the world. There is an endless list of all of the known ways COVID-19 impacted society: individuals developed thorough/ obsessive cleaning rituals to avoid unnecessarily contracting the virus, people spent months on end inside their homes, people stopped obtaining medical services for pre-existing conditions for fear of contracting the virus, and many, many more. Every individual living through these unprecedented times is bound to experience a slew of emotions, some of which may be difficult to navigate as they are directly related to unparalleled times. There are countless layers of how COVID-19 could impact an individual’s mental health. Much like many of the long-term effects of contracting the virus itself remain unknown, the long-term mental health effects of living through this pandemic are unknown yet are sure to be both extensive and profound. 

Disclaimer: 

The information above is provided for the use of informational purposes only. The above content is not to be substituted for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment, as in no way is it intended as an attempt to practice medicine, give specific medical advice, including, without limitation, advice concerning the topic of mental health.  As such, please do not use any material provided above as a means to disregard professional advice or delay seeking treatment.

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