Manic Depression

[smurfchops]

Can a person with this ever be cured, or would they be on medication for life? Would they lapse and do terrible things,onlyu if they cease taking their medication? And is it hereditary?

[wappytoo]

Hope these are helpful:

http://www.sane.org.uk/public_html/About_Menta l_Illness/ManicDepression.shtm

http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/Un derstanding/Understanding+manic+depression.htm

http://www.mdf.org.uk/

http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.a spx?articleId=47

Best wishes

[curlyfilm]

no answer, but i always wondered if someone suffers with depression, could someone have the opposite, i am always happy even when things are bad, iwhen asked i always say some kind of chemical imbalance that keeps me smiling, i suppose it has its down sides, when things go wrong i'm not bothered or do not worry, and where as i should push my self more at work i don't because i'm happy

[noxlumos]

Just like to add to IAP and his hereditary comment. My father was a manic depressive, so am I and my brother is although he won't hear of it, so I concur that it's hereditary.

[curlyfilm]

cheers pickle, i always wondered why, but i guess always knew too, chemical imbalance

[smurfchops]

Thank you so much, a close friend has just been diagnosed and I just wanted to look into it further.

[BBWCHATT]

Smurf - someone explained Manic Depression to me in this way: Their highs are too high and their lows are too low (compared to people without the condition) - which means they are always fighting to try to find a happy medium and failing.

[sunnyday2d]

yes bbwchatt i wud say that is a short but sweet explinationn.

[lynda44]

hi
a person can never be truly cured from being manic. You can reduce the symptoms with medication and psycholigical counselling. Yes a person does lapse back into the symptoms, mania and depression if they stop taking their medication or even if they need to change to another kind. They may not do anything terrible as long as they have support while they are going through the changes but their own judgement can be severly impared. There is a theory that it is hereditary but environment also plays some part.