I Have Hypergraphia

I am a rapid cycling Bipolar I am unstable even on medication I experience hypergraphia which is a drive that causes excessive writing I write blogs about mental illnesses and was writing for 2 days and all of 1 night I went without sleep and could not stop researching and writing 

This may not seem to be a big problem but the drive was so strong that I did not eat or sleep or even rest for all that time I has been coming on slowly ever since I started writing blogs 

I plan on talking to my doctor about this If this is (which I have heard other people talk about) a part of mania if so I have to be more aware of it since writing so much just continues and continues the writing feeds the high or the high feeds the writing I am not sure which but something has to stop it I do not think that anything will if it is part of my mania I just need an answer so that I can try to control it  It is a good outlet for pent up emotions It finally caused relief and relaxation

Conversion Disorder

A conversion disorder is a rare mental disorder in which a person has physical symptoms that no medical condition can explain. The symptoms do not appear to be under the person's conscious control and they can cause significant distress. Examples of symptoms are a loss of muscle control, blindness, deafness and seizures.  People with conversion disorder have blindness, paralysis, or other nervous system symptoms that cannot be explained by medical examination.

Conversion disorder symptoms may occur because of a psychological conflict. Symptoms usually begin suddenly after a stressful experience. People are more at risk for a conversion disorder if they a very high percentage of people with conversion disorder have another psychiatric problem, such as generalized anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder or some form of depression. They also report a higher frequency of emotional or physical abuse during childhood.

The physical symptoms are thought to be an attempt to resolve the conflict the person feels inside.  A physical examination is needed to rule out physical causes for the symptoms. The affected body part or physical function will need physical or occupational therapy until the symptoms disappear. For example, paralyzed limbs must be exercised to prevent muscle weakness

Conversion disorder often appears after conflict or stress, though the person is not aware of this connection. The person believes the problem is physical. The name of the disorder comes from the idea that some sort of psychological distress is being converted into a physical symptom. Some experts believe that a conflict or painful thought is so unacceptable that it never reaches the person's awareness.

Conversion disorder is more common in women than in men. It occurs most frequently between adolescence and middle age. It appears more often in places where people know less about medicine and psychology, such as in underdeveloped countries.

A psychiatrist makes a diagnosis of conversion disorder based on the person's health history and a neurological examination. In the most obvious cases this diagnosis is made when the physical symptoms are not part of any known disorder of the nervous system. The doctor also tries to determine if any stress or conflict is at the root of the symptoms.

Conversion disorder can be very hard to detect, even with testing. There is no known way to prevent this disorder. Sometimes symptoms go away on their own after the stress has been reduced, conflict has been resolved and with the support of family. If the person experiences anxiety medication may help.

Psychotherapy can help to find the source of conflict or stress it may be possible to provide relief. With the help of psychotherapy, the person may learn to deal with the conflict and go forward with the new experience or avoid the stressor.

The outlook for conversion disorder varies. It depends on the nature of the stress and on the symptoms. Most symptoms of conversion disorder last a relatively short time. The more severe the symptoms, the faster they disappear.  The disorder may be seen as persistent and the person has trouble coping with stress and conflict and has a need for ongoing support.

Shared Psychotic Disorder

Shared psychotic disorder is a very rare condition in which people close to a mentally ill person share his false beliefs delusions. Shared psychotic disorder usually occurs only in long-term relationships in which one person is dominant and the other is passive. The person that the delusions are induced in is submissive to the person with the psychotic disorder. The people often are reclusive or in other ways isolated from society and have close emotional links with each other. The disorder can occur in groups of individuals who are closely involved with a person who has a psychotic disorder.

The disturbance is not due to the effects of a drug of abuse, a medication or a general medical condition. The dominating psychosis is most commonly found in persons with schizophrenia, delusions, or mood disorders.  Common Causes and risk factors of Shared Psychotic Disorder are: social isolation and stress.

Sign and Symptoms of Shared Psychotic Disorder usually are: delusions; hallucinations;  disorganized speech; disorganized or catatonic behavior.

Common Treatments of Shared Psychotic Disorder are: Antipsychotics are the preferred treatment for these disorders. Antipsychotic medications are also useful for Shared Psychotic Disorder. Anticonvulsants are also highly effective for shared psychotic disorder. Psychotherapy in treating Shared Psychotic Disorder may be Family therapy to reestablish the family and to provide social support to modify old family activity.

Mental Illness or a Sign of the Time

Mental illnesses like anything else in society are shaped a popular diagnosis.  The media brings the popularity to the front and suddenly a large part of the population believes that they are afflicted with that particular disorder.  The more glamorous sounding the symptoms the more they become a part of everyday language; such as multiple personality disorder or as it is popularly known as (MPD) or OCD; PTSD; Bipolar disorder and countless others.

The way these disorders are seen by John Q. Public makes the fad disorder, which changes so frequently that the diagnoses increase rapidly and are more difficult to pinpoint even for a professional.  Such as the case of Salem and the other witch hunts it is a form of mass hysteria.

The diagnosis of a mental disorder puts a label on certain behaviors.  Sometimes it is easier to define ourselves by these labels and makes it easier to describe ourselves.  If we can fit into a category which is sometimes a positive thing it is far from we can feel better about unacceptable behaviors.

While all people in a category have similar experiences each is an individual with a different personality; physical makeup; gender; genes and cultural background.   With the many forms of cultural differences in the world the similarities are not as common as it would seem.

While the seriousness of the situation of fad diagnoses threatens the need for medical attention by the population that needs the treatment it is a common occurrence in both medical and psychiatric professions.

When it is all sorted out the fads change; with it's change the misdiagnoses and confusion.  And the next popular syndrome brings mass attention to another disorder.