Manic Depression and sleep

[Raisa]

I got this theory that when you dont get enough sleep it makes manic depression...or it makes it worse.

Because to have normal and controlled emotions I sometimes think as easy as this seems, it is a task for your brain that is harder becasue it has to stay focused on a line of normality.

When you dont get enough sleep your brain is unrefreshed and weakened and it can just fling any which way.

What does anyone think of this theory?

[encephalon]

there is a correlation between insomnia and depression/bipolar disorder. I also know they've done studies on people not sleeping for days, and eventually their behavior becomes very neurotic.

Whether the sleep is the cause or the effect of depression/bipolar disorder, I'm not sure.. at times they seem to go hand in hand. I'm guessing it's a bit of a symbiotic relationship (that's the best way I could think to describe it right now, though it's not quite fitting); depression >> insomnia >> sleep-deprivation >> depression ad infinitum, starting at any one of those stages and prehaps continuously circling around.

From what I understand, though, sleep mainly seems to serve the purpose of categorizing memory, though the function of sleep is truly not understood in the least. I think it would definitely affect the balance of chemicals in the brain, however, through which mood is bound to swing.

[Wiesty]

well wouldnt sleeping be part of the *depressed* stage of manic depression?

[Hate Is Art]

Manic Depressents sleep to avoid the pains the world cause them.

[Raisa]

Originally posted by Digital [email protected] 29 2005, 03:36 PM
Manic Depressents sleep to avoid the pains the world cause them.
not always/

[che's long lost daughter]

The neurotransmitter Serotonin that is responsible for sleep is also the one responsible for mood states thus, when one has manic-depressive disorder, the sleep pattern is affected. When serotonin is low, our mood goes into a depressed state and when it is high, it goes into the manic state. One symptom of depression is hypersomnia which is excessive sleepiness and the opposite goes with mania which is hyposomnia. When the body doesn't get enough sleep, it's normal functioning is affected and this includes the brain. When one sleeps, brain activity is lessened and this allows the brain to get some rest. When one has been deprived of sleep for quite a long time, brain functioning is altered allowing for the appearance of hallucinations, delusions and other disturbances in thoughts.

[Wiesty]

just refresh my memory, Manic depression is when sometimes your all gloomy and down and depressed, and then others your up and gibbidy and over reactive etc.?

[Discarded Wobbly Pop]

Originally posted by [email protected] 29 2005, 01:33 PM
well wouldnt sleeping be part of the *depressed* stage of manic depression?

Actually, sometimes I can't sleep because of *manic* spurts, like a kid who can't wait for christmas morning.

I find that all sorts of things make my highs and lows more extreme, sleep deprevation is only one of them. Others are:

Lack of nutrition,
Important incidents,
lack of important incidents,
being alone for long periods of time,
hell, sometimes even being stuck in a line of normality can make it pretey bad.

[encephalon]

just refresh my memory, Manic depression is when sometimes your all gloomy and down and depressed, and then others your up and gibbidy and over reactive etc.?

yep. also known as bipolar disorder.

Does anyone else self-medicate with any kinds of drugs, legal or otherwise? Caffeine, nicotine, etc.. mainly mood altering drugs. There's this concept going around in psychology that people who consume loads of caffeine or smoke a ton tend to suffer from chronic depression or bipolar disorder, and things like caffeine/nicotine actually help at preventing the "disorder" from manifesting. I must admit, I do see some truth in this looking at myself. Anyone else?

[BOZG]

I think CLLD is pretty much correct. The inability of the brain to function under duress, sleep deprivation included can increase the effects of depressive disorders and deepen mental instability. It is why a healthy sleep pattern is a necessity in these cases. Periods of complete sleep deprivation in depressive illnesses can very easily bring about psychosis and psychotic reactions.

[Paradox]

yep. also known as bipolar disorder.

Aren't manic depression and bipolar disorder two separate things? Bipolar is when you switch between moods, you can be euphoric one minute and then really depressed the next. And Depression is when, well, you're just depressed. In a euphoric state you can go for long periods without sleep and still feel energized, even feel like you have more energy than usual. And when you're in a depressed state, you feel tired and drained even when you get enough sleep. Anyway, what do you make of prescription drugs to "treat" Bipolar Disorder/Depression? I read a couple of days ago that the herbal supplement St. John's Wort is just as effective for treating minor and moderate depression, and that now they believe that it's just as good as prescription drugs for treating severe depression. Anyway, what causes the rapid fluctations of mood? Why can you switch so fast from energetic to drained?

[encephalon]

Aren't manic depression and bipolar disorder two separate things? Bipolar is when you switch between moods, you can be euphoric one minute and then really depressed the next.

no, that's a common misconception. "moods" as they are defined in psychology don't switch like that; bipolar disorder doesn't mean one minute you're in a frenzy (or, manic) and the next severely depressed.. it goes from one to the other over the course of days, weeks or months, always to the extreme. Regardless, they Manic-depressive syndrome is just an older term for bipolar.