Bipolar Violence The Risk For Untreated Bipolar Disorder

One of the most serious side effects of untreated bipolar disorder is the bipolar violence associated with it. This could be a self-caused treatment failure. The word used to describe for not taking your medications is called "noncompliance." When you are noncompliant with your medications, you could be causing great danger to yourself and possibly others, and it could even be fatal.

Medical studies have shown that approximately 25 percent of prescribe medicines are not taken. When it comes to psychiatric medicines, this number can be doubled. For bipolar disease, nearly 50 percent of bipolar patients will stop medication in the first year of treatment; usually because they will experiment with their dosage and/or go off their medication altogether (mostly because they enjoy their "highs" while manic).

But if the medicine can keep the patient's bipolar disease under control, why stop taking the medications? These are some of the excuses:
}-Denial. They don't believe they have an illness. They think they may just be "moody."
}-Refusal to medicate away their "true selves." They feel like they'll turn "robotic."
}-Side effects is the reason often given for noncompliant patients. However there are other ways to deal with the side effects to minimize their effect..
}-Oversedation - perople do not want to feel like they're in a fog.
}-Weight gain: Many use this excuse even though not all bipolar medications cause weight gain.
}-Decreased sexual function - It's not a very big side effect, but it is an issue for some people who use it as an excuse for non-medicating.
}-Lack of money. Many will say they cannot pay for their medicine. But there are many free sources from companies that now provide the medicines for free.
}-Lack of insurance. This, too, is no longer a valid excuse, as there is Medicaid and Medicare for needy people and, as previously stated, there are drug companies who will provide medication for free (especially for those people who fall in "the doughnut hole" of Medicare).
}-Lack of transportation - people will say they have no way to get to the doctor or pharmacy to get their medicines.
}-Shame and/or Stigma: People will blame everything on society of they use their medications
}-No need: Some people think they can take care of themselves without medication.
}-Cured - because they think they are cured (mostly because they're on a manic high) and don't have a need for medication.
}-Drugs/Alcohol. Substance abuse can mask the symptoms of bipolar disorder, so they don't think they need the bipolar medication, or are afraid to mix the two.
}-Long Term effects - some persons are worried about long-term effects of medication
}-Pressure: Some people feel that their family, friends or co-workers (or society in general) are pressuring them not to take their medicine.
}-Religion - people say their religion prevents them from taking medicines..
}-12-step groups: Some people belive that their own support groups prevent them from using bipolar disease medications, even though it is doctor ordered..
}-Pregnancy: Some females will be concerned that their bipolar disease medicine will affect their unborn child..
}-Performance: some feel they will still perform at a better level when not taking their medications.
}-Creativity. They believe they are more creative without medication.
}-Productivity. They believe they get more done without their medication.

Bipolar violence may be the result of someone's untreated bipolar disease. However, the excuses not to take bipolar medication may be as varied as the people who are prescribed the medication. Yet, the statistics of noncompliant patients along with suicide rates are staggering..

If you are prescribed medicine for your bipolar disease, please Do Not become noncompliant. There are many reasons given for stopping, but they are just excuses. No matter how you look at it, the excuses are not valid.

If you are having any difficulty, please discuss your medication issues with your doctor.You should never stop taking prescribed medications without discussing them first with a professional health provider -- this is very, very dangerous, and the resultant bipolar violence can cause serious bodliy injuries or even death.
For more information, please see here for more about bipolar violence.