College Life Affects Bi-polar Disorder

(February 22, 2007) -- GAINESVILLE, Fla.- Bipolar disorder and college mix like matches and lighter fluid.

Kevin Stanley, a therapist at the University of Florida Counseling Center, said although bipolar cases are rare at the center, college campuses are breeding grounds for the disease.

Bipolar disorder causes people to experience periods of mania and depression.

Irregular sleep, stress, alcohol and drug use - things common to college life - are prime triggers, he said.

The disease's peak age of onset is between 15 and 25, experts say.

Impulsivity, dramatic mood swings, a decreased need for sleep, weight loss, rampant spending, promiscuity and suicidal thoughts are among the typical symptoms of bipolar disorder.

People with bipolar disorder also have a greater propensity to alcohol, drug and sex addictions.

Dr. Josepha A. Cheong, a general psychiatrist at UF's Department of Psychiatry, said an early diagnosis is critical for the well-being of people with the disorder.

"You want to treat it because people with bipolar disorder have a very high risk to commit suicide," she said. "Even if they don't kill themselves, they have a high risk of destroying their lives and hurting their relationships with others."

Jennifer Nam, the research manager at Stanford University's Bipolar Disorder Clinic, reinforced the importance of a quick and proper diagnosis.

"If you don't get treatment," she said, "it's basically just doing damage to your brain every time you have severe depression or mania."

People who go untreated are also much more likely to experience relapses, she said.

Students who have friends with bipolar symptoms should try to steer them toward a mental assessment, if they're open to the idea, Stanley said.

"You can easily push too hard," he said. "I would advise a slow, patient approach."

By: John W. Cox, Independent Florida Alligator (U. Florida)
Source: Daily Collegian

Last updated: 02/07

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• Mental Health & Alcohol Misuse Project Factsheet 5: Bipolar Disorder and Alcohol Misuse
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