30,000 bipolar patients currently undergoing treatments

[rooster59]

30,000 bipolar patients currently undergoing treatments

Tanakorn Sangiam

 

 

NONTHABURI, 30 March 2018 (NNT) – Some 30,000 bipolar patients are currently undergoing treatments, while the patients' discontinuation to medication may worsen their conditions. 

 

Department of Mental Health Director-General Boonruang Triruanworawat said on World Bipolar Disorder Day that bipolar disorder is a condition found in up to five percent of the world population, or with some 60 million patients around the world. 

 

The disease, which is the sixth most severe illness, is commonly diagnosable in early adulthood. Patients in such condition mostly have other mental issues such as drug abuses, depression, or anxiety. Bipolar patients face a higher suicide rate, compared to other people. 

 

A total of 31,521 bipolar patients receiving treatments at public hospitals in 2017. Successful treatment involves the use of medicine along with psychiatric sessions. However, cases of discontinuation to medication by patients were found as they might have taken for granted that they had already been cured, causing their conditions to get more severe. 

 

Srithanya Psychiatric Hospital director Sirisak Thitidilokrat said several factors can cause a bipolar illness, including genetic inheritance of the damaged chromosomes, stress and drug uses. Bipolar patients can be found depressed, hyperactive and overly confident. 

 

Those who may find themselves subject to dramatic changes of disposition, such as from excitement to depression, are encouraged to seek medical advice by calling Hotline 1323 in order to receive timely treatment, should they be diagnosed with such mental disorder.

 

 

-- nnt 2018-03-31

[bluesofa]

Does that mean it's really 15,000 patients?

 

[Lupatria]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

Patients in such condition mostly have other mental issues

In that case I estimate the number here should be around 30 million.

[totally thaied up]

You apparently don't believe mental illness such as bipolar do exist or are you one of the seemly thousands of people that believe psychological illness gets brought to the masses via the pharmaceutical body?. Bipolar affects 2%-5% of the world's population, and I happen to be one of that 2-5% and I can tell you its real.

 

If you want to say something constructive about a severe sickness that kills many people each day, it might help not writing at all. Implying in a vailed way telling us the pharmaceutical industry does this for 'kicks,' (i.e. - suggesting this as a holiday) you have got to be joking right?

 

 Without the advent of lithium, clonazepam or atypical antipsychotics, I most likely would be dead and many others as well.

 

This is no laughing matter. Join a Thai Bipolar Facebook group I am with and see how genuinely devastating this illness really is and the pain suffered by thousands each day.

 

[Rumbleg]

1 hour ago, bluesofa said:

Does that mean it's really 15,000 patients?

 

Or 60 000

[mok199]

in my personal experience with thailands mental health system ,its  absolutely primitive combine that with dr's who know only how to save face, it becomes absolutely dangerous...BA

[janclaes47]

3 minutes ago, mok199 said:

in my personal experience with thailands mental health system ,its  absolutely primitive combine that with dr's who know only how to save face, it becomes absolutely dangerous...BA

I have been going to psychiatrist in a public hospital with my son.

 

Each consultation would last about 20 minutes, of that he spent about 5 minutes at most with my son, and the remaining time he would send my son out of the room and ask me questions.

 

Then at the end he would ask me what i suggested, and if I suggested a medicine he would prescribe it, then make an appointment for 3 months later.

 

I gave up after 3 visits.

 

 

[mok199]

20 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

I have been going to psychiatrist in a public hospital with my son.

 

Each consultation would last about 20 minutes, of that he spent about 5 minutes at most with my son, and the remaining time he would send my son out of the room and ask me questions.

 

Then at the end he would ask me what i suggested, and if I suggested a medicine he would prescribe it, then make an appointment for 3 months later.

 

I gave up after 3 visits.

 

 

I hope your son and your family are well sir...

[Chris Lawrence]

2 hours ago, totally thaied up said:

You apparently don't believe mental illness such as bipolar do exist or are you one of the seemly thousands of people that believe psychological illness gets brought to the masses via the pharmaceutical body?. Bipolar affects 2%-5% of the world's population, and I happen to be one of that 2-5% and I can tell you its real.

 

If you want to say something constructive about a severe sickness that kills many people each day, it might help not writing at all. Implying in a vailed way telling us the pharmaceutical industry does this for 'kicks,' (i.e. - suggesting this as a holiday) you have got to be joking right?

 

 Without the advent of lithium, clonazepam or atypical antipsychotics, I most likely would be dead and many others as well.

 

This is no laughing matter. Join a Thai Bipolar Facebook group I am with and see how genuinely devastating this illness really is and the pain suffered by thousands each day.

 

Great post and tremendous courage.

 

So much slips past our keepers. 

[Rimmer]

A troll post has been removed

[Grumpy Duck]

Mental illness is so terribly difficult to diagnose. It usually requires hospitalization with continuous observation for at least a week. 

 

I do not make my comments based on bias but after 47 years of mental health “care”. I have been in “treatment” for years. So often when insurance coverage expires a person is “cured”. 

 

From 1991 to about 1998 After another attempted suicide I was placed in care of a certain county mental health agency. Being considered critical I had relatively good care, but it was dependent upon my descriptions to experienced psychiatrists & their observations. 

Once I was my doctors last appointment of the day. She was intrigued by my experiences, intelect and knowledge. We sat and talked for over an hour after my 20 min appointment. She noted that I continually looked around her office as if I felt I was being watched. She asked if I was having hallucinations, I said no, she persisted, do you see shapes or figures out of the corners of your eyes? I replied yea, everyone does. No everyone doesn’t.  I was then diagnosed with Bi-Polar disorder (this was well known) with psychotic episodes (this was new). 

Soon after I was taken off critical status and placed in treatment by a different doctor every couple of months. I was active in many activities to include 12 step with many people involved. I was working as a heavy equipment operator while taking lithium. An extremely important part of lithium treatment is hydration. I was extremely dehydrated and became seriously psychotic due to lithium toxicity. I was placed in the care of another critical care psychiatrist he read each page of my 4 foot thick chart. He said, You have been medically abused, in three years you have been mistreated by almost 30 psychiatric interns learning off you. Your diagnosis has changed more than 20 times from simple substance abuse to schizophrenia or schizoid active. They changed your meds continually.

This dr quit after my first appointment. 

What worked for me was to return to college as a full time student and to use my life experiences to help others. 

 

During this period I observed and often befriended many long term mentally ill people. I also observed many people (with good insurance) diagnosed as bipolar when they simply had a few bad days. 

 

Depression is the most dangerous disease in todays world I understand most suicides are linked to depression and depression linked with psychotic episodes can be fatal. 

I am a good hearted person and as a result I tend to be surrounded by people who care. I try to eat properly stay active and always try to stay on the correct path. 

[cornishcarlos]

I hate being bi-polar, it's brilliant....

 

Just kidding... 

[Expatthailover]

18 hours ago, totally thaied up said:

You apparently don't believe mental illness such as bipolar do exist or are you one of the seemly thousands of people that believe psychological illness gets brought to the masses via the pharmaceutical body?. Bipolar affects 2%-5% of the world's population, and I happen to be one of that 2-5% and I can tell you its real.

 

If you want to say something constructive about a severe sickness that kills many people each day, it might help not writing at all. Implying in a vailed way telling us the pharmaceutical industry does this for 'kicks,' (i.e. - suggesting this as a holiday) you have got to be joking right?

 

 Without the advent of lithium, clonazepam or atypical antipsychotics, I most likely would be dead and many others as well.

 

This is no laughing matter. Join a Thai Bipolar Facebook group I am with and see how genuinely devastating this illness really is and the pain suffered by thousands each day.

 

Well said, like you some of the flippant cruel comments posted by some on here disgust me.

[Grumpy Duck]

1 minute ago, cornishcarlos said:

I hate being bi-polar, it's brilliant....

 

Just kidding... 

Actually many world leaders through history have been considered bipolar as well as many inventors and artists I believe that often genius is also cursed with this disease. I recall a movie made about a brilliant Nobel prize winning mathematician who was schizophrenic  “Beautiful Mind” starring Russell Crowe. 

[Wilsonandson]

If you want to see a great documentary film on manic depression then watch "The Devil and Daniel Johnston".

[Chris Lawrence]

Reg Mombassa. Mad as a cut snake but a brilliant genius in the art and music world. Fantastic art work.

 

[unblocktheplanet]

Depression is disabling. One can't think or sleep, may be subject to midlevel anxiety most of the time and/or panic attacks. One is usually forced to work but impossible to make even the most simple decisions. Thai shrinks are crap, they just want to write you a scrip.

 

That said, there's a huge amount of research you can do on the Internet to tailor a programme that suits your symptoms. Some 'mind-drugs' do work but do your homework to delete those with suicidal ideation.

 

Took three years to find out all my crazy symptoms were caused by Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Only found out by trying a tiny dose of a hypothyroid friend's meds. After 10 days, I was more or less normal and onto the right track. But what a flaming toboggan ride!

Edited April 1, 2018 by unblocktheplanet

[Salengrider]

I wish they would have advertised this on ThaiFriendly

[johnson36]

My thai wife who lives in the UK with me has Schizoaffective disorder. A type of psychosis that has symptoms of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

She was diagnosed in the UK in 2003. She has had 3 different types of medication and is currentley on 20mg of Aripiprazole.

She has relapsed 4 times in the last 14 years, everytime because she made the silly desicion to stop taking the meds. Each time of relapse it has taken a bigger dose to get her back on track and about 2 to 3 months.

I can tell you this illness is the worst ever. It has ruined MY life. I now suffer bad depression and very very bad anxiety.

The biggest problem is. Nobody apart from a doctor or a carer like myself understand it. You won't get any sympathy from friends, they can't get their head round it. It not as easy for them to see the problem. Break your leg and they will come and help you get around. Get a problem in your brain they will run a mile.

When my wife has been at a relapse stage she has been ignored. She would go and knock on a friends door and they would not answer.

People are scared of people with mental illness.

I was talking recently to a couple who have a son with schizophrenia, they could see the effect it is having on me and they advised me to walk away. They can not because it is their son.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 1, 2018 by johnson36

[totally thaied up]

48 minutes ago, johnson36 said:

 

The biggest problem is. Nobody apart from a doctor or a carer like myself understand it. You won't get any sympathy from friends, they can't get their head round it. It not as easy for them to see the problem. Break your leg and they will come and help you get around. Get a problem in your brain they will run a mile.

When my wife has been at a relapse stage she has been ignored. She would go and knock on a friends door and they wouldn't answer.

People are scared of people with mental illness.

No one will ever understand until they deal with it.

 

I went missing for three days once for my wife to find me in the Rice Barn, too scared to move.  I spent a year painting, not leaving my house as I could not face the real world. You do unrealistic things, but you are not crazy; just sick, yet no one will understand.

 

Before the worst of my bipolar illness started, I was a very successful person in life and business. People are scared of me as well. My wife and her family understand and care for me better than my own as they, my parents are worn down by it.

 

The medicines are heavy; very little relief comes from them. Side effects are more than terrible and can be worse than the illness itself. Look at the word lithium toxicity for a start and then look at Topomax or some other drugs like Zyprexa or the like and see what we have to go through. 

 

Try not sleeping four days straight. The prior month you only slept an hour a day. Then you are thrown into a psychosis from this lack of hypomanic sleep patterns. Imagine you are getting chased by a giant stone ball, and it is trying to crush you, but this ball is not real, and you are screaming out in sheer terror. 

 

The only way it gets stopped, this ball is hospitalization. Being strapped to a bed for a few days thoroughly constrained by straps without even a nappy on until you get stabilized is not a pleasant feeling from experience. Hate to say this, but this is how we get dealt with today. My last inpatient visit was five years ago here in Thailand, and it was not much, if little different to my visits in-house in Australia.

 

It is no laughing matter.

 

Hope your wife is stable now. It is hard to stay stable due to so many reasons, and most cannot understand that to me, a state of hypomania is like being on a constant trip and desirable. When it rolls over into mania, that is when the trouble starts; police, hospitals stays and even criminal charges (which I have never had luckily) and long recovery time.

 

It is not a comfortable life in the least.

Edited April 1, 2018 by totally thaied up

[kevozman1]

I studied psychology to degree level and I am still of the belief that bipolar is new age nonsense. In my younger years I was considered to have ADHD, because I was hyperactive and less likely to follow doctrine than others. Thank <deleted> my parents had their own brains and were not dumb enough to drug me as doctors had prescribed.

 

Saying that I have put my studies (relevant stuff) and real life experiences to work by helping people with real problems as a drugs and alcohol counsellor in the past. Problem with a lot of psychological studies is that it requires real life experiences beyond learning other's doctrine, but the whole field is corrupted by Western far left brainwashing and social engineering. More conclusive test lab studies found in fields like biology and physics are far more reliable sadly. 

[Hawaiian]

This form of depression is often misdiagnosed and inappropriate medications prescribed.  This is why seeing a competent and experienced mental health doctor is extremely important.  After helping a friend recover  from a drug  overdose took I her to a friend of mine who correctly diagnosed her problem.  Today she is my wife and never fails to take her lithium. She often thanks me for turning her life around.

[Chris Lawrence]

7 hours ago, kevozman1 said:

I studied psychology to degree level and I am still of the belief that bipolar is new age nonsense. In my younger years I was considered to have ADHD, because I was hyperactive and less likely to follow doctrine than others. Thank <deleted> my parents had their own brains and were not dumb enough to drug me as doctors had prescribed.

 

Saying that I have put my studies (relevant stuff) and real life experiences to work by helping people with real problems as a drugs and alcohol counsellor in the past. Problem with a lot of psychological studies is that it requires real life experiences beyond learning other's doctrine, but the whole field is corrupted by Western far left brainwashing and social engineering. More conclusive test lab studies found in fields like biology and physics are far more reliable sadly. 

So you didn't get the invite to continue studies. In OZ to complete the degree pass as a psychologist takes another two years and that is by invitation.

 

If your building starts to crumble around you would call in a architect. If your body is crumbling your architect is your psychiatrist and with help from a psychologist.

 

I too worked in D&A for 20 years, my degree was in Welfare. I held a different view on the effectiveness of treating D&A people with new age drugs. But it has changed. 

 

I have suffered 10 years with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (or as I now put it a motor neuron type condition because no one gets it, may not be right but it is up there for me; 70% bedbound). Just spent 20 days in a private hospital; on a new regime to help with the sleep wake cycle and a pre-Alzheimer supplement drink. I feel better, but early days.

 

Sitting 10 years in your own head with little contact with people, and some saying I am bunging it on; doesn't help how you feel about yourself. Mentally your condition will change. My greatest problem was to show two sets of comorbidities for Mental Health and CFS. Some were tunnel vision saying they only deal with mental health, nurses, but my Dr got it.

 

Its getting to the right people who will treat you.

 

I saw a young guy, Bipolar who had about 25-30 razor cuts down his one arm. He had just done it after a visit from his mum. He left the next day. I felt so sad for this young man, as I did try and reach out to him. Also heard the conversation he had with his mum. If it had of been on my watch I would have intervened with her. There lies the difference.

[totally thaied up]

11 hours ago, kevozman1 said:

I studied psychology to degree level and I am still of the belief that bipolar is new age nonsense

And that is about how far I read your post. New age nonsense?  Speak to Churchill then.... Or the thousands of others before him that were "old age" bipolar

[Grumpy Duck]

20 hours ago, totally thaied up said:

No one will ever understand until they deal with it.

 

I went missing for three days once for my wife to find me in the Rice Barn, too scared to move.  I spent a year painting, not leaving my house as I could not face the real world. You do unrealistic things, but you are not crazy; just sick, yet no one will understand.

 

Before the worst of my bipolar illness started, I was a very successful person in life and business. People are scared of me as well. My wife and her family understand and care for me better than my own as they, my parents are worn down by it.

 

The medicines are heavy; very little relief comes from them. Side effects are more than terrible and can be worse than the illness itself. Look at the word lithium toxicity for a start and then look at Topomax or some other drugs like Zyprexa or the like and see what we have to go through. 

 

Try not sleeping four days straight. The prior month you only slept an hour a day. Then you are thrown into a psychosis from this lack of hypomanic sleep patterns. Imagine you are getting chased by a giant stone ball, and it is trying to crush you, but this ball is not real, and you are screaming out in sheer terror. 

 

The only way it gets stopped, this ball is hospitalization. Being strapped to a bed for a few days thoroughly constrained by straps without even a nappy on until you get stabilized is not a pleasant feeling from experience. Hate to say this, but this is how we get dealt with today. My last inpatient visit was five years ago here in Thailand, and it was not much, if little different to my visits in-house in Australia.

 

It is no laughing matter.

 

Hope your wife is stable now. It is hard to stay stable due to so many reasons, and most cannot understand that to me, a state of hypomania is like being on a constant trip and desirable. When it rolls over into mania, that is when the trouble starts; police, hospitals stays and even criminal charges (which I have never had luckily) and long recovery time.

 

It is not a comfortable life in the least.

When I was a chemical guinea pig they tried a number of anti depressants which didn’t bother me much but after  about 30 days, I would build up a resistance to them and they were not effectiveany more. For my psychotic episodes I was given haldol which turned me into a zombie. 

Lithium seemed to have no effect on me. But all people around me told me I was doing good, but it is dangerous in a desert environment. I refused the haldol, and for a year complained of tremors, the stupid psych interns told me it was from the haldol. The real psychiatrist actually got angry because tremors are the first sign of lithium toxicity. 

 

I remember being placed in rehab once,  the other addict/alcoholic patients were terrified of the “crazy” bipolar dude, they had staff take a dangerous fingernail clipper away from me as if I would go crazy and use it as a weapon. 

One good side I was guaranteed a private room. 

[Machiavelli]

"bi polar" and " depression". Nothing a hard days work can't cure and I mean real hard work. Talk of these fantasy illnesses in Malawi or Cambodia and you will be laughed out of the room. 

[tukkytuktuk]

23 hours ago, johnson36 said:

My thai wife who lives in the UK with me has Schizoaffective disorder. A type of psychosis that has symptoms of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

She was diagnosed in the UK in 2003. She has had 3 different types of medication and is currentley on 20mg of Aripiprazole.

She has relapsed 4 times in the last 14 years, everytime because she made the silly desicion to stop taking the meds. Each time of relapse it has taken a bigger dose to get her back on track and about 2 to 3 months.

I can tell you this illness is the worst ever. It has ruined MY life. I now suffer bad depression and very very bad anxiety.

The biggest problem is. Nobody apart from a doctor or a carer like myself understand it. You won't get any sympathy from friends, they can't get their head round it. It not as easy for them to see the problem. Break your leg and they will come and help you get around. Get a problem in your brain they will run a mile.

When my wife has been at a relapse stage she has been ignored. She would go and knock on a friends door and they would not answer.

People are scared of people with mental illness.

I was talking recently to a couple who have a son with schizophrenia, they could see the effect it is having on me and they advised me to walk away. They can not because it is their son.

 

I liked your post the best, looking after someone with a mental health problem is I think harder and more stressful than what the patient is going through.

 

My dad had just the same illness as your wife and for the last 10 years of his life would say everyday more or less "I want to die". He tried killing himself on many occasions mainly with drug overdoses. He'd always confess though to my mum or me that he'd taken the overdose and he wanted to die. So most of my teenage years was spent looking after my bed riden dad. He was bed ridden because he'd had a triple by-pass after a heart attack nearly killed him.

 

Anyways, to cut a long story short, this went on for 10 years and the last couple of years I just got fed up with him. He'd say "I want to die' and I would now reply "Well die you old bugger" "When, when, please die". I know it was wrong but I was so stressed.

 

Well I decided I need a break from looking after my dad and went to Thailand for a holiday. The rest is history. I never went back! Never been back ever. The old goat finally died 2 years later. Me and my mum are good friends still and both agree that looking after my dad was ruining both our lives. It is so stressful. He wore me out!

 

O.k, there we go. Something to think about.

 

Cheers Tukky

Edited April 2, 2018 by tukkytuktuk

[totally thaied up]

2 hours ago, Machiavelli said:

"bi polar" and " depression". Nothing a hard days work can't cure and I mean real hard work. Talk of these fantasy illnesses in Malawi or Cambodia and you will be laughed out of the room. 

Go to Indonesia and look at the people chained up like dogs due to bipolar. One Indonesian lived in a coconut tree for three years before they got him down. 

 

Your the one living in fantasy land. 

 

Try swinging spanners under a Loader in 50 degree heat for a day and see how you will be laughed out of the room when you are manic.  I had one mate in another mine who was a boilermaker weld the face of God on one of his projects. He was manic at the time. 

 

I could go on forever but hell, isn't it all fantasy? 

Edited April 2, 2018 by totally thaied up

[Grumpy Duck]

15 hours ago, Machiavelli said:

"bi polar" and " depression". Nothing a hard days work can't cure and I mean real hard work. Talk of these fantasy illnesses in Malawi or Cambodia and you will be laughed out of the room. 

Another crackpot "expert" I see.  First of all who would be stupid enough to travel to Malawi? A real cesspool of a nation. From the CIA factbook: 

Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's most densely populated and least developed countries. The country’s economic performance has historically been constrained by policy inconsistency, macroeconomic instability, poor infrastructure, rampant corruption, high population growth, and poor health and education outcomes that limit labor productivity. The economy is predominately agricultural with about 80% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for about one-third of GDP and 80% of export revenues. The performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for more than half of exports, although Malawi is looking to diversify away from tobacco to other cash crops.

The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. Donors halted aid from 2013 to 2016 because of concerns about corruption and fiscal carelessness, but the World Bank resumed budget support in May 2017. In 2006, Malawi was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program but recent increases in domestic borrowing mean that debt servicing in 2016 exceeded the levels prior to HIPC debt relief.

The nation has the 10th largest  HIV/Aids rate in the world. Expecting any type of logic from a nation that believes all gay people should be killed is stupidity. 

 

Perhaps you believe the following from the middle ages some still practiced until the 1940's in the USA: 

Causes of mental illness included:

• Supernatural causes such as demons and demonic possession.
• Witchcraft and sorcery.
• Mass hysteria.
• Melancholy and stress.

Treatments for mental illness included:

• Exorcism.
• Shaving the pattern of a cross in the head-hair.
• Believe that those suffering from mental illness could benefit from hearing mass.
• Drinking ice-cold water.

When demonic possession was believed to have occurred, the first option for removing the demon was to coax it out of the possessed person.  If this was unsuccessful, the next option would be to insult the demon out.  If insulting the demon also failed, the next form of treatment would involve making the possessed individual so uncomfortable that the demon would not want to remain there (Brown & Menninger, 1940).  It would be under these circumstances where torturous treatments such as immersion in hot water, and immersion in sulphur fumes would be used.

[Grumpy Duck]

On 4/2/2018 at 2:59 AM, kevozman1 said:

I studied psychology to degree level and I am still of the belief that bipolar is new age nonsense. In my younger years I was considered to have ADHD, because I was hyperactive and less likely to follow doctrine than others. Thank <deleted> my parents had their own brains and were not dumb enough to drug me as doctors had prescribed.

 

Saying that I have put my studies (relevant stuff) and real life experiences to work by helping people with real problems as a drugs and alcohol counsellor in the past. Problem with a lot of psychological studies is that it requires real life experiences beyond learning other's doctrine, but the whole field is corrupted by Western far left brainwashing and social engineering. More conclusive test lab studies found in fields like biology and physics are far more reliable sadly. 

Degree level? what degree? Associates perhaps? Psychologists with masters degrees are a dime a dozen, To be a Psychiatrist one must first obtain a doctor of medicine degree (4 years) plus 4 years residency. Many people I know with "Bachelors degrees in Psychology" end up working as sales persons or similar. I had one friend that studied schizophrenia after earning her bachelors degree ended up as a glorified babysitter for adults with downs syndrome.. She actually loved it. But made less than half of what I earned digging ditches for a living. Belief = opinion and opinions are like rectums, everyone has one and many such as yours stink.

Edited April 4, 2018 by Grumpy Duck