Bipolar and (Unnecessary) Violence

[Snafui]

Stef has mentioned several times about a bipolar person becoming violent but then turning it off at will; that they must have some control over it. I might be able to help with this because they do. I am 100% disabled, diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder I, II, mixed episodes w/psychotic features, and PTSD. Yet, I have never beaten anyone while in a state of anger. But I think I have an idea where it came from.

 

In the 70s there was a trend—fad being apropos—that when you get angry you should release that anger on something non-living. I was told to use a sledge hammer on rocks, chop fire wood, or hit a heavy bag. (Years later research showed this to be a terrible idea because then you just associate anger with violence.)  Fortunately, during the same time frame, I had a teacher at a boarding school that began to teach me martial arts and meditation. This countered the fad of channeled destruction. In order to fight with skill you must remain calm, light, supple, and fully aware—you cannot do this in a state of anger. So, when a person would make me angry where the desire to fight was triggered I actually calmed down and could walk away if needed.

 

As to why violence is seen in certain people with these conditions it may have to do with the way they handle moods, emotions, and the fight-or-flight response. The mood of someone with bipolar disorder fluctuates in ways beyond their control. Some attempts are made with chronic medication to handle mood but this is a band aid on a gushing wound. If a bipolar person wants to maintain healthy mood levels they must avoid stress—sadly bipolar people are drawn to it because mania is a hell of a drug! In a state of mania I can sleep as little as two hours a night, my senses become more acute (now I have permanent hyperacusis), I would have endless energy (work out for up to 18 hours of a day), and everything just felt better. But there is also the crash where you then stay in bed for 18 hours a day and can barely move to take care of yourself.

 

For emotions of the bipolar person you have a very serious problem, you become the emotion while in certain states of mania or depression. I have described it being like a gun where when the trigger is pulled the emotions are fired. A normal person will still be holding the gun but a bipolar person becomes the bullet—they can lose control. (Note: not will lose control.) These cases happen under duress and not in a normative state—this is where the person is approaching, or in, a state of psychosis.

 

When it comes to the fight-or-flight response some bipolar people can turn it off. Yes, I am completely serious; they can take control of that reflex. I’ve done it many times. If you have ever been in an emergency situation where the world seems to slow down as things are taking place, imagine being in full control of using that while it is happening. That is a part of what I am talking about. After the fact however you are still quite stressed.

 

Now we need to look at those things listed and see how they are useful: Let’s picture a world of pre-history, pre-civilization, your tribe is under attack and you have certain members that can take on a threat with heightened senses, heightened reflexes, little need for sleep or recovery, they control the urge to flee, they become empowered to fight anything in front of them to the point of death. They feel invincible. They fight while everyone else gets to safety. This is a matter of survival. Do you understand why they have such a need for recovery after the event? Also, keep in mind this would be short term and not for months, or years, on end—that’s where modern society has caused such an issue. (Note: sex helps most bipolar people recover; how much of a hero would they be?)

 

To return to the original question: If a bipolar person is under constant duress, has been taught to use violence to curb anger, but loses emotional control toward a particular perceived threat they will attack that target. You avoid this with mindfulness training (a.k.a. meditation), appropriate exercise, martial arts when necessary, and drugs when the person approaches psychotic states of mania. What was a natural state was corrupted to an unnatural one.