[OldPilot]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyiZfzbgaW4

I watched this movie last night.

Not exactly about MLC, but notice the people in it, some want to confront their disorder and other want to run away from it and deny that it exists.

Some take medication, some do not.

It takes an hour and 23 minutes to watch it all.

But it might help you understand the mind of what you are dealing with.

[Anjae]

Thanks OP. I know the mind of what I'm dealing with but is never too much to know a little more.

One thing I think one should never forget is that bipolar involves depression. Unlike Major Depression (Unipolar disorder), as the name says, Bipolar has two poles: Depressed and Euphoric/manic. Its old name, Manic Depressed, was far more graphic and easy to get what one was dealing with.

Sadly there are no meds or known treatment for MLC. Yes, i still MLC can be, if not treated, mitigated. It deals with hormones and brain chemicals, it has to be possible to mitigate it.

I also think that would not damage emotional and other type of growth.

[kikki]

Thanks for the link OP.  Look forward to watching it.

I came across this link last night for another documentary which has recently been released by the looks of it.
http://www.oftwomindsmovie.com/

[Phoenix67]

I'm bipolar and yes, that movie is a good depiction of what bipolar typically looks like.  I agree that MLC shares aspects with bi-polar, but what I see in my H is the most rapid cycling thing I've ever encountered; it's not just two poles, its multifaceted.  Think of the dice they use to play Dungeons and Dragons which have up to 20 sides and you never know which one you're going to see next 

I'm very open about discussing bipolar from an insiders perspective, in case anyone has questions.  I also have experience from an outsiders perspective, as my dad is also bipolar, but he went untreated until after I left the house.  Oh what fun that was 

[kikki]

Phoenix67 - thanks for sharing that information.

If you don't mind - there are a few of us on here who are wondering whether our spouses were always mildly on the bipolar spectrum, and this has tipped them into something more full blown, or whether this is it's own thing all together.

We have previously wondered whether the high energy replayers are somewhere on the bipolar spectrum and the low energy wallowers are more on the unipolar depression spectrum.

I know your H hasn't left home - but has he displayed high energy anything?  A thousand million ideas for work, spending money, new 'cool' friends, new activities?
If so - just wondering how what he is displaying, differs from a manic bipolar episode (I am assuming the length of time is one thing). 
Thanks - looking forward to hearing your thoughts

[Phoenix67]

Hi Kikki -
Besides Terrible Awful, H's only high energy area is a renewed focus on house repairs.  Those he seems to work on around 10:00 pm after he's had a 6 pack    H's ups and downs are more related to alcoholism.  He's definitely not bipolar, and definitely not a high-energy replayer.  The drinking seems to be his replay.

My psychologist said an interesting thing the other day.  He said that everyone is on the bipolar spectrum as we all have minor ups and downs.  It's just that some of us have a disorder regarding how far and how fast the pendulum swings. From that perspective MLC could be seen as the pendulum getting knocked off balance for the duration of their MLC, then returning to their usual range.  I don't know, just a guess on my part.

There is an outstanding website on bipolar issues that may help LBSs compare actual bipolar symptoms with what they see in their MLCer  www.psycheducation.org

An example of a manic episode that I witnessed in my dad is that he was trying to make a minor repair to his recliner, got frustrated, and ripped the entire chair to shreds with the screw driver he'd been using.  This is typically mixed state episode, where someone is depressed that hurtles up into manic very quickly.  Mixed states are also my biggest problem, just not to that degree.  Oh, what's really fun is that I was 3 or 4 when the incident with the chair happened; it's my earliest memory of my dad.  blech!

Again, I am happy to share info on bipolar.  This site is giving me so much, it's nice to be able to share something helpful in return.

[Anjae]

Phoenix67, thank you for sharing with us. The much rapid cycles you are seeing in your husband could be because some MLCers, or MLCers at certain point in their journey, can be more like cyclothymic disorder (one of the 3 components of Bipolar - Bipolar I, Bipolar II, Cyclothymic Disorder) whose cycles are faster but also, normally, milder than Bipolar I and II.

MLC also has traces of other psychiatric disorders, so what we see is never just like a single disorder. Like you said, they are multifaceted.

Not all MLCers are high energy. But your husband's having a 6 pack and high energy on house repairs are MLC behaviour. My cousin who had MLC was never high energy, except for work and home tidy and keep buying new stuff for the home.

Your psychologist is correct, we all have a bipolar spectrum with our minor ups and downs. Also, has you mentioned the difference is that a bipolar person will have those ups and downs further/more to the extremes and faster.

I like your idea of MLC as the pendulum being off balance during MLC, then back to normal. It makes sense and matches a lot of what we have, in the past, discussed here on the board about MLC.

What, so far, none of us was capable of understand is how the MLCer pendulum gets back into normal range. Maybe they really need to go till the end/rock bottom, waste/spend all they have, and only after Liminality can their pendulum start to get balanced again...

[Phoenix67]

Regarding a pendulum 'reset' does anyone know of an MLCer who voluntarily went into psychotherapy?  I don't mean counseling, but actual therapy work.  I'm curious to know the results and if they stayed in therapy for long.  If unresolved childhood trauma and FOO issues contribute to MLC, I would think therapy would help them get through the tunnel faster.  But they would have to be willing to face some really tough issues and feelings.  It doesn't sound like MLCers are able to do that.

[Anjae]

That I know of no MLCer deep in Replay has willingly went to psychotherapy (or even therapy). Some MLCers go to therapy early on, then quit. Some go after the tunnel.

I'm part of the team who does not believe MLC is mostly based on FOO or childhood issues. It may be a part but not the bulk. Those alone would not bring on a MLC. I lean more towards stress, other hormonal issues, imbalanced brain chemicals (normally due to stress, over working or other), fear of aging/death.

Was reading WorkingHard thread
http://mlcforum.theherosspouse.com/index.php?topic=3877.0
 
and she writes "This followed many years during which she--and our marriage--was held back by a misdiagnosed mental health disorder known as "mixed states" (deep depressive periods mixed with anxiety and panic). This is often confused with straight-up bipolar disorder. Unfortunately, it does not respond to the drugs used for bipolar, leaving my partner without relief for many years, and some of the drugs created psychotic mania, which led to hospitalization."

Have never heard of "mixed states" before. Somehow it also seems to match part of what we see in MLC.

[Superman]

My w was diagnosed with DPD(disociative depersonalization disorder) and major depression and anxiety. Problem I had with diagnosis is that depression and anxiety deal with emotions and felt energy. DPD is said to be like feeling unreal. Zero emotions or attachments. That's pretty scary when you think about it, hense walking in on w cutting was an attempt to FEEL domething again. W stated to me that she felt nothing when looking at the kids and I (indescribable).

Like other disorders the patient has to want help before medication, or therapy will have any effect. I searched for anywhere that would help me and my kids survive this, and here we are. The information here I think can help people with a wide range of disorders, as symptoms are usually very similar.

So MLC,BPD,DPD- it's all takes time and awareness to resolve, unfortunately the people usually don't/can't get the help the need before destroying everything.

Great topic - very interesting for a lot of us.