Notes from Slovenia

By Joe Kraynak
October 13, 2009

Mrs. Tovornik, Cecie Kraynak, Tatjana Novak, Maja Valic, Darja Budja, Joe Kraynak, Sanja Svajger (Journalist) at Book Presentation in Ljubljana, Slovenia, October 12, 2009

Cecie and I participated in another book presentation for the Slovene edition of Bipolar Disorder for Dummies. Unlike the presentation on Saturday in Koper, this one was dedicated solely to the book and was much more effective in promoting it.

During the last couple days of our journey in Slovenia, I learned a few interesting tidbits about the book and about bipolar:

Darja, the translator, pointed out that she not only needed to translate the book but also adapt it for Slovenia. A couple interesting adaptations included having to change the information on legal issues and disability in Chapter 13 and replacing Chapter 20, “Ten Ways to Fight the High Cost of Treatment” with a chapter on ten things not to do. (In Slovenia, everyone has health insurance that covers the cost of treatment… nice, huh?)
Many people here mention Bipolar III and Bipolar IV. I’ve heard almost nothing about these classifications in the U.S. Darja showed me a relatively old publication (September, 1999) entitled “The evolving bipolar spectrum. Prototypes I, II, III, and IV,” by Akiskal, HS and Pinto O., where these types seem to have been first mentioned. As I understand it, Bipolar III is basically what we refer to as antidepressant- or stimulant-induced bipolar, while Bipolar IV describes cases in which the patient may demonstrate symptoms of hypomania for many years followed by at least one episode of severe depression.
Several people with bipolar who attended the book presentation complained of seeing their doctors for depression, receiving an anti-depressant, and then experiencing mania. A couple people were understandably bitter about it, but one attendee pointed out that he found it best to put that behind him and deal with the current reality – now you have bipolar (with mania), so what are you going to do to manage it?
One attendee who is currently hospitalized for mania was able to receive permission from the hospital to attend the event. Her family accompanied her, and her father expressed his frustration with the illness – the frustration and anger reminded me a great deal of how I felt when I first encountered bipolar and how I still sometimes feel. I hope he is able to work through this to some degree.

Media were in attendance, so we expect to see something in the Slovenian newspapers this morning and perhaps even on TV. We hope this will bring greater awareness and understanding of bipolar disorder among the wonderful people of Slovenia.

In 1999, my wife, Cecie, experienced her first major manic episode. She ended up in St. Vincent’s Stress Center, where she was diagnosed as having bipolar disorder. She has been hospitalized a total of three times – all for mania. She rarely experiences the debilitating depression that many people with bipolar disorder struggle with. We have two children together, both of whom are pretty much adults at this point. Over the past decade or so, we’ve struggled to coexist with this disease. At times, it seems to be a cruel puppet master pulling our strings to act out some demented drama on the stage we call our home. Most times, we manage to keep this beast chained up, through a combination of medicine and therapy, but occasionally it escapes and turns our home inside out. In 2005, I had the good fortune to co-author Bipolar Disorder For Dummies with Dr. Candida Fink. In the process, I learned a great deal about bipolar disorder and strategies for treating it, preventing major mood episodes, and dealing with the fallout when preventive measures are ineffective. Through this blog, I hope to share what I’ve learned about bipolar while I continue to discover even more.

Related Posts

You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

2 Comments to
“Notes from Slovenia”

L K Tucker at 12:39 pm on October 14th, 2009

I searched for an email address without success. If you continue to experience episodic depression investigate Subliminal Distraction exposure as the cause.

This is free and does not interfere with any treatment you now have.

If you have behaviors that could cause exposure make slight changes to eliminate them. The use of computers in busy locations is the most likely cause today. But the phenomenon was discovered before computers existed.

If recent intense exposure is the problem stopping it will effect a quick recovery. Low-level and long-term exposure is harder to resolve but stopping current exposure is the first step.

abysmalmother at 4:33 pm on October 14th, 2009

I am one of those people you describe who are bitter. My mom saw a doctor for depression, was given anti-depressants, and then experienced the first of her many manic episodes. My grandmom saw a General Practitioner and he gave her medication for her depression. She became psycotic and then catatonic. It is especially hurtful that the doctors did not explain that this might be a side effect. We were unprepared. Well I am prepared. So far I have managed to control my depression. Should I ever get to the stage where I need to be medicated, my husband and I both agree that one medical condition (depression) is enough of a burden to bear with out the addition of mania. I will not take medication. I would rather die. If my husband goes against my wishes. I WILL kill myself as I do not want to hurt my children the way my mother hurt me.