Today guest post is by Alexis Schaffer, a registered mental health nurse.

Bipolar disorder can lead to periods of prolonged isolation, especially during depressive episodes. In my experience, this disposition seems to be even sharper in the type II variant of bipolar, since manic episodes are absent. So what are the positives and negatives of bipolar disorder and isolation?

As a mental health nurse, I’ve seen many bipolar patients who’ve experienced significant periods of social isolation. One such patient, a young man in his 20s, had lived without any outside communication for a period of approximately three years after being diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and bipolar II.

While isolation is a common feature in all forms of depression, patients like him were on the extreme end of the curve, and they all developed several interesting qualities as a result. Bipolar and isolation seems to have led to higher levels of introspection, creativity, independence, and a widened associative horizon (more on this below).

Why Such Prolonged Isolation with Bipolar Disorder?

When a situation is out of our control long enough, we develop something called learned helplessness. This means we stop trying to help ourselves or seek outside help because we believe it won’t change the end result.

In addition to feeling helpless, anxiety is also aggravated during depressive episodes. This anxiety is yet another deterrent that prevents people with bipolar from asking for help or even going outside. The fear that the outside environment will be harmful or that they’ll be hospitalized is enough to keep them shut in.

Lastly, some depressive episodes are so intense that the sufferer can hardly move between bouts of heavy crying. Such volatile emotions can make it hard to find the motivation to get up and move, let alone think straight. And, with these profoundly monstrous emotions, comes some equally terrible risks.

The Risks of Prolonged Social Isolation with Bipolar Disorder

When we isolate ourselves for extended periods of time, several harmful changes occur. First, our brains slow down the production of serotonin and dopamine, intensifying symptoms of depression and anxiety – thus isolation can worsen bipolar disorder. In addition to lowering motivation, this can also produce something cause suicidal ideation.

Suicidal ideation is the thinking of or fantasizing about ending one’s own life. When suicidal ideation is constant and depression becomes chronic, a persons’ risk of suicide increases dramatically.

In addition to an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior, there can also be a disconnect from reality. This is usually in the form of paranoia, sharp cynicism, or grandiose daydreaming. The paranoia sometimes accompanying a depressive episode is most harmful to the sufferer since it’s often strong enough to prevent that person from seeking help. The latter two symptoms, cynicism and daydreaming, tend to be less harmful and are simply defense mechanisms to help cope with the depression.

But, in spite of these risks, there are some positive qualities a fortunate few pick up during these long periods of isolation.

Positives to Social Isolation and Bipolar Disorder

There are always a few good qualities that people pick up during long periods of isolation. Namely, a high degree of introspection and a widened associative horizon. The former is likely resulting from living in one’s own head for so long while the latter is from an extended separation from society.

Our associative horizon is defined as our ability to make associations between things. Someone with a narrow associative horizon is susceptible to cultural, religious, or social influence, which can lead to false beliefs. In contrast, someone with a wide associative horizon is more intellectually independent and forms conclusions unrestricted by their environment.

What Happens After Isolation with Bipolar Disorder Ends?

After psychiatric intervention, many of the formerly isolated patients emerged with greater awareness, both of themselves and the world around them. This allowed most of them to really discover themselves in the process.

These are the people that know exactly what they do or don’t want and can explain why they feel that way with lightning speed. And, with this mastery of their own mind, they can often skillfully read others as well. This means they quickly become expert communicators, in spite of having been socially isolated for so long.

Today, these patients are public speakers, CEOs, acclaimed artists or scientists, and prolific workers. But, it doesn’t take years of isolation with bipolar disorder to self-reflect, and we can all learn from their example the benefits of social isolation without undergoing the risks.

Author Bio

Alexis Schaffer received her undergraduate degree in psychology and is a registered nurse. In her free time, she studies yoga and writes for various online publications. If you liked this article, you can find more of her works here.

Image by Flickr user Katia Romanova.