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INTELLIGENCER JOURNAL (Lancaster, Pa.)
Cover, Business Monday

Bi-Polar Illness: The symptoms, the stigma, the treatment, the hope  (Part two in a series) - Continued

Stigma
Sometimes individuals fail to even seek treatment for a brain disorder, because of the stigma and shame it carries with it.  In last week's story, for example, Thomas discussed stigma and how hurtful it is. 

Insurance companies, too, often discriminate because of this stigma by putting a lower cap on mental health coverage than on physical health coverage.  And individuals who have insurance don't always use it, because they don't want their employer to learn about their illness.

Brettschneider sees stigma in his practice at Hershey too.  "Unfortunately, even some of my well employed, educated patients still struggle with that problem," he said.

Bi-polar disorder can happen to anyone, at any time.  It tends to run in families, however, and it typically presents itself for the first time in teens and young adults.

According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, it appears likely that many different genes act together, and in combination with other factors of the person or the person's environment, to cause bi-polar disorder.

Thomas's grandmother suffered from bi-polar disorder.  Unfortunately, because doctors did not know how to treat this illness years ago, she spent many years of her life in an institution.  Today, however, it is different.

Hope