On the last track, we discussed the traits of the sleep-wake
cycle and how
it affects bipolar clients: social Zeistorers; social Zeitgebers; and a
regulated sleep pattern.
As you know, men and women take different paths when it comes to relating to
themselves and others. Women tend to focus more on emotions and men on
On this track, we will discuss the differences found between
men and women with bipolar disorder: differences in suicide rates; effect
of PMS on bipolar and unipolar women; and mania in men.
3 Differences Between Bipolar Men and Woman
The first difference we will discuss is suicide. In 2003, a study conducted
Cornell University found that four times as many men than women commit suicide, yet two to three times more women attempt suicide. As you may
statistic stems from the method that men and women commonly choose to commit
suicide. Women choose methods, such as ingesting a severe amount of pills,
which take a long time to come into effect. During that time, they can
be discovered by loved ones or the victim has rethought her decision and calls
for help. Men, on the other hand, choose a more immediate method such as
a gun or by hanging.
As you are probably aware, the reason that women are
much more likely than men to
attempt suicide stems from the fact that bipolar women are twice as likely
to suffer from major depression than men. Surprisingly, depressed clients
are at a higher risk when they are at the end of a depressive episode rather
than deeply depressed. This is a result of the extra energy they feel
coming out of
a depressive state.
During this tumultuous period, I recommend extreme
vigilance on the part of the client’s spouse or family members, especially
if the client has a history of suicide attempts. We will discuss suicide and techniques to counter it more thoroughly in a later track.
2. Effect on Women (PMS)
The second difference we will discuss is bipolar disorder’s effect on women.
The Department of Psychology at the University of Cincinnati has found that
bipolar disorder becomes diagnosed much later in women, around 35 years of
age. In addition, women are more likely to develop eating disorders such
as anorexia, bulimia, and overeating. Also, women experience depressive
episodes, mixed mania, and rapid cycling more often than men.
characteristic of women can also negatively affect their depressive states:
premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) which
involves symptoms of PMS, but much more severe. Obviously, this characteristic is unique to women. The fluctuations of the hormones estrogen and progesterone already affect women without the disorder.
female clients who do suffer from bipolar disorder often find that the
depressive state that PMS would incite normally increases their risks of slipping into a depressive state. Studies have shown that women’s
suicide attempts and threats increase
premenstrual and they’re also more likely to be admitted to a psychiatric
hospital at this point. Keep in mind that over two-thirds of women with
unipolar disorder experience premenstrual lows and that women who suffer
from premenstrual mood changes frequently have family histories of
Technique: PMS Emotion Chart
Joan, age 39 and a unipolar client of mine, complained that her husband
frequently diagnosed her with PMS and said that her moods changed rapidly at
this time. Joan was an independent young professional woman and refused
be labeled as a woman who gave into her feelings. To help Joan keep track
of her PMS patterns, I asked her to complete a “PMS Emotion Chart”. Because Joan could already predict her menstrual periods to the date, I asked her to
monitor her mood changes two to three days before her expected period. I
gave her a list of symptoms to note which included the following:
3. Depressing thoughts
6. Mood swings that occur within a few hours of each other
While calculating her PMS emotion chart, Joan noticed that her depressing
thoughts such as “no one loves me”, and “I should be alone” occurred
frequently prior to menstruation. Also, her impatience increased and she
found herself snapping at those she loved.
To help Joan with her PMS emotional roller coaster, I suggested lifestyle modification which included
reducing her intake of caffeine, sugar, and sodium prior to menstruation
which will help decrease the rapid mood swings. Also, I suggested a regular
exercise regimen which helps to battle depression and anxiety by producing
Think of your unipolar female client. Could her menstrual
cycle be affecting her likeliness of slipping into depression?
3. Mania in Men
In addition to the differences in suicide rates and the effects of PMS, a
third difference is the effect of bipolar disorder in men. As we discussed
earlier, women develop bipolar disorder later than men, with men being
diagnosed at the average age of 30. About one-half reported episodes of mania at the age of 25. There has also been found a link between early
childhood antisocial behavior and early onset bipolar disorder in men.
Also, men tend to have more episodes of mania than depression. This might
be a result of the hormone testosterone, which gives men an extra burst of
energy and strength. For male clients with a history of manic episodes,
recommend emphasizing the need for sleep, as men are more prone to go
without rest and thereby succumb to exhaustion. I have found that
regulating sleep patterns is an effective way of preventing manic episodes.
To learn more about regulating sleep patterns, refer to track 6 of this
On this track, we discussed the differences found between men and women with
bipolar disorder. These were differences in suicide rates; effect of PMS
and unipolar women; and mania in men.
On the next track, we will examine three temperamental disturbances and how
these affect a client’s vulnerability for bipolar disorder related to hyperthymic,
cyclothymic, and dysthymic.