Bipolar and Sensory Integration Dysfunction?

By freeda Wednesday, June 18, 2008

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Recap: I'm not medicated and it's a recent diagnosis. I'm on a down cycle.

I am being pretty aware of what I'm feeling, and trying to identify it objectively and chart it to review with my care team. One thing I'm noticing is that, when I'm in a down cycle like now, I seem to have touches of sensory integration problems that I don't experience in my up cycles.

For example, having anything on me bothers me. Even my wedding ring. Even my hair on my forehead and neck. I am the only person my age I know who wears kaftans or sarongs to avoid seams! The sound of my husband watching TV from 3 rooms away was enough to drive me outside, as it felt like an assault, not just to my ears but to my entire consciousness. The lighting also bothers me. Really the only thing that makes me feel good is to be outside or in my bed on high thread count sheets!

I think I'm coming to realize that the bitchiness I express when I'm in a down cycle isn't really that I'm feeling nasty or hateful - it's more like I'm just reacting to the fact that everything feels like an assault. It's like a dog who is in an unfamiliar environment, and then you speak to him and he automatically snaps at you. I'm the dog. I really have to be alone a lot. Even the sound of my husband's voice can set me off... he makes an effort to speak low, calm, and only when necessary, God bless him.

(I'm also experiencing (infrequently) auras, such as you get before a migraine. Some achiness in my joints, and my teeth hurt.)

Anyway, I did some looking around, and it seems that sensory integration issues are linked to the limbic system of the brain, which has also been linked to anxiety and depression. So it seems to make some sense. But adding another dimension to this mess doesn't make it any easier.

Anyone else have SI issues? I'd be interested to hear about it.

Got my eval from U of M

Comments (7) | Add comment

HeyJude

6/18/08 6:13am

Hi Freeda...Actually, I have not head of Sensory Integration before your post. But I can relate regarding how my senses are affected during different stages of my illness.

When I am depressed, I have and incredible sensitivity to light. Probably explains why wearing sunglasses around even on a gloomy day feels good.

With depression, all my senses reject overstimulation, which is why I like to lay in bed. It's almost like hibernation. Bears retreat into their caves during winter - maybe I'm a close relative!

When I'm moving up the manic scale, I have an extremely heightened sense of sound. I can hear the birds chirping loud and clear outside when the windows are closed. Ordinarily, I wouldn't hear them at all.

For our nature's animals, this exaggerated sense of hearing is likely commonplace to protect them from the elements and help them spot their prey. Why it happes to me when I'm manicky, I have no clue. One thing that helps is listening to soothing-type music with the volume very very low.

This illness is pretty complex, and when first diagnosed, can be somewhat frightening with all the unknowns. Hope you find some answers. Your post got me to thinking. Thanks.

Judy

freeda

6/19/08 9:07pm

that definitely feels familiar to me. I'm going to try some of the therapies they use for SI kids (weighted blankets, snoezelen room, etc) and see if it helps any.

Here's a link on snoezelen rooms... I have an extra bedroom I'm going to make into a retreat for when I'm overstimulated. :) http://www.condell.org/libertyville/pact/snoezelen.php

dakotacheyene

6/18/08 7:08am

Hi Freeda, I don't know if this is anything similar, but eversince I was a baby I couldn't stand anything that was uncomfortable in any way. I have never been able to wear clothes with tags in them. I used to drive my mother crazy when I was little. As an adult I only bought comfortable clothes always cut out tags, have to have a cetain feel to the clothes. I have very sensitive ears, my husband always jokes with me about that. I can hear things from very far away, and certain noises just grate on my nerves.I have an extreme sense of smell, and if a dish that has been washed has what I call a wet dog smell, I can't even go near it. My father is also like this, so it runs in the family. I get migraines, sometimes with visual disturbances. sometimes they last for up to 5 days straight. I think I'm going to go out of my mind at that time from the pain!!!!I have have my pillow have a certain smell. I have to have sheets, and blanket, and comforters with certain feels, and thread counts. I wonder if this is anything like what you mentioned. Let me know if it makes sense to you. Take care,

DC.

freeda

6/19/08 9:04pm

That absolutely sounds like a textbook case of sensory integration disorder!! It may be worth looking into. :hug:

motherofmax

6/19/08 11:13pm

Hi Freeda,

I was diagnosed with BP in 1975. Only recently did I realize that I also have sensory integration issues. I have a son with Asperger's Syndrome, which is a mild form of Autism. People with Asperger's Syndrome often have sensory integration disfunction, obsessive traits and ADD along with a deficit in social skills. I learned about SID through my son, who wraps himself tightly in sheets at night. He will only wear certain fabrics, and when he was younger he was very selective about the food he ate because of the texture or smell of the food. He is also sensitive to sound.

The SID symptoms I have experienced include not being able to filter out backround noise when someone is talking to me at a party. I have trouble understanding what someone is saying to me. I have repeatedly had hearing tests only to be told that my ears are fine but that my brain is probably the cause of the problem. I also hear sounds that are far away, that other people can barely hear.

In addition, I also have auditory processing problems. For instance, if I get lost and ask for directions, I can't remember 3 directions in a row. I started an aerobic dance class in September, and I still can't remember the steps. Everyone goes to the right and I go to the left! I have always had this kind of problem. I was terrible in gym in HS when we had to do square dancing.

On a different topic, I'd like to add that I have met many people that have Asperger's Syndrome that also are BP or have a parent or another relative w/ BP. Has anyone else had this experience?

Mother of Max

Angie

7/ 3/08 10:35am

Hi Freeda,

Your post is interesting to me. I have been diagnosed with BP since 2005, but I have always been very sensitive to my environment. I thought that everyone was this way until I got married. (Ugh! Big mistake).

Anyway, now that I practice mindfulness in order to prevent or minimize episodes, I notice that my sensitivity goes Waaaay up as I am coming down from mania. I suppose I am sensitive to sounds, smells, touch, and visual when manic but it's all good. It's all very sensual and fun. However, I probably take it all for granted because I am too busy doing whatever.

Now--here is when I notice the increased sensitivity. My mood suddenly shifts to irritable and everything is too loud, bright, itchy, smelly, rough, painful, ... etc.

I also need/have to put on loose clothing, take to a quiet, COOL, darkened room. My sheets are specially textured and weighted. My pillow is designed for support to prevent migraines, another on my forehead. The neighbors' lawnmower noise must be countered with a fan. I have black curtains.

I have trouble speaking full sentences. Word recall for example is a blank, unless I fill it in with an object I am looking at. "Could you fix me a glass of __________(I would say eggs instead of iced tea). And I am fully aware of the gap. Frustrating.

Going from one room to another and totally forgetting what I'm doing. And the sensory integration dysfunction just keeps distracting me. If somebody is trying to be "helpful" and joke with me, or tell me that they have days just like this, or even worse, to just "pay attention" to what I'm doing, well .... I usually say very mean and hurtful things, because misery loves company.

I end up not apologizing as much as I do explaining. I have a brain disease. It was an episode; a malfunction. I hurt inside. Somebody help me.

freeda

7/ 3/08 10:49pm

:hug: angie. I think recognizing the trends like that and realizing how to identify them when they're happening is a good start. I try to separate what is "me" and what is "it", and it helps. I think of it like having a cold. I may be sneezing, but the sneeze isn't "me", even if it's what people experience of me on that particular day. And just like the cold, it will get better, or worse... but better sometime!

Bipolar and Sensory Integration Dysfunction?

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