Hello

Could someone please tell me if people in Turkey talk about mental illness? If they believe they have a problem, do they get help or do they try to hide it?

How do you say manic depressive/ bipolar in Turkish?

Thank you

 Hi, i´m native speaker in here. According to me; yes, you can talk about  every illness not only mental illness, but i don´t know what will they do or not ? Actually, who can know that ?

You can say;

Manic depressive  = Manik depresif

Bipolar = Çift kutuplu  

It would depend on where the person lives and what kind of support system they have.  There are mental health professionals and facilities in Turkey but the level of social taboo really depends on many factors.  Mental illness is still a fairly taboo subject in most societies.  As available and progressive as mental health treatment is in America, look at what just recently happened in Arizona. 

Maybe one of our native speakers can help you with what bipolar disorder/depression is called in Turkish. 

I am sure that my husband has bipolar and I have thought it for a long time. Sometimes, he admits that he thinks he has a problem but he will not see a doctor. He has explained that he does not want to take tablets all of his life but also, you cannot admit to being ´mental´ in his country. He said it would be shameful to his family.

Also when I have tried to discuss some of these very serious problems with Anne, she just laughs and says give him time, he´s get angry easily or she likes to call him a ´ticking bomb´! That is not good and he has more than a temper. He is not well but his family do not help by trying to excuse his behaviour.

Do you think it is people from more modern families that accept that people suffer from mental illnesses?

Thank you

Its really hard to say whether or not a family being modern would preclude them to accept a family member with mental illness.  However, his families acceptance of the possibility will most likely determine whether your husband gets evaluated and possibly treated. 

The stigma of mental illness is still very much a part of all modern societies.  In my opinion and from my experience with Turkish friends who have suffered through this, it is probably much more difficult in Turkish society to be open about mental illness.  A Turkish member can probably give you more insight as to why that is but it seems to be so from my perspective. 

I dont understand how a person can be hyper excited and hyper depressed at the same time.

its something unimaginable or illogic. or am i wrong?

You are very wrong...

Bipolar disorder or manic-depressive disorder, which is also referred to as bipolar affective disorder or manic depression, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or more depressive episodes. The elevated moods are clinically referred to as mania or, if milder, hypomania. Individuals who experience manic episodes also commonly experience depressive episodes, or symptoms, or mixed episodes in which features of both mania and depression are present at the same time.

You mean this?

Are you replying to me Lisi Loo?

As far as I know the episodes follow each other. For example a time of deep depression after days or weeks of high exitement. So a person can be both manic and depressiv. But of course it would be illogical to be both at the same time.

I definitely see a pattern of this happening and the manic symptoms are not necessarily being ´excited´, it can mean any mood elevated, aggression, irritation, etc. Often, following periods of mania, my husband becomes very depressed, filled with guilt and hates himself. Believe it or not, the depression is better than the mania, when he believes he is the king of the world, he doesn´t sleep much, he makes rash decisions.

I would say he is in a manic state at the moment as he has run away and I am very concerned for his well being. I know he will not get the help he needs in Turkey.

Would treatment for this illness be expensive in Turkey?

Thank you

Why doesnt any Turk answer this question of soalone?

If you live in Turkey, did you go to the doctor to consult this thing?

I feel sorry for you, it must be very difficult with such person.

In turkish it is called "manik depresyon" or "bipolar bozukluk" and for the person who has it "manik depresif".

It is one of the mental diseases that is treated very effectively, even the most serious forms respond well to treatment, but if it is not treated, it lasts all the life, it won´t disappear.

It is written that most of the time the manic depressive people deny that he has any problem, so if your husband has it, it is normal that he denies it, and it is the family members who should help him to go to have a treatment.

I agree that his family should help but they are not. They also choose not to recognise what it wrong. They just excuse his behaviour as has having a short temper.

If they keep saying there is nothing wrong and I say there is, I am afraid that I will be seen as the ´evil one´. I feel so helpless.

Does anyone know if there are any Turkish websites about Bipolar?

Thank you

I had a similar problem, where Turkish person clearly had psychological issues which she didn´t want to deal with. There was clearly a taboo. She went through a traumatic experience, and seemed to have some sort of post-traumatic disorder. The moment I carefully brought up the subject of a psychologist, it became clear to me that that was just for "crazy people", who think they are an airplane or something. My guess is that in most of Turkish society mental illness has an enormous stigma. It makes it very difficult to deal with, and has let to the end of a relationship in my case.

I have obsessive- compulsive disorder and it is not a problem for me to accept I have such an illness as a Turk. I realised I had a problem and told my family I needed to see a psychiatrist. At first they thought I didn´t have a serious thing and didnt want me to take to a doctor. But I insisted. And I started to medical treatment 10 years ago. There are many psyhiciatrists and pshcologists in every city in Turkey you can get help. But it is a taboo to say "I have a mental illness" in society. And families will never easily want to accept their children have that kind of illness. So you should first persuade the person. There are many Turkish sites about mental illnesses on internet. Here is a site:

http://www.psikonet.com/konu.asp?kid=160

Thank you for your replies.

Barba_Mama - It is so sad that it lead to the end of your relationship. I am afreiad that it will also be the end of mine and it makes me so sad when I know it could be saved just by getting the necessary help.

Gokuyum I have printed off that article and underlined the parts that I think are most relevant. Thank you for that and I think it is great that you insisted on getting the hel pyou needed!

 My best friends daughter has bipolar and it developed when she was only 13/14 (during pubity).  She lost the use of her legs and "was out of this world" most of the time.  doctors struggled to diagnose her too.  When it was finally diagnosed after she had lost a year at school, she was given medication.  But even on medication she has lapses.  It is so very sad as many people dont understand type of illness is often joked about too.  If she did not medicate she would commit suicide, such a beautiful girl ravage by such a terrible illness.  It is heartbreaking for her parents too.  But on saying all this, she managed to go to university and is now a teacher.

I wish you all the best with your partner.

Merhaba Soalone,

I assure you your husband is very normal. If I could put any input here, persons dealing with ´bipolar bozukluk´ need a lot of love.

You Wrote:

"I am sure that my husband has bipolar and I have thought it for a long time. Sometimes, he admits that he thinks he has a problem but he will not see a doctor. He has explained that he does not want to take tablets all of his life but also, you cannot admit to being ´mental´ in his country. He said it would be shameful to his family."

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I would suggest to your husband to go on ´depressive pills´, just for a couple of months. If he tells you there is no difference at first, this is normal. I´m sure your husband just has a chemical imbalance & needs lots of love and to try out these pills. If there is a significant change & he´s doing much better, I´d advise you to take him off the pills and increase the love and attention. It is normal if he ´has his days´, but afterward he should be much better. There is no reason to keep him on such pills for a long time for the pills can actually reverse his new obtained good moods. Just suggest this idea to your husband.

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(Been there, done that) Hope I could help Soalone.

as you said he will not get the help he needs in turkey..but even he get the help its not good idea having treatment for his situation in turkey as its mania depression sort ilness altough treatment is much cheaper comparing uk. On the other hand as the language barrier and other factors will lessen the effiency of the treatment in turkey.

just an advise..

There are many misspellings... Personal opinion; experienced Turkish teacher must be more careful, especially in here...

harpon..we are not in an english language competition here..let me remind you ,we are in TURKISH CLASS...so ÖZENTI olmaya gerek yok..anladın mı arkadaşım. So we are here to teach turkish not english..i hope you got the message ..so use your opinion for turkish..not english.

Özenti değilim ben, olmadımda... Bir Türkçe öğretmeni turkey değil Turkey, turkish değil Turkish, english değil English yazmalı ki; "experienced" farkını herkes görsün. Yoksa çeviri için dediğim birşey yok.

Neyse tartışmak istemiyorum harpoon. Tekrar söylüyorum,burda bir yorum yaptım çeviri degil.Ve ingilizcedeki küçük harf ve büyük harf detaylarını gözden kaçırmış olabilirim ama yorum için o kadar önemli oldugunu sanmıyorum. İyi işleri alkışlarım. Ama sırf bir ingilizce yorumumdaki küçük büyük harf hatalarını da önemsemem..

O yüzden sana kolay gelsin. Türkçeye hizmet dolu günler dilerim.