I'll agree it's always been around if it is genetic in origin.

I don't believe it is nay more or less common than it ever has been, simply it's given that label. In the past people would be given some other label and cast into an asylum or simply survive through the minefield of other hazards of life.

"it's the result of many years of being under pressure of unwanted limitations imposed on our natural selves" sort of suggests that in the past people lived less stressed lives so it's becoming more evident today.

Untrue. Classic triggers include relocation, child birth, loss of a loved one. Many of these were more common in the past (especially childbirth and the high child mortality).

I vouch for child birth cause that and stress were my triggers. We are under far more stress nowadays I think than ever before. It's like a pressure cooker or it used to be for me. Can't be now though or I would be slap nutty and not just a little nutty. ;)

I have to disagree, I think in the past people where stressed because they would be put in the poor house or left to starve in they lost their job, there was in the west more childbirth per woman and more infant mortality. If you got a disease, it probably could kill you. If anything life was more stressful, but we did not live in those times.

we know nothing else and think our lives are more stressful.

I agree with fish that in the past it had to be much more stressful, no medicine for simple illnesses, poorhouses, no air conditioners (I put that in b/c I live in TX at it hit's triple digits for months in the summer that alone can kill people literally) farming was rough, childbirth without drugs or hospitals, no health insurance for anyone, no fall back of any kind for anyone no saftey nets, no importance on life really women had no power and were treated like cattle in many countries including ours in different centuries, your horse was more important than you were, cattle rustlers and horse thieves died for it, no it's better now. Stress of being married to an alcoholic who beat you and raped you even if he was the King was not a good thing. Being married to someone who had mistresses whether you liked it or not you had to deal with it was not a good thing. Divorce is recent, education is recent, medicine is recent stress is not recent. Bipolar is not recent, therapy and meds and a step out of the asylum is recent.

totally agree........especially at this time of the year...xo

My BP stems from years of drug abuse.....

Well my father shows worse mixed states that I do, (he is undiagnosed and untreated), his father was just like him. My great grandfather (my father's, father's father) as the story goes, was a complete asshole so that meant he had to have a lot of untreated mixed states. So yes, I believe BP is genetic. My brother is not BP, makes me sick.

It's definatly biological in most cases. Not in mine though. No one in my family has ever exhibited symptoms of this disease. But i was abused rather brutally as a child, starting when I was about three. My shrink says when constant serious abuse is a part of the life of a child who's brain is still developing, the way their brain functions can become impaired. I believe that stress these days is no worse that stress of past days, just different. I agree with this statement, that life makes it worse or can even create it.

tat, I agree. It is genetic but also environmental and the pace of modern life (just look at this idiotic Christmas season) and the pressure that goes with that pace would definitetly trigger people more than maybe in earlier ages. And of course our family of origin, if really destructive, also kick off the genes. Bastards (no, they were really sick themselves lol)