Introduction Bipolar is a mood disorder, affecting people as young as 15 years old. It is a mental disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person’s mood, energy, and the way they function everyday. Real People and Their Stories Gideon had bipolar disorder since he was 18. It wasn’t so serious until his first year of university. He was hospitalized for nine weeks. “It is certainly the hardest challenge I’ve had to face” says Gideon. He remembers how hard it was to deal with the rapid thoughts, irritability, vast spending, and insomnia. “Following the manic episode, while also having to cope with depression was one of the most extraordinarily difficult to get over.” Say’s Gideon. One of the most important things to Gideon was having …show more content…
Gideon used to be embarrassed about his illness and didn’t want anybody to know. But now he wants to spread the word and give advice about to others about this illness. Gideon has faced people telling him that his illness is a joke and a fashionable thing that celebrities use. On the other hand, he has meet people who are understanding and willing to help him. Gideon is now doing amazing, working as an intern for a business, and will be returning to the university. “When you overcome a huge obstacle in your life such as this, it makes you appreciate the small things in life,” says Gideon. Enjoy everything you have and never take anything for granted. (Gideon, 2015). You won’t find the same personality in two different people, which is just how bipolar disorder works. It’s unique for each person who has it. But it’s easier to understand by a person who has bipolar disorder then by someone with no mental illness. They can relate to some of the same individual experiences (symptoms, and behavior can be similar). Sometimes dealing with your own child that has bipolar disorder can be frustrating and a big struggle. Trying your best and being there for them is the most important thing
George Lawler is a thirty five year old man who is a high school track coach was taken to a psychiatric hospital and was admitted for Bipolar I disorder. Lawler has been going through series of both major and manic depressive episodes. He also is delusional and thinks he is an Olympic team coach. Lawler’s delusions show that he has a very high self-esteem and dignity. Lawler would not sleep much either. There would be times where he would not sleep for a long period of time. His thoughts are on warp speed and it causes to have him “talking a mile a minute” (Case Study). Lawler also displays a high level in goal directed behavior (NIMH). He stayed proactive by planning the night before for the next track meet. Lawler was highly determined to create new plans for his track team. Lawler’s manic episodes were very different from the depression Lawler would go through. We look back in junior college where Lawler had his worst major depressive episode. According to his friends, Lawler was depressed and he had no care for anything. Everything he was once interested in was all gone. He showed a lack of emotion to it. He was detached from the world. You would find him in his room all alone. Lawler’s social life slowly started to decrease and he would end up staying in his apartment and not go anywhere. In junior high school, Lawler was in a football team. He would neglect the team and not show up for practices or games. His coach addressed his concern with Lawler. Later on, Lawler continued to have episodes of depression. Along with depression, he showed signs of suicide and he had trouble sleeping (Case Study).
I have chosen to do a paper on Bipolar Disorder. Bipolar is a disorder in when a person’s mood inappropriately alternates between feelings of mania and depression. A bipolar mania is a mental illness classified by psychiatry as a mood disorder. Also individuals with bipolar disorder experience episodes of an elevated or agitated mood known as mania or hypomania, depending on the severity alternating with episodes of depression.
More than 57 million people in the United States suffer from some type of mental disorder. Mental illnesses can turn a person’s world upside down. These medical conditions can disrupt every aspect of a person and their family’s lives. Mental disorders do not discriminate; age, sex, or color does not matter when it comes to mental illness. Many people live with different types of mental health problems. These problems can be anxieties, drug or alcohol addiction, obsessive compulsive disorder, and personality and mood disorders. People can suffer from one or more of these conditions. There are treatment options available but unfortunately treatable mental illness is being left untreated. Many people feel ashamed or just don’t realize the help available to them. In the past several decades there have been substantial changes in the care for those with mental disorders but even with all the technology, science and a better understanding of what mental illness is, improvement of the lives of those with a mental illness still falls short. One disorder seems to be making its way to the front of the line of all the different disorders out there. Bipolar disorder. Statistics are saying by 2020 bipolar disorder will be the number two health ailment, right behind heart decease (Reilly 224). We can teach society about this disorder and educate people on the see-saw of emotions tied to bipolar and the treatment that is available to them to help ease some of the weight on bipolar patients and their loved ones. There is hope!
Bipolar Disorder (Formerly known as Manic Depression) is a mental illness linked to alterations in moods such as mood swings, mania, and depression. There is more than one type, Bipolar I and Bipolar II, and the subcategories are divided by the severity of the symptoms seen, such as cyclothymic disorder, seasonal mood changes, rapid cycling disorder and psychosis. Age of onset usually occurs between 15-30 years old with an average onset of 25 years old but it can affect all ages. (Harvard Medical School; Massachusetts General Hospital , 2013) Bipolar disorder affects more than two million people in the United States every year. (Gardner, 2011)
I watched the movie Silver Linings Playbook. The main character, Pat, has bipolar disorder. Although this is stated about a fourth of the way through the movie, I don’t think it would have been a hard diagnosis to make. Pat has very dramatic mood swings, and is quick to go from very sad to very “up” as his father calls it. Another symptom is having states of depression. There are definitely points in the movie where you can tell he is in a depressed state, but the defining characteristic of bipolar disorder is having manic states as well. I think that Pat definitely shows himself as being manic at several points in the movie. Often when people are manic they come up with these great big ideas that may not be attainable, as Pat often does with the idea that he will be able to get back together with his wife if he loses weight and always finds the “silver lining.” He even appeared to be suffering from delusions, as he states in this therapist’s office. All these symptoms together would make me sure bipolar disorder was the right diagnosis.
Bipolar disorder is a lifelong mood disorder characterized by periods of mania, depression, or a mixed manic-depressive state. The condition can seriously affect a person’s reasoning, understanding, awareness, and behavior. Acco...
The severe mood fluctuations of bipolar or manic-depressive disorders have been around since the 16-century and affect little more than 2% of the population in both sexes, all races, and all parts of the world (Harmon 3). Researchers think that the cause is genetic, but it is still unknown. The one fact of which we are painfully aware of is that bipolar disorder severely undermines its victims ability to obtain and maintain social and occupational success. Because the symptoms of bipolar disorder are so debilitation, it is crucial that we search for possible treatments and cures.
Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function.
Bipolar disorder not only affects the person living with it but the the people closest to them. It can be stressful on the family. It may also be difficult being the parent of a child with bipolar. As a family member or close friend learning to cope with the mood and behavior can be very helpful. Make sure to not take care of the loved one but take care of self too is important to manage bipolar disorder.
The documentary “The Medicated Child” gave me a lot of insight into the lives of children diagnosed with bipolar disorder. When we hear and learn about bipolar disorder, we do not normally think of children. However, there are many children diagnosed with bipolar disorder ranging from all ages. As we saw in the documentary, bipolar disorder can be very hard on both the child and the family, so finding a cure that is effective and safe is important. The video also highlighted how little research there has been on the effectiveness of antidepressants on children.
Crowe, M. (2011). Feeling out of control: A qualitative analysis of the impact of bipolar
Bipolar disorder is the condition in which one’s mood switches from periods of extreme highs known as manias to periods of extreme lows known as depression. The name bipolar comes from the root words bi (meaning two) and polar (meaning opposite) (Peacock, 2000). Though often bipolar disorder is developed in a person’s late teens to early adulthood; bipolar disorder’s early symptoms can sometimes be found in young children or may develop later on in life (National Institutes of, 2008). Bipolar disorder has been found to affect both men and women equally. Currently the exact cause of bipolar disorder is not yet known, however it has been found to occur most often in the relatives of people diagnosed with bipolar disorder (National Center for, 2010).
Bipolar Disorder is the tendency of manic episodes to alternate with major depressive episodes, like a roller coaster. Barlow, D., Durand, M., Stewart, S., & Lalumière, M., 2014, p. 222. Their moods and relationships are unstable and they usually have a very poor self image, recurrent feelings of emptiness and fear of abandonment. Barlow, D., Durand, M., Stewart, S., & Lalumière, M., 2014, p. 444.
Within his lifetime, George has experienced multiple manic and depressive episodes consistent with bipolar I disorder. This diagnosis is possible because George has suffered from at least one manic episode; George has also experienced depressive episodes, which are common, but not required, occurrences in the disorder. The case study describes three different bipolar episodes and indicates that more have occurred. First, George experienced a depressive episode
The film, Of Two Minds, is based on real life accounts of individuals living with bipolar disorder. Before watching this film, I had an idea of what bipolar disorder is , but after viewing this film I was completely mistaken. Previously, I thought being bipolar was going from a “normal” mood to an angry or sad mood in a matter of seconds and could be simply fixed by taking medicine. But my previous thoughts were completely wrong and bipolar disorder is very serious and complicated. I didn’t know the severity of this disease and I think a lot of the general public is uneducated about bipolar disorder as well as mental illness. Terri Cheney describes having bipolar disorder as, “Take the best day you ever had and multiply it by a million, it 's like a flu but one hundred times worse. It 's having flu in your mind."