Silver Linings Playbook Mental Illness

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Bipolar disorder is a condition in the brain which causes unusual mood swings from extremely high energy to very depressed. In the film Silver Linings Playbook, the main character Patrick suffers from bipolar I disorder. Bipolar disorder causes a person to act recklessly, exercise poor judgment, and show a lack of self-control. He was court ordered to me committed to a mental institution to avoid jail time. This traumatic situation with his marriage ending brought to life many issues that he has probably had for a long time. The individual with this mental illness, acting agitated and angry over small issues. His family history could indicate the trend for mental illness amongst the family. In the case of Patrick, he displayed violent …show more content…

Patrick does not know how to behave in social situations when he is confronted by Tiffany. He also lives in a very cluttered and messy room. This is common among those suffering from bipolar I disorder. He can’t find things in the mess and looks for them all with intensity. Patrick wakes up at all hours of the night. People suffering from bipolar disorder often have a very difficult time sleeping. He gets angry and frustrated. In this specifical case, bipolar is displayed by the way Patrick goes from normal to extremely angry in a matter of minutes. He has mood swings. The issues he gets so upset about would not have that effect on someone who in good mental health. His parents do not know how to handle it, and his Mom is even engaging in the obsessive behavior with him. The behavior of being loud and violent is a trait of bipolar disorder. Patrick disturbs the entire neighbor with his loud and uncontrolled behaviors. He also faces legal trouble for his family. Many individuals who have mental illness cause problems for their friends and family. In Silver Linings Playbook, Patrick hits his mother in the face due to his frustration. This is an example of why so many people with bipolar disorder end up in the jail system. What the patient needs is counseling and treatment. These services are not readily available to those in jails. Medications can be vital in treating mental

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