Bipolar disorder is often misunderstood. There is very little research on all mental illnesses but, specifically bipolar disorder because humans have not come out with the technology to fully study the brain. This is why people often judge people with mental illnesses and place a certain stigma on them, people just do not know what to think. For our group project, my group wanted to learn more about why mental illnesses are so misrepresented within our culture. Bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic depression, affects roughly 5.7 million people in the United States. Compare this to depression, which affects 14.8 million people in the United States and Schizophrenia, which affects nearly 2.2 million people in the United States you can see that bipolar disorder only affects a tiny percentage of the American population. In fact, you may even know people that have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Some of these people include: President Theodore Roosevelt, Mel Gibson, Kurt Cobain, Ernest Hemingway, and Demi Lovato. Even though Bipolar affects a minority of the population in the United States it still can impact the peers of the individuals who suffer from Bipolar Disorder and the stigma that surrounds Bipolar Disorder needs to be changed.
Everyone knows that the feeling of joy, whether it be getting married, and the feeling of sadness, such as losing a loved one, it is all part of living a normal life. However, some people have to deal with these emotions to the
“Bipolar disorder, also commonly known as manic depression, is defined as a serious mental illness in which common emotions become intensely and often unpredictably magnified. Individuals with bipolar disorder can quickly alternate from extremes of happiness, energy and clarity to sadness, fatigue and confusion. All people with bipolar disorder have manic episodes abnormally elevated or irritable moods that last at least a week and impair functioning. But not all become depressed ” (American Psychological Association, 2015). Bipolar disorder can vary in each individual. The symptoms fluctuate in pattern, severity and rate of recurrence. Some people are more susceptible to either mania or depression, while others change proportionately between the two types of episodes. Some have frequent mood disruptions, while others live through a few throughout their lifetime.
Currently effecting between 2-4% of the overall population and as one of the leading causes of homelessness, suicide, and hospitalization, bipolar disorder is yet, still one of the most perplexing, as well as the most misunderstood mental disorders out there. With this particular disorder, the complexity arises given one’s predisposition, diversity, and non-specific range of hazards for said disorder; thusly, making a cure, or at best, prevention, difficult, if not impossible, if not for appropriate early intervention. Bipolar not only puts a strain on the economic condition of our country, but on the individual, as well as society as a whole; given, its propensity to bring about financial difficulties, employment difficulties, and poor self-esteem and this is simply three examples, out of quite possible a largely finite numeral of disparities realized within the afflicted, as well as the overall populace. Nothing left of what we deem normal will be left untainted, and with limited governmental funding and a lack of knowledge, mankind’s naïve, uncaring nature will only bring about less than desirable responses to treatment, medicinally or otherwise; given, the disorder is far more difficult to treat later in life. With the proximal factors of which occur within one 's own environment, such as acute
This source gives the readers an in-depth overview of Bipolar Disorder and the causes of having the mental health issue. There’s a great distinction between the ups and downs people experience and bipolar disorder. Due to the ups and downs teens and children experience, bipolar disorder is hard to diagnose during those early years. The National Center of Biotechnology Information’s research program is run by Senior Investigators, Tenure Track Investigators, Staff Scientists, and Postdoctoral Fellows which makes the source credible. The source contained
Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive disorder (MDD), affects people of all races, colors, and economic backgrounds. Approximately two million Americans aged 18 and older are affected by this disorder.
Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness that is characterized by changes in mood. It can lead to risky behavior, damage relationships and careers, and even suicidal outcomes if it’s not treated. Bipolar disorder is more common in older teenagers and young adults, it can affect children as young as 6. Women experience more periods of depression than men. More remains to be learned about this condition that affects millions of people.
The stigma associated with bipolar disorder is unacceptable. The purpose of this paper is to improve the readers ability to understand what bipolar disorder is and how being diagnosed with this disorder affects all facets of daily living. Family, friends and associates of individuals with bipolar disorder are often affected as well. As a result of the stigma associated with the disorder, the effects remain: often multiplied by individuals that have a limited understanding of the disorder. There are numerous myths related to individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Hopefully a few of these myths will be put to rest after learning more about the disorder.
Bipolar Disorder is a stigmatic disease that affects adults and 1% of adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18 each year (Jones, 2015). This disease has been the feature of
Bipolar disorder is a manic-depressive lifelong illness in the brain that causes shifts in mood, energy, activity, and the ability to carry out normal tasks, but efficient treatment helps people to manage these complications and normalize their daily lives. This illness is a very serious mental disease affecting about 2.6 percent of adults in the United States that has the power to cause risky behavior and even suicidal tendencies if not treated (www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml). It is more common in older teens and young adults, but it affects children as young as six years old. It affects men and women, all races, ethnic groups, and socioeconomic classes equally but women experience more periods of depression than
Bipolar disorder is a highly intermittent illness often beginning in the critical life period of late adolescence and early adulthood. Bipolar disorder can have a major impact on the social, educational and occupational development of individuals. Psychotherapy has been found to treat people with a mental disorder by helping them understand their illness. It teaches people strategies and gives them tools to deal with stress, unhealthy thoughts, and unhealthy behaviors. Psychotherapy helps patients manage their symptoms better and function at their best in everyday life. Sometimes psychotherapy alone may be the best treatment for a person, depending on the illness and its severity. Other times, psychotherapy may need to be combined with medications to get the best outcome or treatment. Therapists will work diligently with individuals and families to devise an appropriate treatment plan. Not always, will it be easy to fine the appropriate treatment or balanced treatment for the patient and family on the first therapy visit. That being said, it can sometimes prolong a recovery or make the patient and family noncompliant. By far, the researchers and healthcare professionals know that the best and most effective treatment for bipolar disorder is early diagnosis and early intervention. So, it takes everyone to work as a team including the patient and family to be successful towards the road to recovery.
There is a dark stigma surrounding mental illness in general, and bipolar disorder is no exception. According to the Mental Health Commission of Western Australia, a stigma is “a mark of disgrace that sets someone apart.” Bipolar disorder is incredibly misunderstood by society at large, which leads to this stigma, prejudice, and discrimination. In everyday conversation, the word “bipolar” is frequently used to describe how someone is feeling at that moment. If a person is sad one moment and
Examination and analysis of this article has given rise to the assumption that the diagnosis and subsequent treatments of bipolar disorder remains a very intimate, sensitive, specialized issue that can result in severe outcomes. Unfortunately for patients, bipolar disorder routinely goes either undiagnosed or misdiagnosed and is quite often inefficiently treated (Woods, 2000). The standard delay between commencement of illness and initiation of the treatment is a minimum of 5 years while some patients have been noted to be subjected to a minimum of a 10 year impediment (Evans, 2000). In this article, one approximation of the yearly cost to society generated by bipolar disorder totaled $45 billion, with $8 billion being accountable for by
Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness, but the term bipolar is not colloquially used in a way that reflects that. The colloquial usage of “bipolar” equates being bipolar to the changing of the weather, or the wishy-washy opinions of people who can’t decide where they’d like to eat today. The trivial use of this term undermines the severity of bipolar disorder and creates an environment where people affected by bipolar disorder are presented with two options: having their disease undermined by those around them, or being alienated by those around them because people fear what they do not understand.
At least 2 million Americans suffer from bipolar disorder, more commonly known as manic-depression. This illness usually begins in adolescence or early adulthood and continues throughout life. Although it may come into affect at any time, most individuals with the disorder experience their first mood episode in their 20’s. However, manic-depression quite often strike teenagers and has been diagnosed in children under 12.