Bipolar Disorder is a disorder that affects mood, making sufferers have episodes where their mood, thinking and behaviour can shift dramatically. Bipolar disorder can also be explained using the four levels of explanation.
Bipolar Disorder is also considered a type of depression called manic depression. The basic processes which are the symptoms that are shown for sufferers are much more severe than the generalised “mood swings” and can affect a person’s ability to function properly. Bipolar disorder is a very complex type of depression as symptoms usually vary from person to person and can be structured in many different categories. However, a very common form of Bipolar is “Bipolar I” where the mood of the individual alternates between elevated and depressed states over time (BDI,2013). However, in the case of “Mixed Bipolar”, the person experiences both depression (the feeling of sadness) and mania (the feeling of joy) simultaneously or within rapid succession. This often leads to self-harm activities such as wrist cutting and self-injury due to the negative emotions that are felt.
Many experts suggest that Bipolar Disorder is partly caused by the chemicals in the brain and their imbalances which are sent via neurotransmitters. The chemicals that are believed to play a major role in the disorder are norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine. These chemicals are responsible for the brain and body’s function (BDI, 2013). Dopamine is commonly referred to the ‘pleasure’ chemical and is activated when doing activities that interest the individual such as playing sports, eating and even reading. When experiencing depression in many forms, dopamine chemical release is much lower in the person when doing rewarding tasks when compared to a healthy individual. Researchers however, suggest that serotonin and norepinephrine are more closely affiliated to depression as serotonin is regarded to be a chemical that is responsible for maintaining mood balance thus when there is a deficit of serotonin in the brain (commonly the hippocampus), the lack of mood control can lead to depression, in this case Bipolar disorder (McIntosh and Webberley, 2004). It was also seen that dopamine in the brain of a Bipolar Disorder sufferer was not released as much as healthy individual when doing supposably pleasurable activities. Physical symptoms due to these chemical imbalances are; lower sex drive, lack of appetite, inability to learn and unhealthy sleeping patterns which could lead to diabetes, weight gain and earlier memory deterioration.
According to National Institute of Mental Health, Bipolar disorder usually begins in the early adult years, appearing commonly before the age of 35 regardless of race, social class, cultures and is not gender bias, meaning that males and females have fairly equal chances of suffering from this disorder (DBSA, 2016). Children tend to rarely obtain Bipolar disorder, however, if developed is usually very severe and is often accompanied by ADHD. Studies also show that genetics play a role in the development of this disorder, meaning that families who have Bipolar disorder are likely to pass it on throughout the generations (Bressert, 2016). Alcoholics and drug addicts are also hypothesised to be at greater risk of suffering Bipolar disorder as 60% of all people with the disorder are dependent on drug or alcohol consumption. Past experiences such as major life changes which may induce stress such as relationship discontinuation, job loss and retirement may also play a role in the cause of Bipolar Disorder.
In Australia, around 6% of Australians experience Bipolar I or II in their lifetimes. Bipolar disorder is taken very seriously by medical health professionals, thus many people are educated about this mental illness and many organisations such as ‘Beyond Blue’ and ‘Black Dog Institute’ do what they can to publicise the effects and negativity that mental disorders including Bipolar Disorder, may have on a person’s life (MHSA, 2016). The Australian government has an easily accessible website for the public where the essential information such as causes, symptoms and treatments can be found. This is similar if not the same with other western countries which means that more people in the western culture are diagnosed as they are educated enough to understand what their symptoms mean. This therefore leads to early treatment which allows the sufferers to live the best quality life they can. However, in Australia the government also provides assisted health care for families who do not earn enough to afford medical attention. This means that no matter the economic status of the person, everyone gets a fair chance at diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders otherwise known as the DSM is an opinionated diagnostic tool made by the Americans. The DSM only diagnoses the disorders found in western culture thus has a criterion for the diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder. According to dnalc.org, there is a criterion for Bipolar I and II. Bipolar I and II both feature occurrences of one or more episodes. With Bipolar I, it’s the occurrence of one or more Manic Episodes or Mixed episodes where the sufferer goes through depression and mood elevation over time whereas Bipolar II is characterised by the occurrence of one for more Major Depressive Episodes which happen in tangent to a Manic Episode (DNA Learning Centre, N/A). In a manic Episode, there are at least symptoms that are present during the mood disruption, these symptoms may be inflated self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, increased talkativeness, flight of ideas and increase in risky behaviour (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Both of these disorders cause symptoms that cause social distress or impairment due to their inability to communicate effectively. (appstate.edu, 2004)
Bipolar disorder is commonly treated with either medication or personal therapy. Medication is taken to help stabilise the mood swings that occur in this disorder. This medication is usually Lithium Carbonate and is the most common medication taken by bipolar sufferers. Lithium is a long-term treatment for the episodes of mania and depression that are experienced and is usually prescribed for at least six months. The advantages of using medicinal means for treating Bipolar Disorder is that it is relatively cheap and very accessible. It also does not require any personal confrontation and courage to take. Medication also acts relatively quickly when compared to therapeutical options. However, many studies have linked the use of lithium to thyroid abnormalities as around 25% of patients who receive lithium therapy have thyroid and parathyroid problems (Written and Rattue, 2012). This then leads to dependence on the medication to regulate hormones in the body. Patients may also suffer withdrawal symptoms when trying to stop taking the medication. Thus the other option is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, otherwise known as CBT, which is the most useful treatment for Bipolar Disorder.
CBT is when the sufferer talks to a psychiatrist and goes through their problems with them. To do this, the sufferer will first identify the situations that are troubling them such as divorce, grief or a mental illness. The psychiatrist then helps them become aware of their situation and identify the negative or inaccurate thinking (Clinic, 2016). The therapist will likely encourage the participant to challenge their negative perceptions, and whether their views are based on fact or are subjective (Meta.Og, no date). However, the downside of this is that the sufferer who is going through the treatment has to overcome the difficult barrier of ‘opening up’ to the therapist. Some participants also may not like the way CBT restrains the emotions that the person feels while overstressing the logical mechanisms of the person’s life (pros and cons of CBT, no date). However, if the person can overcome these obstacles then the payoff would be that the patient will have a more positive outlook on life after continuous therapy sessions. However, CBT without any government financial health or private health care insurance may cost around 140$-190$ per hour sessions (cost of cbtaustralia.com.au). And with the required multiple therapy sessions, may set the sufferer back over 1000$.
A healthy mind is normally seen in a mind that has 3 components that are well developed; these components of a healthy mind are strength, resilience and flexibility. Resilience in terms of a healthy mind is usually defined as the ability to be able to cope and overcome the stresses that are faced throughout the person’s life. Resilience can be affected by the amount of sleep, the personality of the person and the supporting friends and family that the person has (Ackerly.I, 2016). Resilience is also affected on a biological level by the chemical balance of serotonin and dopamine. However, as Bipolar disorder is believed to be caused by the imbalance of the 3 chemicals, resilience in the brain is reduced. To aid in reducing the chance of getting an unhealthy mind, communication with close family members and maintaining a healthy body by means of nutritional diets and exercise will help balance out the chemicals found the brain.
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