Category: Bipolar Disorder

Psychology comes from the Greek words “psych” meaning soul and “ology” meaning logic, it translates to “the science of the soul.” It was founded by a man named Wilhelm Wundt, he founded experimental psychology which later led to others discovering more in psychology. Psychology is both a science and a profession, it is counted as a science because it’s about understanding people’s behaviour.

The topic I have chosen for this assignment is psychological disorders, more specifically bipolar disorder. I have chosen this topic because I think that this is an issue that relates to many individuals in the world today. The causes of these disorders are unknown, but some factors lead to these disorders, including chemical imbalances in the brain, childhood experiences, stress, heredity, illness, and prenatal exposures. A psychological disorder can affect anyone, at any age or stage in their life, they do not discriminate.

One of the types of psychological disorders is anxiety disorders. These disorders are broken down into five categories: generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). All of these categories describe disorders in which a person displays extreme fear or nervousness. People will become afraid of objects, social situations, animals, reliving traumatic events, or numerous other things. People suffering from these types of disorders will become captives of their own fears inhibiting them from functioning normally in society.

One type of personality disorder is borderline personality disorder when a person is very unstable and frequently lashes out in anger. The person will be impulsive and are prone to self-destructive behaviour. Another is an antisocial personality disorder in which a person is frequently displaying unlawful behaviour such as stealing or causing fights.

When a person complains about physical illnesses that cannot be explained medically and these claims lead to interference in their lives it is known as a somatoform disorder. Hypochondriacs fall into this category of disorders. People may also actually experience loss of motor or sensory functions that cannot be explained by any damage or problems with their bodies.

A dissociative disorder is involved more in the disturbance of identity or memory. People will sometimes forget traumatic events in their lives or forget who they are. Other cases involve the development of multiple personalities where a person assumes the identity of more than one person who is unaware of the other identities. This type of dissociative disorder is often confused with schizophrenia.

Schizophrenic disorders are when a person’s thoughts and perceptions of reality become distorted. Schizophrenics will experience hallucinations and delusions that will make everything seem illogical and unreal. There are different categories of schizophrenia that display different types of behaviours all of which cause a person to experience unrealistic thoughts or behaviours. People may display behaviours of incoherent speech, paranoia, or unresponsiveness to the environment.

Another form of psychological disorder is mood disorders. These disorders are characterized by extreme feelings of mood. A major depressive disorder is when a person becomes extremely depressed. A person will not be capable to lift themselves out of the depression, making simple things seem like impossibilities. When this depression alternates with an extreme sense of elation it is known a bipolar disorder. It is one extreme to the other leaving the person very unstable.

Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder that causes irregular stages of happiness and depression. It is characterized as a mood disorder, which is a psychological disorder categorized by the increase or decrease of a person’s mood. Bipolar disorder is also known as manic depressive illness. Having this disorder will cause you to have emotional highs and lows. When you are at your “low point” you may feel depressed, sad, and desperate. When your mood shifts to your “high point” you may feel joyful and full of energy, this is known as mania or hypomania. These mood shifts can happen as often as numerous times a week or they may only happen a few times a year.

A manic episode is a period of unusual emotion that causes you to be overly joyful, full of energy, and cause you to be excessively confident. To diagnose a manic episode the mood must be severe enough to be causing difficulty at work, school, family, relationships, or societal events. If it requires hospitalization to avoid harm to oneself or anyone else it can also be classified as a manic episode. When someone is having a manic episode, it can be recognized by rapid speech (making it hard for anyone else to get a word in), and very high self-esteem. The person will be very hyperactive and may not get much sleep. He or she may say that they are rich and have lots of money to buy elaborate things when yet they most likely have little to no money at all. A person who is having a manic episode may be willing to just give away valuables or go spend all the money that they have due to poor decisions. A manic episode will last for at least one week and can last up to a few months at a time, ending suddenly.

A hypomanic episode is a milder episode of mania. It is also an unusual short-tempered mood that will last at least four consecutive days. A hypomanic episode can be diagnosed if it isn’t serious enough to interfere with work, school, family, relationships, or societal events. Also, if it doesn’t require hospitalization it can be considered a hypomanic episode.

After the manic episode, the following depression episode usually lasts three times as long. Signs and symptoms of a bipolar depression episode include being sad, empty, and desperate most of the day, almost every day. The individual would be noticeably uninterested in activities, would lose weight even when not dieting, or gain weight when not trying to, increased amount of sleeping, fatigue, looking down upon oneself, lose of ability to concentrate, and recurring thoughts of death or suicide. Having five or more of these symptoms within a two-week period often demonstrates depression.

There are numerous different categories or types of Bipolar disorder, including Bipolar 1, Bipolar 2, and Cyclothymic disorder. Bipolar 1 disorder includes having at least one manic episode followed by a major depressive episode. Often there is a pattern between mania and depression. Typically between the two stages, people can live their normal lives. Bipolar 2 disorders are weaker forms of mood increase, involving weaker episodes of hypomania that alternate with periods of severe depression. However, bipolar 2 never reaches the full-blown mania like in bipolar 1. Most people suffer more from depression from this type of bipolar. Just as in bipolar 1, in between each cycle individuals can live normal lives. Bipolar 2 disorder is not a milder form of Bipolar 1 disorder, the two are both entirely different diagnostics. Cyclothymic disorder is long periods of hypomania following short periods of mild depression. It causes you to have emotional highs and lows, between the two you may feel as if you are back to normal. Cyclothymic disorder is a milder form of bipolar 1 and bipolar 2 and is still important to seek help from someone to manage these symptoms because they do increase your risk of having bipolar 1 or bipolar 2 disorders. Other types of bipolar disorder can be diagnosed due to a medical condition, for example, multiple sclerosis, stroke or Cushing’s disease. Certain types of medication can also lead to this disorder.

Bipolar disorder is often not recognized in women as easily as it is recognized in men. Often doctors are looking for the male versions of the disorder in women and underdiagnosing it. There are biological reasons that women and men have unusual degrees of certain diseases like bipolar disorder. Men will usually have stronger manic episodes and less extreme depressive episodes. As for women, they will typically have shorter and milder manic episodes and longer depressed states. Hormones are also a big factor in the severity that bipolar disorder can have on your body. Thyroid gland problems affect a lot of people with this disorder. The thyroid gland controls hormones in the body and also controls how sensitive the body is to other hormones.

Scientists agree that there is not one specific cause of bipolar disorder, although there are numerous things that may act together and produce the illness. This disorder is more commonly seen in an individual that has a relative with bipolar disorder. If the individual has a sibling or parent with the disorder then they are a lot more prone to having it, in other words, it can be hereditary. Scientists are trying to determine exactly what genes are involved in causing bipolar disorder. An imbalance of neurotransmitters is considered to be a primary factor in bipolar disorder and also other mood disorders.

Persons with this disorder appear to have physical variances in their brains. The brains of individuals with bipolar disorder differ from the brains of healthy individuals. An MRI shows that brain developments in both bipolar children and multi-dimensional impairment are very similar. This associates bipolar disorder with a general risk for unstable moods. MRIs also found that the brain’s prefrontal cortex is smaller and functions at a lower rate compared to healthy adults. The prefrontal cortex controls functions such as decision-making. Finding brain changes in the early years may help detect bipolar disorder promptly so that medication and therapy can begin at an early age hopefully preventing the disorder to be less serious.

It can often be hard to identify bipolar disorder in a child. Determining whether the mood is just stress and trauma or if it is a mental disorder can be quite difficult. Typically, children who are diagnosed with bipolar disorder usually are diagnosed with other mental conditions. The most obvious signs of bipolar disorder in children are severe mood swings that are unlike their usual mood swings. Children with this disorder have a very hard time in school. The mood swings can become too hard for a child to deal with when at school, because of stress at school. Friends, stressful classwork, noisiness, and bullying are all factors that can make symptoms worsen. Children are commonly prescribed the same medications as an adult would be prescribed. It is hard to say whether or not the effectiveness or safety of the medications for children is okay due to a lack of research. Most children need psychotherapy to assist them to cope with bipolar disorder. The therapy will help the child with solving social problems and reconnecting with family in the time of need.

Bipolar disorder cannot be cured, but numerous things can help treat it over a long period of time. Knowing that the disorder is lifelong, tells you that the medication will be long-term and will not get rid of the disorder, but it will help individuals gain control of the mood swings that their body will have. Even with the proper treatment mood swings will continue to occur, but they should not be as frequent. There is a study for Bipolar disorder (Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program) that shows nearly half of the individuals who recovered still had mild bipolar symptoms.

Treatment for the disorder is best if you meet frequently with a psychotherapist and discuss problems and issues, while still taking the prescribed medication. There are numerous different medications to take and some people have to take several different kinds before finding a type that will work for them. Mood stabilizers, atypical antipsychotics, and antidepressants are normally used for this type of mood disorder as well as some other mood disorders. When medication is present, psychotherapy can be a great treatment for this disorder. It can provide support, training, and control to individuals with bipolar disorder and their relatives. Also, some home remedies to help deal with bipolar disorder may include getting plenty of sleep, surrounding yourself with people who care for you and will help you through episodes, not using any drugs, smoking, or drinking alcohol, and getting plenty of exercise throughout the week.

If you have bipolar disorder you may also have another condition that was diagnosed before or after the diagnostics of bipolar disorder. Anxiety disorders, Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), addiction or substance abuse, and physical health problems, such as heart disease, thyroid problems, or obesity, all of these which are commonly found in individuals who have bipolar disorder. If you have one or more of these conditions, then it is necessary to get medical treatment. Also, having another condition may interfere with treatment for bipolar disorder. There is no guaranteed way to avoid having bipolar disorder. Still, getting treatment for the first symptom of a mental health disorder can help prevent bipolar disorder or other mental health disorders from worsening.

Writing this essay has helped me learn some basic information on the psychological disorder known as bipolar. The more we know about what these people face, the more we can help them. While this was only one of the disorders that I decided to write about, there are many others I haven’t mentioned. This disorder can be difficult to treat, and even more difficult to live with.

Abstract

Bipolar disorder is a serious mental sickness characterized by extreme shifts in moods and behavior that affect all people, from children and teenagers to adults. The topic under study was inspired by the zeal to learn more about Bipolar Disorder, how it is caused, its symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. Bipolar Disorder affects 1-3 percent of people in a population with the effect distributed equally between men and women. Heredity and brain structure of people are connected to the causes of Bipolar Disorder, which are both environmental and biologically oriented. Gene mapping to identify the specific cause of Bipolar Disorder has been complicated due to differential expression from one person to another. There are three types of bipolar categorized on the extremities of behavioral change: Bipolar I, which is a manic episode, Bipolar II, which is a depressive episode and Cyclothymic Bipolar, which is neither manic nor depressive bipolar. Symptoms of a manic episode include talking too much, aggressiveness, racing thoughts, and lack of sleep, among others. The depressive episode shows fatigue, lack of desire to hang out with friends and family, suicidal thoughts, and feeling worthless, among others. Upon diagnosis, bipolar disorder is treatable using medicines, psychotherapy, or a combination of both. An example of a mood stabilizer is lithium, which is highly recommended by doctors; however, an alternative such as Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) can be applied.

Bipolar Disorder

The paper is about Bipolar Disorder (BD) which is a mental illness disorder under the category of bipolar and related disorders (Nuckols, 2013). The disease affects any person from children, to teenagers to adults. I chose this topic because a close friend has been diagnosed with it and I would like to know more about the disease, how a person is infected, the symptoms observed, the adverse effects it can cause, and how it can be treated.

For a proper understanding of BD, I will give details on what the disease is, and the symptoms infected people display. Additionally, I will discuss how BD is diagnosed by specialists such as psychologists and psychiatrists as well as state the DVM-5 criteria on the matter. Furthermore, the paper will provide a discussion on treatments used in BD.

Understanding Bipolar Disease

A myriad of people do not understand Bipolar Disorder and would confuse it with a regular change in behavior, whereas it is a severe mental illness. More often, people have a lapse in moods and behavior and end up controlling them back to normal. However, when those conditions become extreme, it becomes a medical issue hence the need to check in with professionals and experts. BD also known as manic-depression disorder is characterized by extremities in mood swings causing an unusual shift in energy, and activity levels as well as a decline in the ability to partake in daily activities (National Institute of Mental Health, 2009). In other research conducted by Parikh et al., (2013) and Hibar et al., (2016) BD affects 1-3 percent of the population, in that, most of the population is adults and both men and women are affected equally. BD is a medical complication; hence, feeling lonely and disserted should be avoided.

The causes of bipolar disorder are still unknown, though they have been connected to heredity and brain structure. In most cases, bipolar disease flows through families, making it a heritable disease, though people with specific genes are the ones vulnerable to the disease (National Institute of Mental Health, 2018). The issue of genes is still debatable, considering that one twin can be bipolar while the other is not. Mapping the specific gene responsible for bipolar has been hectic and practically difficult almost impossible because the phenomenon is heterogeneous and it varies from one person to the other in terms of severity and characteristics (Kassem, 2006). Moreover, the issue of brain structure plays a significant role in causing bipolar or creating an appropriate condition for the disease to invade. Researchers stipulate that understanding brain structure differences between ordinary and bipolar people aids in formulating treatment based on symptoms rather than the brain image itself (National Institute of Mental Health, 2018). Heredity and brain structure are linked to the causes of bipolar disorder.

Due to shifts in moods, activity, and energy, bipolar disorder is divided into three types; bipolar I, II, and cyclothymic disorder which can be called episodes. Bipolar I, also called manic episode, is characterized by elevated moods, and increased levels of activity, while bipolar II, which is a depression episode, is the parallel opposite in that the patient feels hopeless, inactive, and sad. Additionally, the cyclothymic episode involves a patient with less intense manic-depression episodes with reduced duration of persistence (National Institute of Mental Health, 2018). Other disorders that can co-occur with bipolar are psychosis which is severe bipolar disorder, Anxiety Disorders and Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADHD), which affects people with bipolar disorder, Drug Abuse in which bipolar patients are prone to alcohol and drug abuse; and Eating Disorders which is common in bipolar patients. According to DVM-5 criteria, bipolar acts as a bridge between schizophrenia spectrum and depressive disorders (Nuckols, 2013). Bipolar is wide, considering that other symptoms do not coincide with the known categories.

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder

The episodes of bipolar disorder have characteristic traits that reveal the illness in a patient. In manic bipolar, the patient displays an irritable mood which is unpleasant to the surrounding. The patient also shows a lack of sleep, talks too much, has racing thoughts, aggressively approaches any activity and has poor judgment (Belmaker, 2004 & Farrell, 2017). Besides, patients with bipolar show exaggerated self-esteem, and sometimes hallucinations and delusions, which are psychotic characteristics (Parikh et al., 2013). People talking too much without pausing, and having weird ideas and thoughts, as well as insomnia, could be a symptom of bipolar disorder. Suffering from hypomania or cyclothymic bipolar has the same symptoms of the manic episode though less intense. Ignoring it can eventually lead to a full manic episode.

Depression occurs to a countless number of people, but when the condition worsens and becomes extreme, the issue becomes bipolar. Specialists can only conclude a diagnosis of a depressive episode after two weeks, where each day depression displays itself. Patients with depressive episodes of BD show decreased appetite and loss in weight, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, and lack of desire to be with friends and family (Belmaker, 2004 & Dr Phil Staff, 2006). Such symptoms of severe measures can lead to deadly consequences after that. According to Parikh et al., (2013), a depressive episode is accompanied by a lack of concentration and an inability to make decisions, due to unworthiness some patients would think of suicide, and energy loss is observed as well. Other research shows that depression can lead to dwindling interest in most daily activities like hobbies, making someone sleep too much or sometimes too little, restlessness as well as slowness (Farrell, 2017). If those symptoms persist, it is advisable to see a specialist.

Diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder

The initial step in bipolar disorder diagnosis involves the individual visiting a doctor when symptoms persist. The doctor will complete a physical examination of the patient, interviews, as well as laboratory tests (National Institute of Mental Health, 2018). Since blood tests and cerebral scans cannot be conclusive on BD, the doctor uses the results to either refer the patient to a mental specialist who conducts a complete diagnosis; or conducts other tests to rule out the illness. The specialist can be a psychiatrist or a psychologist who is professionally trained to handle mental disorders. After confirmation, the specialist prescribes medication for the disease to the patient. Some of the reasons that interfere with BD diagnosis are that BD can co-occur with other disorders like schizophrenia and psychosis, which are confusing. Noticing the symptoms and ignoring them could lead to late diagnosis as well as other non-mental health issues that harden the diagnosis from the doctors.

Treatment of Bipolar Disorder

A bipolar disorder, like other medical conditions, is treatable, where doctors use medications, psychotherapy, or combining those treatments. In severe manic episodes, the doctors introduce lithium and an antipsychotic drug while for acute manic conditions, doctors prescribe lithium as a monotherapy (Hirschfeld et al., 2002). Other medications for manic episodes are available at the doctor’s prescription. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (2018), doctors prescribe mood stabilizers like lithium to lower the risks of severe conditions like suicide. The presence of hypomania condition requires treatment with antipsychotic medications such as lithium as used in manic episodes. Doctors have well-established guidelines for how medicine is induced. In depressive episodes, an antidepressant is not advisable; rather, the doctors prefer the simultaneous use of both lithium and antidepressant at some incidents. In severe cases of depressive episodes such as suicide or psychosis, specialists can prescribe the use of an alternative like Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) which is also utilized during pregnancy (Hirschfeld et al., 2010). Depressive episodes are treated with antipsychotic medications unless there is an alternative that the specialists know better.

Through psychotherapy, the patient can identify behavioral, emotional, and thoughtful change. In addition to that, it offers education on the disorder about what to do, how to react, and how to express yourself. Also, it gives support, skills, and how to strategically handle bipolar people and their families (National Institute of Mental Health, 2018). In most cases, psychotherapy treatment is combined with medications like mood stabilizers such as lithium. Other treatments for bipolar include physical exercises and keeping life charts.

Summary

Bipolar disorder is a severe mental illness and should be handled with seriousness like other disorders. The causes of BD are unknown, but they are linked to heredity and brain structure, however, no specific gene has been mapped as the carrier of the disease. Manic, depressive, and hypomanic episodes of bipolar have particular symptoms, though manic and hypomania have similar symptoms. Manic is characterized by talking too much, lack of sleep, and aggressiveness while depressive episode has symptoms like a lack of desire to connect with family and friends as well as persistent thoughts of suicide. Bipolar disorder is treatable after a successful diagnosis in time with various treatments like psychotherapy and the use of medicines. In my opinion, bipolar disorder is as severe as other mental diseases, and people should report such symptoms to specialists at early stages to avoid recurrent episodes and other effects.

References

1. Belmaker, R. H. (2004). Bipolar disorder. New England Journal of Medicine, 351(5), 476-486.
2. Dr Phil Staff. (2006). Symptoms of bipolar disorder. Retrieved from https://www.drphil.com/advice/symptoms-of-bipolar-disorder/
3. Farrell, H. M. (2017). What is a bipolar disorder? TED-talks. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/helen_m_farrell_what_is_bipolar_disorder#t-111754
4. Hibar, D. P., Westlye, L. T., Van Erp, T. G., Rasmussen, J., Leonardo, C. D., Faskowitz, J., … & Dale, A. M. (2016). Subcortical volumetric abnormalities in bipolar disorder. Molecular psychiatry, 21(12), 1710.
5. Hirschfeld, R., Bowden, C. L., Gitlin, M. J., Keck, P. E., Suppes, T., Thase, M. E., & Perlis, R. H. (2002). Practice guidelines for the treatment of patients with bipolar disorder. American Psychiatric Association.
6. Kassem, L., Lopez, V., Hedeker, D., Steele, J., Zandi, P., Bipolar Disorder Consortium, N. G. I., … & McMahon, F. J. (2006). Familiality of polarity at illness onset in bipolar affective disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 163(10), 1754-1759.
7. National Institute of Mental Health. (2009). Bipolar Disorder. U.S. Department of health and Human Services. Pdf.
8. National Institute of Mental Health. (2018). Bipolar Disorder. U.S. Department of health and Human Sciences.
9. Nuckols, C. (2013). The Diagnostic and statistical manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5). American Psychiatric Association. Washington, DC.
10. Parikh, S., Parker, C., Cooke, R., Kruger, S., McIntire, R., Kusznir, A.… Zetes-Zanatta, L. (2013). Bipolar Disorder: An Information Guide. Center for Addiction and Mental Health. Revised edition. Canada.

Introduction

Approximately 1 in 5 people in the U.S. struggles with a mental illness every year, Hollywood is no exception. As time goes on due to a better societal view on mental illness more and more of our favorite actors, producers, and musicians come forward with their struggles with mental illness. From depression to schizophrenia it is crucial these illnesses not be ignored or misdiagnosed to ensure the proper treatment of those suffering. Although the recent forthcoming of a few of our famous population, in a recent study conducted by The National Alliance on Mental Illness, they found that over 48 million of all American adults struggle with a mental illness and over 60% of these cases go untreated and/or undiagnosed. This research suggests that a relatively large percentage of actors and musicians struggling with mental illness do not go public with their illnesses. There are many figures in Hollywood that may show different symptoms of different mental illnesses, whether this represents mental illness directly is to be decided by a mental health specialist. In this paper, I will attempt to provide a proficient amount of evidence to suggest that popular actor and musician Demi Lovato may suffer from bipolar disorder. A disorder that I believe could be partly responsible for influencing her in both her personal and career decisions throughout her life.

Background Information

Demi Lovato was born on August 20, 1992, in Albuquerque, New Mexico to mother Dianna De La Garza and father Patrick Martin Lovato. Lovato first faced adversity when her parents divorced in mid-1994, shortly after her second birthday. School for Demi was a struggle all by itself, she experienced bullying at a young age and this would eventually lead to health struggles such as eating disorders and cutting, and overall began to wear away at any of the confidence that she had. Demi and her parents at a young age decided that homeschooling would be best for her in an attempt to get away from the toxicity of public schooling. Demi began acting at a very young age performing in talent shows and many famous venues including the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day halftime show. She first appeared on television at the age of 7 to play a small role on a popular kids’ tv show Barney and Friends. As a result of this performance, her acting career was born. She went on to play a bigger role on the Disney tv show When the Bell Rings, and then on to her breakout performance in the hit movie Camp Rock, to becoming the star of her tv show Sonny with a Chance. Being exposed to show business at this young age was an enormous task for her, creating a large amount of stress for the young actor. She recently said in an interview that if she could do it over again she would not take on the stress of being put in that position again nor would she put anyone else through it. Demi was exposed to cocaine at the age of 17 while she was working on the set of Sonny with a Chance Speaking in her 2017 documentary Simply Complicated, she said: “I was with a couple friends, and they introduced me to it. I was scared because my mom always told me my heart could just burst if you do it, but I did it anyways. And I loved it.” This began a long battle with staying sober as her drug abuse began to take hold of her life. In 2010 at the age of 18, Demi withdrew from the Jonas Brothers live in a concert tour to seek rehabilitation for her growing drug abuse. A statement from Demi’s reps said, “Demi has decided to take personal responsibility for her actions and seek help. She is doing just that. Demi and her family ask that the media please respect their privacy during this difficult time. She regrets not being able to finish her tour but is looking forward to getting back to work in the near future.” after leaving rehab Demi took to her old ways not sticking to the program and she admitted that her drug use spiraled out of cont control around 2011 to 2013. She said, “With my drug use I could hide it to where I would sneak drugs. I couldn’t go without 30 minutes to an hour without cocaine and I would bring it on airplanes. I would smuggle it basically and just wait until everyone in first class would go to sleep and I would do it right there. I’d sneak to the bathroom and I’d do it.” Rock Bottom came for Demi at the age of 19 when she found herself smuggling a Sprite bottle full of vodka into an airport trying to make it back to a sober house where she was living at. Demi went on to that sober house and became sober for the next 6 years relapsing again in 2018 this time narrowly escaping with her life as she was rushed to an L.A hospital for a possible heroin overdose.

Diagnosis

Defined by the National Institute of Mental Health, Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. Bipolar Disorder breaks down into 4 different types; all 4 involve clear changes in energy, activity levels, and mood. These moods range from a severe “high” (also known as the manic phase) to severe “lows” (known as depressive stages. During the manic phase one may feel as though they are on top of the world, that they are invincible, they may feel heightened energy, lack of sleep, creativity, and euphoria. At the beginning of the manic phase, mania may feel good to a person although their mania often spirals out of control causing someone to behave recklessly making irrational decisions based on impulse, leaving them extremely vulnerable to addiction. In a study done by the Addiction Center, they found that over 60% percent of those suffering from bipolar disease also deal with ongoing substance abuse issues. It is not fully understood why this happens but Bipolar disease makes people more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol. Along with the manic highs that may last 7 days or more. mania is often followed by a period of bipolar depression that lasts at least 2 weeks. With Bipolar depression, you may speak and move slowly, sleep more than usual, and gain weight. You may also be more prone to develop psychotic depression—a condition in which you lose contact with reality, which may lead to severe issues in both the workplace and in your personal life.

Connection

Throughout Demi Lovato’s life, we see the signs and symptoms of Bipolar Disorder. And although it wasn’t diagnosed until later in her life I believe she may have developed the disorder as young as the age of 17. Beginning in just elementary school, we see that Lavato struggled with cutting a clear sign of depression due to her experiences at school. At the age of 17, Demi was introduced to cocaine and alcohol. Two substances can very negatively affect your mental as well as your physical well-being. Demi would go on to get addicted to these substances relying on them daily. I believe that bipolar disorder may have had an effect on her decision-making skills and her ability to fight the addiction.

Treatment

Had her struggles with bipolar disorder been caught earlier it could have been possible to help her break this addiction or even stopped them from happening. With Bipolar disorder the most popular type of treatment is medication. Anti-psychotics may help prevent mood episodes or reduce their severity when they occur. Other common types of treatment may include Psychotherapy (sometimes called “talk therapy”), which is a term for a variety of treatment techniques that aim to help a person identify and change troubling thoughts and behaviors. Psychotherapy can offer support, skills, and strategies to help combat this order to those who suffer and their families. Psychotherapy often is used in combination with medications. Had Demi been supported with these types of treatment she may have been able to avoid troubling habits and addictions throughout her lifetime.

The track I chose for this project was track two Psychological Influences of Abnormal Behavior. Abnormality can be subjective depending on what one person considers abnormal (Whitbourne, 2017). Since there is a huge variation of what is normal, one could define abnormality as what is considered outside of the socially expected norm. Since the world is constantly changing the definition and factors revolving around abnormal behavior are also developing. Psychological causes are also a factor and can be viewed as a larger grouping of issues that can be influenced by something happening in the body and its environment (Whitbourne, 2017).

Article One- The efficacy and effectiveness of psychological treatments for mood, anxiety, and other related disorders.

The article provided a narrative review that examined the extensive evidence that supported both efficiency and effectiveness of psychological treatments for common mental disorders. This study claimed that the clinical impact of specific forms of psychological treatments was as effective as medicine. Also, the research clearly supported the use of numerous psychological treatments such as CBT, as a go-to intervention for commonly occurring mental disorders (Hunsley, Elliot, & Therrien, 2014). As a result, there is a clear connection between both efficiency research and effectiveness research in means of successful treatments.

The variables have been studied before in the past but previous studies showed that treatments benefited clients the articles here indicate that previous studies only focused on the efficacy of treatment for mental illnesses and not the effectiveness of the treatment. (Hunsley, Elliot, Therrien 2014). The variables that were looked at in this article were different treatments for various mental illnesses. The types of illnesses that were looked at were depression, sad (social anxiety disorder), bipolar, panic disorders, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), generalized anxiety disorder, and OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder). (Hunsley, Elliot, Therrien 2014). The variables in this study helped to show a clear example of a correlation design that used a combination of variables to see how they correspond with one another.

Most importantly this study was completed in an ethical manner. Confidentiality is one of the critical ethical considerations that was maintained in these research studies. During the research, it made sure to keep the information of the patients undisclosed from any third parties without the consent of the patient.

In conclusion, this study has proven that there is a substantial amount of evidence that psychological treatments and interventions can have significant effects and improvements on mental health conditions.

Article Two- Cognitive Processing Therapy for Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Comparison Between Outpatient and Residential Treatment.

The purpose of this article was to compare pretreatment characteristics and treatment outcomes between veterans receiving outpatient and residential PTSD treatment. The article hypothesized that as residential treatment is designed for veterans with more impairing symptoms and complex psychosocial stressors, residential patients would endorse greater PTSD and depression symptom severity at pretreatment compared with outpatients. They also hypothesized that veterans in both programs would benefit from treatment as evidenced by reductions in PTSD and depression symptoms. The findings indicated that whether clinician-assessed or self-reported, greater PTSD symptom improvement occurred in outpatients compared to residential patients. Veterans in residential treatment endorsed an overall higher PTSD symptom severity and did not experience the same proportion of symptom relief compared to veterans in outpatient treatment.

One of the main variables was the two different treatment centers the veterans received their treatments both outpatient and residential. A second variable that was looked at was the demographic differences along with age, gender, race, and a few others. During this study, many different tests/approaches were done to collect the samples, data, and information to provide more detailed information (Walter et al., 2014). The information gained could be used to help provide better treatment options.

Most importantly the study was conducted in an ethical manner. All data was collected as part of routine clinical care. During admission to both outpatient and residential treatment programs, veterans were administered a series of assessment instruments to determine their pretreatment diagnostic status and functioning. All assessments were conducted by clinicians with extensive training and supervision in the provision of psychological tests. The outcome of the research allowed the veterans to receive the proper level of care that they needed.

In conclusion, the study identified differences in demographics and severity levels with both outpatient and residential treatment. With this kind of information, it’s easier for veterans to be placed with the best treatment options.

Article Three- Stressful Life Events in Bipolar I and II Disorder: Cause or Consequence of Mood Symptoms

The purpose of this article was to provide a study that would examine the relationship between life events and mood disorders both negative and positive in people who suffer from bipolar I and bipolar II disorder. The hypothesis was that life events are triggers for new mood episodes in bipolar disorder. Especially negative life events seem to be more common in the months prior to both depressive and manic episodes (Christensen et al., 2003, Cohen et al., 2004, Hosang et al., 2012b, Hunt et al., 1992, Johnson et al., 2008b, Malkoff -Schwartz et al., 1996).

The variables that were looked at were mainly patients with a diagnosis of Bipolar I Disorder, Bipolar II Disorder, and Bipolar Disorder NOS. The other variables that were looked at were negative and positive life events, manic and depressive symptoms along with functional impairments. Previous studies have shown inconsistent results as many differed in terms of the specific Bipolar Disorder diagnosis. Other studies also relied on smaller sample sizes and short follow-up periods which contributed to inconsistent findings. This caused a lack of statistical power to be able to detect a consistent association between life events and mood symptoms. To date, only Johnson et al. (2008b) studied the effect of life events on bipolar mood in a prospective study with both a large sample size and a relatively long follow-up period. This study focused more on the what rather than the why. This study focused more on the what rather than the why. For this study, the cohort design was used, and the study was conducted over a period of time among a population that shared similarities. During this study, all 173 patients, who were 18 or older, participated in an outpatient program in a medical facility (Koenders et al., 2014). Each patient signed a written consent form. Everyone was given the same baseline measurement and psychiatric interview to assess their illness.

Most importantly the study was completed in an ethical manner. Each patient’s name and personal information were kept private. The study was conducted in an ethical manner.

In conclusion, this study showed that life events whether negative or positive can have a significant impact on mood symptoms and functional impairment for patients with Bipolar Disorder I and Bipolar Disorder II.

Article Four- Impulsivity and Suicidality in Adolescent Inpatients

The purpose of this article was to determine if separate domains of impulsivity were differentially associated with suicidal ideation, suicide plans, and suicide attempts. The hypothesis was that there was a unique association with suicide ideation and that attempts in the past month and that feelings trigger actions are associated with the occurrence of suicide attempts, even after controlling for current psychiatric diagnoses and symptoms. They also hypothesized that the pervasive influence of feelings is uniquely associated with greater suicidal ideation.

The variables that were looked at were mainly adolescents both boys and girls between the ages 13-19 that were placed in an acute, residential treatment program. Previous research indicated that negative urgency a subscale of the feelings trigger action has been shown to predict suicide attempts. For this study, exploratory design and descriptive design method was used. The Institutional Review Board approved all study procedures, which were embedded within a quality assurance program wherein all adolescent patients admitted to the child and adolescent program receive clinical assessments.

Most important this study was conducted in an ethical manner. Prior to participation, legal guardians and adolescents 18 years old and older provided written consent, and youth aged 18 years or younger provided assent.

In conclusion, this study showed that suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents, and impulsivity has emerged as a promising marker of risk.

Article Five- Sexual risk behaviors in the adolescent offspring of Parents with bipolar disorder

The purpose of this article was to determine the contribution of parents’ personality and offspring behavior problems in middle childhood to offspring sexual risk behavior 10 years later. The hypothesis was that offspring externalizing problems in childhood would mediate the relationship between parents’ personality traits of neuroticism and agreeableness and adolescent sexual risk behaviors. It was also hypothesized that the associations were more robust among offspring with bipolar disorder than controls.

The variables that were looked at were offspring of parents with bipolar disorder and controls of the ages 4-14 along with their parents, who completed a self-report personality measure and child behavior rating. Families were participants in a longitudinal prospective study comparing developments.

Most importantly I believe this study was conducted in an ethical manner. The article did not specify how consent was obtained. However, the end of the study did indicate that the study was conducted in compliance with Ethical Standards and that there were no conflicts of interest.

In conclusion, this study showed that adolescent and young adult offspring of parents with bipolar disorder (OBD), relative to control offspring, were more likely to engage in sexual risk behaviors (SRB). It also showed that parents with BD are more likely than parents with no mental disorder to exhibit significantly elevated levels of trait neuroticism, exposing their offspring to more severe negative emotionality.

Is Lithium a Salvation for Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a debilitating mental illness that causes extreme fluctuation in mood. One day, a patient may be manic, full of energy, then depressed to the point that the patient won’t leave their bed for days. These symptoms, extreme and unpredictable in nature, require constant medication and supervision. The main drug used in treating bipolar disorder is lithium. Through the years, lithium has been studied on how it affects patients genetically and chemically along with potential side effects. From researching how lithium affects the human body, it will be seen if the mood stabilizing effects of lithium are more valuable to the treatment of bipolar disorder patients over the possibility of side effects.

Today, lithium is the foremost treatment for bipolar disorder, but when did doctors figure out that lithium was an effective mood stabilizer? The earliest recorded use of lithium or specifically lithium bromide was in 1870 by neurologist Silas Weir Mitchell who prescribed it as an anticonvulsant and a hypnotic, but it was not until 1871 that lithium was specifically used to treat mania. It was “William Hammond, professor of Diseases of the Mind and Nervous System at the Bellevue Hospital Medical College in New York, became the first physician to prescribe lithium for mania” (Shorter). Later in 1894 in Denmark, psychiatrist Frederik Lange used lithium carbonate to treat melancholic depression in thirty-five of his patients with positive results. However, after 1894, Lange’s research was forgotten about and the mainstream use of lithium disappeared. “In the first half of the 20th century there are virtually no references to lithium in the psychiatric literature, although a tradition of lithium treatment does seem to have persisted.” (Shorter) and it wasn’t until 1949 when the use of lithium was revived. In 1949 in Melbourne, Australia, John Cade treated ten of his manic patients with lithium citrate and lithium carbonate. Cade’s patients “..responded remarkably well, becoming essentially normal and capable of discharge after years of illness.” (Shorter), but also in 1949 lithium chloride was used in “a failed experiment..as a substitute for sodium chloride in patients with congestive heart failure” (Shorter) causing lithium to once again fall into obscurity. Three years later in 1952, lithium started to be recognized by the psychiatric community when Mogens Schou, a psychiatrist at Aarhus University psychiatric clinic, started treating patients with lithium in random drug trials. Shou, after finding positive results on lithium, published his results in a British journal. From that point on, lithium’s use as an effective mood stabilizer spread throughout the world with lithium being officially registered as “..lithium gluconate in 1961 in France, lithium carbonate in 1966 in the United Kingdom, lithium acetate in 1967 in Germany, and lithium glutamate in 1970 in Italy” (Shorter). The United States registered lithium as an FDA-approved drug in 1970 and became the fiftieth country to do so. From historical records, lithium has been shown to be effective in treating bipolar disorder, and from technological innovations, doctors are now able to see from a chemical level how lithium works in treating mania in bipolar patients.

From the background provided it was shown that lithium has been proven effective over the past one hundred and forty-six years within the psychiatric field, and now with current technology doctors have begun to try and figure out how lithium works within the human body. The exact detail of how lithium regulates mood within the brain is a mystery, especially since the human brain still remains mysterious to doctors. However, after much research, the medical community has a basic understanding of how lithium helps a bipolar patient. Lithium acts on a patient’s nervous system, the spinal cord, and the brain. Within the brain, lithium increases “…neuroprotective factors BDNF and BCl-2 and decreases apoptotic (cell death factors) BAX and P53” (Post). This means that lithium increases brain function by signaling the increase of the proteins BDNF and BCI-2, which promote nervous tissue and stem cell growth, and the decrease of the proteins BAX and P53 which control cell death. Also, in recent studies, it has been found “that the mechanism of manic depression may be related to a growth factor deficiency rather than a neurotransmitter imbalance” (Young). This quote explains why increased brain function and growth, stimulated by lithium, helps bipolar patient since their brain is lacking in proteins that promote nervous tissue and stem cell growth. This increase in brain function from lithium brings about other benefits (which have been proven in scientific studies) such as the prevention of depression, reducing the risk of dementia, and enhancing the efficiency of other psychotropic drugs (Post). From a chemical viewpoint, lithium is quite effective in treating and regulating a bipolar patient’s mood along with added benefits. However, once the chemical interaction with lithium was understood, doctors began to look at how lithium might affect a patient’s genes.

After years of medical research and innovations, doctors are not close to finding a cure for mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder. However, through the use of lithium, doctors have found genetic breadcrumbs that may be the key to what causes bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder “..is highly heterogeneous in terms of symptoms and treatment efficacy. Factors shown to lead to disease susceptibility are varied and could be both environmental and genetic” (Cruceanu) which means that bipolar disorder symptoms, possible causes, and treatment are unique to each patient which makes treatment much more difficult. From research and records of lithium treatment, doctors have found that a certain type of patient responds well to the treatment of lithium. These patients have several factors in common which are “episodic course of illness, low rates of co-morbid conditions, absence of rapid cycling, and a family history of BD” (Cruceanu). This quote means this type of patient has a family history of bipolar disorder, no other mental illnesses, and clearly defined episodes of mania or depression. This type of patient also makes up the majority of bipolar disorder patients. From this majority, doctors began to study how lithium affects patients on a genetic level in the hopes of finding the exact gene where bipolar disorder comes from. From scientific studies, doctors have found “..a positive association with the gene for phospholipase Cy1… Phospholipase C is a promising candidate gene because of its role in the phosphoinositol cycle, a major target of lithium” (Lerer). Phospholipase Cy1 is a gene that controls the phosphoinositol cycle, and this cycle creates lipids that strengthen all of the cells found in the human body and keep them healthy. Without the correct number of these lipids, cells (possibly the ones that make up the brain) do not do their job. In theory, the deterioration or abnormal growth of the gene phospholipase Cy1, which lithium directly affects by stimulating brain and nervous tissue growth, could be the possible cause of bipolar disorder itself. Through the use of lithium, doctors have not only found an effective mood stabilizer but also the possible key to the cause of bipolar disorder itself. However, lithium is still a man-made drug and all drugs have side effects.

The biggest concern for any doctor or patient is the possible side effects of a drug. Lithium is an effective mood stabilizer, but it can have some toxic side effects. The main side effect that concerns patients is the possibility of “..deterioration in renal function evidenced by increasing creatinine levels and decreases in glomerular filtration rate” (Post). Within the body, the kidneys maintain the creatinine level (creatinine is a waste molecule made from muscle metabolism) by disposing of it through urine. If the creatinine level is too high in a patient, then that indicates that the kidneys are failing because of the use of lithium. This side effect, while life-threatening, is easily managed through the “Use of minimum effective doses and careful monitoring is typically recommended.” (Post). Also, so far “..no patient went on to end-stage renal failure requiring dialysis” (Post) which shows that this side effect is easily contained by maintaining the proper dosage of lithium and monitoring a patient’s creatinine level. Other possible side effects of lithium are “.. diarrhea, tremor, creatinine increase, polyuria/polydipsia/diabetes insipidus, and weight gain” (Ohlund) which, again, can also be contained through the proper and correct dosage of lithium depending on each individual patient. Side effects of lithium can be toxic, but by doctors carefully monitoring and prescribing the correct dosage, the benefits of lithium far outweigh the side effects.

It has been shown from a chemical and genetic level that lithium is an effective treatment for bipolar disorder with side effects that can be safely contained through the monitoring of dosage. However, there is the possibility that lithium could be replaced by another drug and there is still a minority of patients that do not respond well to lithium. Earlier, it was shown that patients that respond best to lithium have a family history of bipolar disorder, no other mental illnesses, and clearly defined episodes of mania or depression. This seems like a very particular type of patient, but there are “four basic types of bipolar disorder” (NIMH) and the description above describes bipolar I disorder patients. Bipolar I disorder patients make up the majority of bipolar patients, so the use of lithium is effective for most patients. For patients of bipolar II disorder and the other two categories where the patient does not “..meet the diagnostic requirements for a hypomanic episode and a depressive episode.” (NIMH) lithium is less effective. The other three categories of bipolar disorder are bipolar II disorder, cyclothymic disorder, and unspecified bipolar disorder. These patients have no family history of bipolar disorder and may have other mental illnesses such as schizophrenia that possibly present stronger than their bipolar disorder symptoms. For patients of these other three categories, lithium is a less effective treatment. However, lithium still has a mood-stabilizing effect on the patient. This is where emerging drug treatments for bipolar disorder may help the minority of bipolar disorder patients. In a “..trial patients were originally treated with lithium for at least one month before having riluzole added to their regimen. The authors noted a significant improvement in depressive symptoms but only 8 subjects were able to complete the 8-week trial.” (Brady) This shows that combining lithium and riluzole for abnormal bipolar patients could improve their depressive symptoms. Another drug is tamoxifen which reduces manic symptoms and “Tamoxifen did have a significant additive effect when combined with lithium” (Brady), so, again, lithium boosts another drug’s effectiveness that may be lacking without lithium. There are new treatments for bipolar disorder being discovered and tested every year, but “..lithium is still recognized as the most effective prophylactic agent for BD. Moreover, continued treatment with lithium has been associated with a significantly reduced risk of suicide in patients with mood disorders” (Cruceanu). Lithium is the foundation for the treatment of bipolar disorder and until a drug is discovered that is more effective in multiple ways over lithium than lithium will not be replaced anytime soon.

Lithium has been proven to be quite effective in treating bipolar disorder. From a chemical and genetic level along with its major side effects, scientific research has proven that lithium not only stabilizes a patient’s manic state it also brings about other benefits such as the prevention of depression, reducing the risk of dementia, and enhancing the efficiency of other psychotropic drugs (Post). Even though lithium has potentially toxic side effects (which can be easily negated through proper dosage), it is a robust drug that does more for bipolar disorder than other drugs that are combined together. Lithium is, at the present time, the foundation for successfully treating bipolar disorder and giving patients a chance at a normal life.

Work Cited

1. Brady, Roscoe O, and Matcheri Keshavan. “Emergent Treatments Based on the Pathophysiology of Bipolar Disorder: A Selective Review.” Asian Journal of Psychiatry, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Dec. 2015, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4745256/.
2. Cruceanu, Cristiana, et al. “Lithium: a Key to the Genetics of Bipolar Disorder.” Genome Medicine, BioMed Central, 19 Aug. 2009, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2768965/.
3. Lerer, Bernard. Pharmacogenetics of Psychotropic Drugs. Cambridge University Press, 2002. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=112592&site=ehost-live.
4. “Bipolar Disorder.” National Institute of Mental Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml.
5. Öhlund, Louise, et al. “Reasons for Lithium Discontinuation in Men and Women with Bipolar Disorder: a Retrospective Cohort Study.” BMC Psychiatry, BioMed Central, 7 Feb. 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5804058/.
6. Post, Robert M. “The New News about Lithium: An Underutilized Treatment in the United States.” Neuropsychopharmacology: Official Publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Nature Publishing Group, 8 Nov. 2017, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5854802/.
7. Shorter, Edward. “The History of Lithium Therapy.” Bipolar Disorders, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 11 June 2009, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3712976/#R9.
8. Young, Wise. “Review of Lithium Effects on Brain and Blood – Wise Young, 2009.” SAGE Journals, 1 Sept. 2009, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.3727/096368909X471251.

Michael Gerard Tyson was born in 1966 in the Brooklyn area of New York City USA, He is a retired boxer, former 2-time undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, and is still the youngest heavyweight world champion in history. He became heavyweight champion at 20 years of age, and he held the title for many years before he lost his first fight to Buster Douglas. (Larry Sloman 13 Nov. 2013) Although he was one of the world’s most feared men and nicknamed the ‘worst’ man on the planet. Mike was easily led astray and suffered from drug alcohol and sex addictions, in 1992 he was charged with rape and convicted to 6 years in prison. Nowadays Mike is aware of his faults and failures and works very hard to fight his demons but in the early part of his career, when he was in his prime, was very often out of control and partied heavily and often found himself in trouble with the authorities and the boxing board of control. (Maureen Callahan October 27, 2013) When Mike was a champ, everyone wanted to party and hang out with him. He became addicted to various drugs, sex, and alcohol. He was struggling with his addictions for many years. I think Mike’s childhood struggles, his fame, and his drug addictions have all played their part in Mike becoming diagnosed with bipolar disorder. (J.L. Seto April 23, 2020) bipolar disorder is unusual shifts in mood, energy, and concentration. A person can experience feeling extremely excited, happy, or extremely depressive and emotional. These feelings can change rapidly. Bipolar disorder could run in your family and can start in your early childhood or young adulthood. (Jabeen Begum October 7, 2021) Mike was suffering from manic depression due to endless fights by damaging his brain, including impulse control and attention problems. Mike Tysons suffered most of his life with mental health because of his addictions but he couldn’t see this for himself. (J.L. Seto April 23, 2020)

Mental health it’s our feelings, our thinking, our emotions, and our moves. Feeling down, angry, and stressed is a normal part of our lives. Just like feeling happy, confident, and carefree sometimes. We have positive and negative emotions that come and go depending on what’s happening around us. These are everyday feelings. Stress, grief, and depression are examples of negative effects on your mental health. (Tracy Nixon January 6, 2019) Good mental health means experiencing negative emotions and it’s not always about being happy. When you feel like this it’s good to take a break and do something that you enjoy doing most and what makes you happy. Negative thoughts can take your energy away. Sometimes warming feelings are brought on because of the things in our lives. This happens for no reason at all sometimes. It’s very good to understand your mental health and how to cope with yourself on bad days. Your mental health is important because your mental state controls your responsiveness and your body functions. (Caitlyn 15 May 2019) Mental well-being is how individuals can cope with any pressure of everyday life and can work productively. Feelings are positive and happy. (Mental Health Foundation 20 July 2015) Some mental well-being examples are a healthy diet, good problem-solving skills, success carrier, enough money, and can easily cope with anything in their life. Everyone can be anxious, angry, fearless, worried, angry, and sad, sometimes these emotions can exist till we feel hopeless. We may have difficulty sleeping, concentrating, or making decisions. Our physical concentration and our behavior also can change. When this happens, we may experience mental ill health and if these symptoms impact our daily life, then this should be addressed. (Taryn Ozorio 24 Jan. 2011) There are so many places where we can go for some help. Talk to your doctor, or friends, speak to family members, or access specialist resources online. (NHS 11 April 2019) Mental ill health is when something in the brain isn’t working properly. Several things can be happening inside the brain. A person who experiences mental ill-health can struggle to live a successful life and every day is a battle for them. Mental ill health can start in early adulthood. This can happen because of poor physical health, loss of earnings, losing a job, and taking drugs and alcohol. Without treatment, people can draw out of society. (The Recovery Village September 9, 2020) It is important to tackle your symptoms of mental ill health early because they can turn to mental distress and the consequences can be severe. Mental ill health could be an invisible problem. Talking about it helps us to see our problems clearly. (NHS 11 April 2019) The most common form of mental ill health is such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and psychosis. (Mayo Clinic staff June 8, 2019)

Finding out what means mental ill health are, makes me understand better why Mike Tyson has been behaving aggressively and wasting his life on drugs, alcohol, and prostitutes and lost all his hard-earned money. He said himself that he was ‘so sick’, and he has been hiding his mental illness most of his life. (Jene Lavender 22 July 2020) Mike Tyson’s mental illness is bipolar disorder. (Adam Hamdani 18 March 2020) Bipolar disorder is unusual shifts in mood, energy, and concentration. A person can experience feeling extremely excited, happy, or extremely depressive and emotional. These feelings can change rapidly. Bipolar disorder could run in your family and can start in your early childhood or young adulthood. (Jabeen Begum October 7, 2021) This mental illness can be mixed with social, biological, or environmental factors. (NHS 14 March 2019) When Mike Tyson was a child he always was abused by his mother and never felt safe in his own house. (Peter Heller, 1995) When he threw his money away and gets high from drugs and behaves wild he was an extremely happy mood but when the wild parties were over, he goes to a dark and miserable place. (J.L Seto April 23, 2020)

Biological factors can be genetic and passed from one generation to the next. Just like you get your eye color from your parents, height, or any health condition you can pass mental illness too. If in your family history have any mental disorder more likely you can heritage that too. It’s just a condition just like any other and can be treated successfully of course if the person who suffers is willing to do so. (Lee Ellis 2018)

Social and physical factors can be your lifestyle how you live and behave and could be your race, religion, family, and environment. Using drugs and too much alcohol can affect your brain and can lead you to depression and no willingness to do anything. (David Mechanic, Donna D. McAlpine 15 April 2002) Children who experience more abuse and neglect are more at risk of mental ill health. When a child grows up in an environment where there’s abuse and neglect, their brain is shaped by those experiences. Over time the child gets mental health problems in the future. Well-being is created over time and maintained through our everyday experiences and our everyday relationship. This nature of our development shapes the way we think and feel about ourselves, other people, and the world around us. (Charlotte Cecil March 17, 2021) This is why Mike Tyson struggled to live a normal life. He wanted to be a street gay from the age of 11 and rob houses. Mike had little respect for women because his mother never worked, never cared for their children, and was a prostitute who brought a new man every night to their house. He always was abused by his mother or strangers and never felt safe in his own house. Mike stopped going to school at the age of 13 because he was a troubled child and had already been arrested 38 times. (Peter Heller, 1995)

Economic factors are your income, your job, and your education. Living in poverty you can start to experience feeling low because without money you can’t pay the rent or feed the family, hard to find a job if you live in a poor country. All these problems can lead to depression and later to mental illness. Even if you have too much money this can lead you to mental illness by using drugs or alcohol and living an unhealthy lifestyle. (Adam Felman April 13, 2020) Like Mike Tyson, His childhood is a massive effect on his life till now, he has no education, and he never attended school so he can’t read or write. His family was living in poverty, when he was a child every night, he went to bed starving, there was no food at home. (Johnell Gipson May 9, 2021) When Mike Tyson become famous and got so much money, he didn’t know how to handle that because he never had anything before. All his money went to drugs, sex, and cars and even he bought a tiger. He was a big party animal who like to spend money and he didn’t care how much cost anything. (J.L Seto April 23, 2020)

It’s important to have positive mental health at any stage of your life. If your mental health is in a good place likely you will handle your stress or any problems easier and can make better choices in your life. With positive mental health, you can get more confidence and reach your goals faster. (Melinda Smith August 2021) Today Mike Tyson is 55 years old and finally clean from drugs and alcohol. He is in a better place, in mind, and health. His wife and his children inspired him to change his life around and become a better person. All his life he was dying inside; he couldn’t speak to anyone to get the help that he needed. When Mike was a young adult there was no support for mental health. (Mike Tyson Jan. 3, 2014)

Mental health is a major challenge in the contemporary society. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 25% of the global population has mental health problems. In 2001, WHO noted that depressive disorders are one of the leading causes of the global disease burden, outlining that approximately 40% of the countries do not have mental health policies, while 25% of the countries lack mental health legislation (WHO n.d.). In the United States, mental health is a major challenge with 44.7 million individuals reporting some form of mental health issues in 2016. Taxpayers are projected to have spent $186 billion to treat mental health disorders in 2014 (CDC 2019). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also projects that about 3.9% of adult Americans experience serious psychological distress monthly. Statistics on physician office visits related to mental health issues were projected to be 56.8 million based on the 2016 statistics. In 2017, mental health disorders were linked to 47,173 suicide deaths translating to a suicide death rate of 14.5 cases per 100,000 population (National Center for Health Statistics 2017).

While most studies have focused on mental health in adults, there are emerging patterns of suicide and mental health issues among children and adolescents. Studies point to different factors as contributors to mental health issues observed in different populations. In the era of social media, for instance, it is believed that virtual social interactions can influence the nature of relationships that adolescents build with their peers, families, and schools (Keles, McCrae, and Grealish 2019). Studies on human development, focusing on adolescent development, highlighted that this stage of development is characterized by a sense of belonging and a group mentality. This makes adolescents susceptible to influence over social media platforms. There are many cases of observed suicide triggered by online interactions between adolescents and other social media users (Arendt, Scherr, and Romer 2019). Such trends in suicide and suicide ideation as well as social media-associated depression have led to calls for online platforms to be regulated.

A comprehensive understanding of the scope of mental health issues in different populations is necessary. The analysis focuses on the association of gender, age, and social settings with the number of incidences and severity of mental health issues. Previous studies have shown that the gender of individuals can influence their likelihood of getting depressed, or their responses to depression (Salk, Hyde, and Abramson 2017). Also, previous research pointed to the significant age-based differences in social behaviors which subsequently influence the likelihood of individuals developing depression or other mental health issues (Theurel and Gentaz 2018). An understanding of the patterns and differences in response to the conditions would help to develop effective interventions to protect the patients from mental health issues.

Sonnenberg et al. note that there are more cases of depression in women compared to the number of cases reported among men. The researchers identify depression as a major healthcare problem that requires proper planning, intervention, and support. Analyses of the social lives of women indicate that they have higher expectations in social relationships and are also observed to have different degrees of social affiliations as compared to men. Also, researchers noted that older women were more sensitive to life events, compared to older men. In the absence of adequate resources for social support in the older populations, previous studies outlined that older women were more likely to be distressed while their abilities to cope with challenges were also observed to be poorer than that of older adults. Further studies also indicated that women had larger social networks compared to their male counterparts. The large social networks translate into more social support. However, older women were also noted to experience more negative impacts than men. The gender differences in the need for social support are thus a critical factor that should be taken into account when planning and executing policies focusing on mental health. The study sought to investigate the relationships between social support and the incidences of late-life depression in men and women.

The data used in the study were obtained from Longitudinal Aging Amsterdam which included a 13-year follow-up data on the onset and progression of depression in the elderly. The subjects included in the study were aged between 55 and 80 years. A total of 2823 subjects were available for the study. Based on set exclusion and inclusion criteria, the number of subjects was eventually reduced to 1928 with the subsequent follow-ups leading to samples of 1858, 1530, 1253, and 910 subjects respectively. The data were assessed for gender differences and the association between the noted differences and social support. Subsequently, the researchers examined the relationship between the social support that was availed and the cases of depression reported in the population.

The study revealed that the absence of a partner in the house and a small social network contributed to more cases of depression among men. It was also noted that low emotional support contributed to more cases of depression among men. On the other hand, women recorded higher incidences of depression when there was a higher need for affiliation. In general, however, the depression rates were more in men compared to women largely due to the limited social networks and poor social support that they received. Therefore, the researchers concluded that low social support and a high need for affiliation contributed to the cases of depression experienced among the elderly. Therefore, policymakers should develop elaborate plans for social support of the elderly.

Bipolar disorder is one of the major mental health issues that is often reported among young adults. The article points out that patients with bipolar disorder often report childhood trauma which, according to the researchers, is a complex experience. The researchers further note that there is a limited understanding of the impacts of the complex experiences of childhood trauma on bipolar patients. The researchers also noted that sexual abuse was significantly higher in patients with bipolar disorders compared to the subjects with depressive disorders. Young persons with bipolar were also noted to have a higher likelihood of engaging in cyclic drug abuse.

The researchers also observed more cases of suicide attempts, cognitive impairment, and a lifetime functioning impairment as well as low adherence to treatment in individuals with bipolar disorders as compared to those without bipolar disorders. Since childhood trauma was likely to contribute to the development of bipolar disorder, the researchers noted the need to understand the specific impacts of trauma at an early age on the early stages of bipolar disorder. The study aimed to assess the association between childhood trauma and bipolar disorder and the associated clinical outcomes in young adults in community settings.

The researchers adopted a cross-sectional study design, focusing on a population of young adults aged between 23 and 30 years. The subjects were recruited from among individuals with bipolar disorder. Both subjects who reported and those that did not report childhood trauma were recruited for the study. The researchers assessed the childhood trauma experiences of young adults using the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ). In addition, the researchers assessed the global functioning using the functioning assessment short test (FAST). The six domains assessed by the FAST- included financial issues, autonomy, occupational functioning, interpersonal relationships, cognitive functioning, and leisure time. Lastly, the researchers assessed the severity of the maniac symptoms using the young mania rating scale (YMRS).

The results were statistically analyzed for correlation between variables The study helps to understand the impacts of childhood and parenting on clinical outcomes in later stages of development. In this case, it is notable that the clinical outcomes associated with bipolar disorder are significantly influenced by childhood trauma. This observation, therefore, points to the need to develop better interventions focusing on addressing mental health issues among children. It also outlines the critical need to eliminate environmental promoters of trauma among children. If elaborate measures are put in place, then the effective development of children will be realized. Consequently, depressive symptoms and mental health issues reported in adulthood will be less severe.

The Moon and Rao article identifies adolescence as a challenging and stressful stage of human development. It is characterized by rapid physical and biological changes as well as transitions in the social relations of minors. In particular, adolescence is associated with changes in the interactions between youngsters and their peers, parents, and other members of their families. The changes that occur in this stage of development are likely to result in mood disorders that are more pronounced in girls. While previous studies had analyzed the changes that occur in adolescents, there was limited focus on the associations between the relationships of adolescents with their schools and families in the context of ethnic and racial affiliations. The researchers also sought to test the power of the adolescent-family and adolescent-school relationships and how such links could explain patterns of depressive symptoms observed in the developmental stage.

A sample of 4783 adolescents was used in the study. The data used was obtained from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescents (Add Health) database. The choice of the database was informed by the fact that it was large and national, it contained longitudinal data of the adolescents, it provided the multiple contexts required for the study, and was the only database that focused on the social environments. A total of 2287 boys and 2496 girls were included with the mean age of the subjects being 16.01 years and a range of 11 to 21. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) was used to assess the depressive symptoms noted in the subjects. The results were then assessed for correlation in different social contexts.

The researchers established that the relationships between the youths and their schools and the youths and their families could reliably predict the likelihood of depression. Moreover, the researchers noted that the influences of youth-family and youth-school relationships on the clinical symptoms and outcomes varied relative to the social backgrounds of the adolescents. Therefore, the study pointed out the need to take into account the cultural contexts of each racial and ethnic group when predicting the risk of depression and when developing interventions to tackle the problem. The findings imply that certain interventions adopted within the school settings or the family settings cannot be universally adopted in other societies.

In summary, mental health is a major challenge in various age groups. It is not limited to adults and the elderly but is also prevalent among adolescents. There are many factors that are observed to contribute to the various types of mental health problems. For instance, limited social support, social affiliations, and gender are all observed to contribute to the challenge. Among youths, it is noted that cases of bipolar disorder and the clinical outcomes associated with the condition were linked to childhood trauma. Therefore, identification of the causes of mental health issues is key to preventing adverse clinical outcomes. For instance, addressing the causes and impacts of childhood trauma could help to reduce the severity of bipolar disorder hence minimizing the likelihood of suicide or suicide ideations.

Also, it is necessary to develop elaborate support systems that could help to identify the populations or individuals at risk of developing the disorders. This would make it possible to implement preventive measures that could prevent further escalation of mental health issues in the subjects. Due to the influence of sociocultural backgrounds on the susceptibility of individuals to depression, it is also important to factor in diversity when developing plans for intervention. Future studies should focus on the specific techniques that can be used to prevent childhood trauma and associated depression in different social contexts. In addition, there is a need to study the best measures to cultivate positivity in social networks developed by adolescents in schools or away from schools. This would help to prevent peer-influenced suicide ideations or other mental issues associated with peer pressure.

Introduction to bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is a psychological issue described as a swing between mania and depression. Emotional episodes are critical and the highs and lows are regularly outrageous. The new condition can last from a couple of days to half a month or even months. Emotional episodes are typically felt seriously by an individual with this condition.

A maniac episode is described by outrageous satisfaction, hyperactivity, absence of rest, and quickened considerations, which can prompt rapid speech. A depressive episode is noted by outrageous sadness, an absence of vitality or enthusiasm for things, a failure to appreciate typically agreeable exercises, and sentiments of vulnerability and sadness. Averagely, an individual with bipolar illness can have as long as three years of ordinary mindset between periods of lunacy or depression.

Bipolar disease is intermittent, which implies that over 90% of individuals with a solitary maniac episode will encounter future scenes. About 70% of manic phases of bipolar issues happen preceding or after a depressive phase. The treatment plans are needed urgently to diminish the impact of mania and depression related to the ailment and reestablish the state of mind parity of the individual.

Individuals with bipolar illness frequently portray their experience as a feature of passionate excitement. Cycling between irregular feelings can keep an individual from having a ‘usual’ life. The feelings, considerations, and practices of an individual with bipolar disease are frequently experienced as something outside the person’s ability to control. Companions, associates, and relatives can now and then mediate to ensure their interests and their well-being are catered for. This makes the condition depleting for the patient, as well as for the individuals who are in contact with the patient.

The bipolar cycle can be quick or moderate. Individuals who encounter quick cycling can go between lunacy and depression as regularly as a few times each week (some of the time even in a day). So many people with bipolar disease are of the moderate cycle: they encounter extensive periods of high and low episodes. Scientists still cannot ascertain why a few people swing quicker than others.

Living with bipolar disease can be challenging to keep up with a normal way of life. The mania stage can prompt family strife or budgetary issues, particularly when the individual with the bipolar ailment is by all accounts behaving unreliably for reasons unknown. Amid the maniac stage, individuals frequently turned out to be hasty and act forcefully. This can prompt highly dangerous conduct, for example, contemplating suicide, indulgent spending, and hazardous sexual conduct.

Amid extreme maniac or depressive scenes, a few people with the bipolar illness may involve in activities that surpass their capacity to adapt to everyday life and even reality. This inability to recognize reality from illusion offers leads to psychotic symptoms, for example, hearing voices, distrustfulness, hallucination, and false convictions about unusual abilities or personality. They may encounter agonizing times of incredible bitterness that substitute with euphoric positive thinking and/or outrage that is not ordinary of the individual amid times of prosperity. These sudden emotional episodes are so worrisome to an extent that those close to the patient may not know what to do to assist. Be that as it may, whenever left untreated, bipolar disease can truly influence pretty much every part of an individual’s life.

Knowing the primary stage of mania or depression and accepting early treatment are basic for controlling bipolar disorder. By and large, a depressive episode happens before a mania episode, and numerous patients are at first treated as though they were experiencing significant depression. Ordinarily, the major perceived period of bipolar disease is the mania stage. When a mania episode occurs, it progresses toward becoming clearer that the individual is experiencing a disease occasioned by alternating states of mind. Due to this issue of determination, a family history of illnesses or comparable episodes is especially imperative. Individuals who first seek treatment because of a depressive episode can keep on being treated as individuals with unipolar depression until a maniac scene evolves. Unexpectedly, treating bipolar patients with antidepressants can trigger a maniac scene in a few patients.

Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disease, otherwise called manic depression, is a psychological maladjustment that brings serious high and low dispositions and changes in sleep, vitality, thinking, and conduct.

Individuals who have bipolar disorder can have times in which they feel excessively glad and invigorated and at different times feel tragic, miserable, and slow. In the middle of those periods, they more often than not feel ordinary. You can think about the highs and the lows as two ‘poles’ of mindset, which is the reason it is named ‘bipolar’ disease.

‘Maniac’ portrays a situation when somebody with bipolar disease feels excessively energized and happy. This condition can likewise include irritability and imprudent or careless basic leadership. Some individuals during the maniac phase can have dreams (trusting things that are not valid and that they can not be talked about) or hallucinate (seeing or hearing things that are not there).

‘Hypomania’ depicts milder indications of mania, in which somebody does not have the illusion, and their high side does not meddle with their regular day-to-day existence.

‘Depressive’ portrays the occasions when an individual feels exceptionally pitiful or discouraged. Those effects are equivalent to those portrayed in significant depressive illness or ‘clinical depression,’ a condition in which somebody never has mania or hypomanic episode.

A great number of people with bipolar disorder invest more energy in depressive symptoms than mania or hypomanic signs.

Types of Bipolar

There are two notable types of Bipolar Disorder, namely:

Bipolar I Disorder

The fundamental element of Bipolar I disorder is that the individual encounters a total mania episode (however the mania scene may have been occurring before and might be trailed by hypomanic or major depressive episodes).

A maniac episode is an unmistakable period amid which there is an anomalous, diligently raised, broad, or peevish inclination and relentlessly expanded action or vitality that is available for the vast majority of the day, almost consistently, for about one week (or any period of hospitalization is vital), coupled with some additional signs of mania

The episode of mania and real depressive scenes is not better clarified by schizoaffective problems, schizophrenia, schizophreniform disease, delusional disorder, or other indicated or unspecified schizophrenia or psychotic issues.

Bipolar II Disorder

Bipolar II requires the occurrence (or history) of at least one noteworthy depressive phase and somewhere around one hypomanic episode. Also, there has never been a full maniac episode. A hypomanic scene goes on for no less than four or more days and offers indistinguishable symptoms from a full maniac episode.

In both bipolar I and II illness, an individual can have a mood episode(i.e., principally hyper or discouraged) with blended highlights, wherein in a mania/hypomanic episode there are noteworthy depressive symptoms, and in a depressive scene, there are some mania/hypomanic signs.

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder

The characterizing signs of bipolar disease (otherwise called ‘mania depression’) is the nearness of serious emotional episodes — scenes between feeling extraordinary highs to feeling incredible lows, including depression. At the point of highs, an individual with bipolar disorder may feel like they are ‘on top and in charge,’ ready to achieve anything they set their mind to, with the longing to complete as many as a dozen things at the same time (completing none of them). Now and again this high shows up as more noteworthy irritability in the individual, as opposed to an elevated temperament.

In its onset periods, the symptoms of the bipolar issue may show the appearance of an issue other than psychological instability. For instance, it might initially show up as liquor or medication misuse, or poor execution at school or work. Bipolar signs do not occur and subdue rapidly — they significantly and fundamentally hinder the individual’s life. This condition is possibly misdiagnosed as depression, in light of the fact that the individual encounters hypomanic, as opposed to mania. (Hypomania can be confused with ordinary, objective coordinated movement if not cautiously surveyed by a psychological expert.)

During a mania or hypomania stage, bipolar signs include:

• a heightened feeling of self-importance
• exaggerated viewpoint
• significantly diminished the urge to sleep
• poor appetite and weight reduction
• speedy speech, racing thoughts, and lack of caution
• increased action level
• excessive concentration in pleasurable exercises
• irrational financial decision
• excessive and forceful conduct
• At a depressed stage, bipolar symptoms include:
• feelings of sadness or misery
• loss of enthusiasm for a pleasurable or regular task
• difficulty sleeping; early-morning wake-up
• loss of vitality and consistent dormancy
• sense of guilt or low confidence
• difficulty concentrating
• negative considerations about the future occurrence
• excessive weight loss
• contemplating suicide

Causes of Bipolar Disorder

What is responsible for bipolar disease is not totally known. Hereditary, neurochemical, and natural factors most likely interfere at certain levels during the onset of bipolar illness. The notable belief is that the illness is a prevalently neurobiological issue that happens in a particular part of the cerebrum and is because of a glitch of certain mind synthetic compounds (that happen both in the cerebrum and the body). Three explicit mind synthetic substances have been involved — serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline. As a neurobiological disease, it might be torpid and actuate unexpectedly or it might be activated by stressors in daily life.

Albeit nobody is very certain about the definite reasons for bipolar disease, scientists have discovered these critical pieces of information:

Hereditary Factors in Bipolar Disorder

Since it appears bipolar illness can keep running in families, there seems, to be probably that some sort of hereditary components are at play. A large portion of the general population with bipolar issues has a connection with a mood swing, for example, depression.

In the event that one parent has a bipolar issue, there is a 10 to 15 percent prominent possibility of their kid having this condition. The hazard in a child pops to between 30 to 40 percent if the two parents have bipolar disease.

Research carried out on indistinguishable twins demonstrates that perchance one twin has the bipolar disease, the risk that the other could also have it is as higher as between 40 to 70 percent. It appears bipolar illness can keep running in families, there seems, to be probably some sort of hereditary component at play. A large portion of the general population with bipolar issues has a connection with a mood swing, for example, depression.

In the event that one parent has a bipolar issue, there is a 10 to 15 percent prominent possibility of their kid having this condition. The hazard in a child pops to between 30 to 40 percent if the two parents have bipolar disease.

Research carried out on indistinguishable twins demonstrates that perchance one twin has the bipolar disease, the risk that the other could also have it is as higher as between 40 to 70 percent.

Neurochemical Factors in Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar illness is fundamentally a natural issue that happens in a particular condition of the mind and is because of the breakdown of specific neurotransmitters or synthetic messengers in the cerebrum. These synthetic compounds may include neurotransmitters like norepinephrine, serotonin, and presumably numerous others. As a natural issue, it might lie torpid and be actual without anyone else, or it might be activated by outside components, for example, mental pressure and social conditions.

Natural Factors in Bipolar Disorder

A life occasion may trigger a state of mind to sway in an individual with a hereditary disposition for bipolar illness. Even without clear hereditary elements, changes in lifestyle propensities, liquor or medication misuse, or hormonal issues can trigger an episode. Among those in danger of the sickness, bipolar ailment is showing up at basic early ages. This obvious increment in prior events might be expected to improper diagnosis of the illness earlier.

Although substance misuse is not viewed as a reason for bipolar disease, it can intensify the sickness by meddling with recuperation. usage of liquor, medications, or sedatives may instigate a progressively extreme depressive phase.

What is Medication-Triggered Mania?

Drugs, for example, antidepressants can trigger a mania seen in individuals who are vulnerable to bipolar illness. In this manner, a burdensome scene must be dealt with cautiously in those individuals who have had mania episodes. Since a depressive scene can transform into a mania scene when inadequate medicine is taken, an anti-maniac drug is likewise prescribed to keep a mania episode.

Many certain drugs can create a ‘high’ that looks like mania. Craving suppressants, for instance, may trigger expanded vitality, diminished urge for sleep, and expanded talkativeness. Subsequent to halting the prescription, in any case, the individual reverts back to his typical disposition.

Substances that can cause a mania-like scene include:

• Illicit medications, for example, cocaine.
• Excessive portions of some over-the-counter medications, including appetite depressants and cold arrangements.
• Nonpsychiatric drugs, for example, prescription for thyroid issues and corticosteroids like prednisone.
• The higher dose of caffeine (moderate measures of caffeine are fine).

Peradventure that an individual is susceptible to bipolar illness, stress, persistent consumption of stimulants or liquor, and absence of sleep may incite early onset of the disease. Certain drugs may set off a depression or mania scene. In the event that you have a family experience of bipolar issue, tell your doctor in order to help assess the danger of a medicine that may cause a mania episode

Diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder

The fundamental technique used to analyze bipolar is an intensive clinical interaction with a therapist, analyst, or other emotional well-being experts. Despite the fact that there are composed techniques for recording the seriousness and number of symptoms, those tests just supplement a total interaction. They are not substitute for an eye-to-eye assessment by an expert. Like every mental issue, there are no blood tests or other organic tests that can be utilized to analyze bipolar disease.

An early bipolar sign might be hypomania — a passionate state in which the individual demonstrates an abnormal state of vitality, exorbitant moodiness, and rash or irrational conduct for up to four days repeatedly. The signs related to hypomania will in general feel better, thus ordinarily the individual looks to hide the symptoms from other people. Notwithstanding when family and companions figure out how to perceive the emotional episodes, the individual may deny — or may not by any means acknowledge — that something is not right.

One of the standard differential determinants for this condition is that the bipolar symptoms are worse represented by schizoaffective disease and are not superimposed on schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, or another psychotic issue.

Also, similarly as with all psychological issues analyze, the signs of mania depression may show clinically noteworthy confusion or impediment in social, lifestyle, or other daily activities. Bipolar disease additionally cannot be the consequence of substance misuse (e.g., liquor, medications, drugs) or brought about by a general therapeutic condition.

CBD Oil for Bipolar Disorder

While there are as of now few investigations on the utilization of CBD for bipolar disease, CBD seems to produce an indistinguishable kind of reaction in the body among huge numbers of the drugs used to treat the condition. The neuroprotective and antioxidative advantages of CBD may likewise ease the symptoms of bipolar and elevate the levels of a cerebrum-induced neurotrophic factor.

It is not hard to hear individuals living with bipolar illness giving testimony crediting CBD for easing their condition or diminishing the reactions of their present mood. While observations are noted, their testimonies seem to have scientific logical proof.

Government-backed research assessed neurologically surveyed 133 patients undergoing bipolar illness. The guinea pigs took 100 mg of CBD every day for half a month. Each of the 133 members shows reliable vitality levels for the duration of the day and stable temperament levels. Toward the end of the examination, their neurological tests were assessed. Each of the members demonstrated momentous enhancement in consideration, verbal familiarity, official working, and memory improvement.

A study exploring the depressive characteristics of CBD presumed that CBD decreased the symptoms of depression by affecting cortical serotonin, glutamate levels, and 5-HT1A receptors. CBD additionally seems to diminish signs of psychosis and standardizes the capacities influencing mental patients. This has to do with the association of CBD with serotonin receptors.

In vitro investigations demonstrate that CBD gives neuroprotection, including oxidative pressure and free extreme harm, notable variables are seen being added to the advancement of bipolar. CBD additionally seems to trigger an activity like lithium, a disposition stabilizer used to battle the disease. The outcomes show that underlying mania scenes might be activated by expanded oxidative pressure and the presence of cancer prevention agent barriers hypothetically identified with dysfunction vitality, metabolism, and neuroplasticity.

Research additionally reveals that CBD seems to act correspondingly to typical antipsychotic drugs without possibly long-term reactions, by giving anticonvulsants and low-risk drugs and also prescriptions used to treat manic episodes. CBD has likewise appeared to have a benefit as a generally safe energizer that is probably not going to meddle with psychiatric recommended drugs.

Bipolar disorder

Nature, or disposition and genetics, have been demonstrated to be a major factor in the development of some mental health disorders such as bipolar disorder. An individual is four to six times more likely to develop bipolar disorder if there is a family history of this illness. In recent years, biological factors have attracted more attention, with many headlines on newly discovered genes for every behavior. Therefore, nature affects behavior.

However, although the importance of genetic factors cannot be denied the development of bipolar disorder is not entirely genetic. For example, if an identical twin develops bipolar disorder, research shows the other twin only has a 50% chance of also developing this illness despite the fact that both share their genes. This exhibits that while nature plays an important role, it is not the only contributing factor.

Key point: While nature or genetics, has proven to be an important factor in the development of bipolar disorder, the development of this condition is not entirely genetic. (Moore, 2003)

Biological Factors

The symptoms of an individual with bipolar disorder include the following.

• People with bipolar disorder generally have problems with their moods, experiencing extreme highs and lows known as mania or hypomania, respectively.
• An individual with bipolar disorder may also develop problems with perception and thinking such as psychosis.
• They think of things that are not true otherwise known as delusions and hear or see things that are not physically present (hallucinations).

Getting help

Medication is a key part of staying well for many people with bipolar disorder

There is a vast number of medications that are effective for treating bipolar disorder. Some work by preventing the extreme high or lows caused by this illness, otherwise known as mood stabilizers which mostly needs to be taken daily for a long period of time.

Finding the most suitable medication for an individual with bipolar disorder may take time because different medications suit different people.

In addition, psychological treatments such as talking therapies, which help you deal with depression and provide advice on how to improve relationships have proven to be effective.

Lastly, lifestyle advice such as regular exercises, planning activities you enjoy giving you a sense of achievement, and advice on improving your diet and getting more sleep.

Treatment

The likelihood that a person develops bipolar disorder partly depends on the environment (Nurture). When a genetic variant exhibits the possibility of developing bipolar disorder, this information can be implemented in directing positive behavior such that the condition may develop with less severity or not develop at all.

A neuroscientist, James Fallon, who found out he had bipolar disorder, stated that he believes growing up in a nurturing environment helped him in becoming a well-mannered adult, and this may have been effective at preventing him from fully developing the symptoms of bipolar disorder.

According to researchers at the University of Liverpool, while a family history of bipolar disorder was the second strongest predictor of mental illness, the strongest predictor was life events and experiences, such as childhood trauma. Therefore, this supports the notion that nurture also plays a significant role in the development of bipolar disorder. (Moore, 2003)

The memoir written by Dr. Kay Jamison, An Unquiet Mind, provides an in-depth look at an individual’s personal experiences with bipolar disorder; something that I learned extensively about in the past 15 weeks in Dr. Robert’s PSY 423 class. The theoretical perspectives that we learned about in class are consistently touched upon in the entirety of Jamison’s memoir. Beck’s Cognitive Model of Depression, the Behavioral Activation System Dysregulation Model, the Integrative Model of Approach and Avoidance in Depression, and general interpersonal function are just a few that come to mind when speaking in terms of Jamison’s personal experiences. While not all are consistent with what we learned in class, it is still necessary to touch upon them in the sense that it shows how bipolar disorder develops over her life and how the implications can be further developed based on her experiences.

Reading through the memoir, it was shown that Jamison had lived in an environment that posed no immediate dangers to the state of her mental health. From the very beginning, she expresses an extensive amount of love and cares for her family and admiration for her siblings, specifically her older brother. She states that her relationship with her sister was “more complicated,” but she still poses that she cares for her and her father as well, when he was around. Right off the bat, I could see the complicated relationship with her sister and father as a vantage point for the decline in mental health, but overall, I can also see it not being the main cause for it. Another inference I had before diving deeper into the memoir was that Jamison states that her family was consistently moving, as her family was a military family. She states that, ‘…by the fifth grade my older brother, sister, and I had attended four different elementary schools, and we had lived in Florida, Puerto Rico, California, Tokyo, and Washing, twice,” (Jamison, 1996, p. 13). The stressor of constantly changing environments could also be another probable cause of the onset of Jamison’s bipolar disorder. While this is not the main topic of this paper, I felt as if I should provide my insights on what I believe may have led to Jamison’s decline in mental health. Aside from that, later on in life, Jamison would overcome the disorder with the combination of support from loved ones, medicine, and therapy, leaving almost a motivational story for those also struggling with the disorder.

Back to the main focus of this paper; starting with consistencies; I found the Behavioral Activation System Dysregulation Model to be consistent with Jamison’s experience with bipolar disorder and it allows us to understand the overall course of her mental health further. The Behavioral Activation System Dysregulation Model or BAS, is responsible for different aspects of approach behavior, as well as other behaviors such as hope and relief. According to the BAS dysregulation model, BAS activation in bipolar disorder is primarily associated with hypo(manic) symptoms including, but not limited to, incentive-reward motivation, inflated self-esteem, incentive-reward motivation, and increased goal-directed behavior and energy. Excessive BAS activation seems to be the cause of (hypo)manic symptoms (PSY 423 Lecture). Jamison, dealing with bipolar disorder, was a victim of experiencing manic episodes, which are typically reflective of the symptoms that I had just mentioned. Even though it is not explicitly stated in the memoir, this shows a consistency in the implications of BAS activation with Jamison’s personal experiences. She described her episodes in the exact same way as I described the symptoms associated with bipolar disorder. She experienced feelings of great pleasure, unrealistic creativity, and high amounts of energy which allowed her to be more productive than she normally would. I want to focus on the specifics of her goal-directed behavior, which is a key component of BAS activation. Being a doctor, she had a high interest in medical school early on in her school days. This led her to study and research many aspects of the medical field in her free time, such as observing surgeries, visiting hospitals, and asking medical-related questions to people who had extensive knowledge on the topic. While this ambition is relevant in BAS activation, those with bipolar disorder tend to experience grandiosity, to an extreme level. She found herself, “bubbling with plans and enthusiasms…making expansive, completely unrealistic plans,” (Jamison, 1996, p. 36), in addition to “racing about like a crazed weasel (Jamison, 1996, p. 36). It was almost like she had to get all of the ideas out as soon as they popped into her head. This is very common in those experiencing manic episodes, as the ideas and thoughts flow into their minds so quickly, that it seems as if they all need to be expressed for them to be relevant.

In contrast to the BAS, another theoretical perspective that encapsulates Jamison’s experiences is BIS, or the Behavioral Inhibition system. BIS has the ability to not only activate and deactivate itself, but it is able to suppress/activate the aforementioned BAS. The deactivation of the BAS is known to lead to depression. The DSM-5 associates depression with symptoms such as hopelessness, lowered energy levels, anhedonia, and less frequent approach behaviors. This makes sense, as the BAS is responsible for approach behavior, so the “shutting off” of it would lead to a decrease in those behaviors, as I mentioned earlier. The dark side of Jamison’s episodes came with the deactivation of the BAS. After her periods of energy and high stimulation of thought, she found herself feeling a completely opposite way. The manic episodes put her in a state where she felt “on top of the world,” but once these ended, she found herself lost and depleted of energy and all motivation. This is common with those with depression, as when the BAS state is lower in an individual, there is less reward sensitivity and responsiveness. Ultimately, this shows a feeling of indifference to overall rewards, thus reflecting a feeling of hopelessness even further. It also explains when she was super productive; as she was in a much higher BAS state, which normally results in less negative effects and more approach-based goals.

The second major perspective I will be touching upon in relation to Jamison’s experiences is Trew’s Integrative Model of Approach and Avoidance in Depression. This model emphasizes that both approach deficits and avoidance prevents the experience of positive things and also prevent reinforcement for non-depressed behaviors, thus, correlating with what I had spoken about before. These behaviors reflect a low BAS and a high BIS, resulting in more avoidance behaviors, as stated prior. While dealing with her depressed states, Jamison often kept to herself and would spend a lot of her time alone, studying or ruminating on her own negative thoughts. While at the time this may seem like a good idea to a depressed individual, the truth is that this is only a short-term solution. Avoidance is proven to be a highly ineffective coping mechanism for those with depression. As a matter of fact, it tends to make things worse, with one of the leading negative factors being rumination or dwelling on one’s own negative thoughts.

Together, the BAS dysregulation model and the Integrative Model of Approach and Avoidance provide excellent reflections on Jamison’s experience with bipolar disorder. The first part is; BAS activation tends to predict manic episodes, while BAS deactivation tends to predict depressive episodes. These were both evident in Jamison’s case, as during events where the BAS would be activated, she was in great spirits, excelled in many aspects of school and work, and on a less proper side of things, she would spend money as if it meant nothing to her. On the opposite end, she saw the downward spiral events; things like her divorce, financial burdens, and loss of friends.

For the final perspective, I will be talking about Beck’s Cognitive Model of Depression. This model states that extreme events activate dysfunctional beliefs which causes the development of negative automatic thoughts. The primary event, which was previously mentioned, was the number of times that Jamison had to move when she was younger. Specifically, after her family moved from Washington to California; it was a shock to her system. She was not ready for the move, especially at the age she was at. Moving to a new school is nerve-wracking and for her to adjust to a whole new lifestyle just adds stress to the situation. On top of all of that, the students at her new school had a different social dynamic than her previous one. The students at the school in California were much smarter, richer, and more competitive than the ones back in Washington. These stigmas surrounding her only accentuated the negative automatic thoughts that were already starting in her head. She started to believe that she was dumber than everyone else and that she wouldn’t be able to compete with them academically. With people who are prone to negative automatic thoughts, more often than not they have an underlying core belief of feeling subpar or lesser than everyone else. Her automatic thoughts were never negative back in Washington because she never had the feeling of being less than everyone else. This model can also be associated with environmental stimuli, as environmental stimuli often play a role in triggering dysfunctional beliefs in one’s self. Jamison was subconsciously coming up with strategies and techniques to deal with her beliefs, which had existed before, but she just never realized them. These strategies kept her negative automatic thoughts under wraps, which is why she had never had to deal with the realization of her negative underlying beliefs before her move to California. These reoccurring thoughts kept going through most of her life, which ultimately caused her to struggle academically, as avoidant behaviors started to become more frequent as she started to think less and less of herself.

Beck also has a cognitive triad, which states that depressed individuals tend to focus on the negatives in themselves, the world, and the future. To be more specific, they see themselves as unlovable, see the world as uncontrollable, and see their futures as hopeless and out of their power. Focus on Jamison specifically, she at one point felt hopelessness in her ability to save the dying world, which made her feel even more helpless than she did before. Also, she thought that if doctors and pharmacological solutions could not fix her condition, she would end up killing herself. On top of all of this, she believed that without medication, she would not be able to view the world in a positive light, which supports the triad that Beck speaks about.

Jamison’s experiences with bipolar disorder are essentially consistent with both the BAS dysregulation model and the Integrative Model of Approach and Avoidance. Her manic episodes, where she was positive, knowledgeable, and productive, support the model of the BAS and BIS in that they are opposite processes. The activation of one leads to the deactivation of another, which leads to an increase in approach behaviors or an increase in avoidance behaviors, with the other being an inverse of the first. The episodes were also predicted by environmental stimuli and BAS-related events, which also encompasses the main idea behind Beck’s Cognitive Depression. Jamison’s negative thoughts, automatic thoughts, and core beliefs also relate back to Beck’s model. Even when she would experience something positive, her negative automatic thoughts would ultimately warp her perspective, leading her to avoid all possible positive outcomes, thus, leading her further down the downward spiral that she had already been heading down since she had moved to California. Overall, this memoir was very interesting to read and it gave me further insight into the experiences and thoughts that an individual with a mental disorder has to go through on a daily basis. Even though Jamison ultimately fought her way through the disorder, not every individual has the joy of getting through something like this. Bipolar disorder is something that even when it is treated, the results of treatment aren’t always permanent. Treatment, in my mind, is unique to each individual. While one treatment may work for the majority of other people, you never know which person the treatment will have no effect on or even a negative effect on. I hope that this memoir can give those with bipolar disorder and depression some sort of motivation that they can get through a disorder like Jamison had and that they are not alone in the battle.