Bipolar Case Study Summary

1. Ellen would be Diagnosed with the Bipolar subtype, Bipolar ll. Bipolar II is characterized by major depressive episodes alternating with hypomanic episodes. This is due to Ellen describing having severe depression as well as panic attacks. Ellen experiences months of being in a major depressed state and has described herself as being unhappy through most of her life, with no long periods of feeling good. She also described having many episodes of abnormally elevated moods that have also lasted for several months. During these moods she would sleep very little and have racing thoughts. These moods are described as hypomanic episodes. Another identifying attribute is that patients with Bipolar experience ongoing impairments in social, occupational, and familial functioning. This is apparent in Ellen who struggled in relationships, did not finish her necessary tasks to receive her PhD, and has struggled to keep a job longer than a year or two.
2. In order to asses Ellen it would be beneficial to use instruments like the SCID and KSADS
When treating Bipolar it should involve both pharmacological and psychosocial interventions. The pharmacological treatments are valid to help stabilize and existing manic or depressive episode. Psychotherapy would then occur after the stabilizing medication has taken effect. The goal of the adjunctive psychotherapy is to minimize residual symptoms and prevent them from reoccurring. The psychotherapy will also aide to ensure that she continues to take her medication, being that patients with Bipolar are prone to discontinuing their medications, which leaves them at a high risk of reoccurrence as well as suicide attempt. It is important that she receives different varieties of psychotherapy, in that it will help her regulate her emotions, monitor her mood and sleep, identify the possibility of reoccurrence, track medication, increase access to social and treatment supports, and encourage acceptance of the