Bipolar Disorder Research Paper

The most classic form of the Bipolar Disorder is called Bipolar I. It traditionally begins with a mania, followed closely by a depression that may seem to be payback for the intensely energetic period that just passed. It is not an uncommon disease. Studies have concluded full-blown manic-depression probably occurs in one percent of our population, though many cases go undiagnosed. The milder forms often go undiagnosed, but probably occur in three to four percent of people (Duke and Hochman).

The behavior labeled "Mania" is created by a change in perspective. The manic feels grandiose, able to conquer the world, flush with new and intriguing ideas and inexhaustible. To others the manic appears more talkative than usual, and their thought process
may be hard to follow, as their thoughts get ahead of their speech. The manic may be easily distracted or attempt to do numerous things at once. The counterweight to mania is depression. A depressed person feels apathy, lethargy and hopelessness, occasionally to the point of being moved to suicide. Pervading feelings of fatigue, worthlessness or guilt, inability to concentrate and thoughts of death are found in the depressed. Others may notice withdrawal and disinterest in formerly enjoyed activities, marked weight loss or gain, insomnia or hypersomnia. (Torrey and Knable)

Further complicating Bipolar Disorder are Mixed States in which a person experiences both Depressive and Manic symptoms at once. One may experience extreme irritability when a foul mood combines with excited thinking. Feelings of elation may combine with a destructive rage and end in despairing anxiety. All in all, someone experiencing a Mixed Episode may feel turbulent, conflicting emotions coinciding at once. (Duke and Hochman)

In the extreme, Mixed States can lead to various manifestations of psychosis.
Hallucinations often bring a person into the hospital, which can lead to misdiagnosis. Most psychiatrists agree that if someone is introduced to them during a psychotic episode, it is important to diagnose Bipolar over Schizophrenia. While there are many options for the treatment of manic-depressives, schizophrenia is a degenerative disease and can be treated only to a certain extent. Psychosis, in manic-depressives, disorganizes thought processes, and may reach a level where alien voices are simulated intruding in the brain. Others generally notice psychotic symptoms as being rapid and incoherent speech. The distinction between Schizophrenic and Bipolar psychosis is in train of thought. While schizophrenic rambling is completely random, a logical progression can be distinguished if one listens closely to a psychotic manic-depressive. (Duke and Hochman)

Consideration of this description places Joan of Arc in the category of Bipolar, chronically suffering Mixed Episodes. Her story has been told many times. The first time it was told, the reality had yet to unfold. Begun as a prophecy, the story shows Joan 's psychosis as a form of religiosity. The film "The Messenger" sticks to this idea, but also portraits Joan 's condition in form with the criteria for Bipolar I disorder with psychotic symptoms. "The Messenger" tells the story of a charismatic girl with delusions of grandiosity and
hallucinations.

The story of Joan of Arc takes place in war torn, 16th century France. It was religious period, and a time of desperation, leading to belief in superstition and prophesy. The war was between England and France, both fighting for the French throne, but, in keeping with the manner of warfare of the times, it was also about pillaging, raping and looting. The peasants of France were horribly treated by passing soldiers, and were desperate for salvation. Thus enters Joan: 'a young virgin who will bring earthly salvation--deliverance from the English. ' It is because of this culturally viable atmosphere that Joan is not dismissed as simply crazy. The DSM-IV specifies that cultures accept visual or auditory hallucinations with a religious content as normal(Frances, 1994). However, Joan 's symptoms were far from "normal" and caused her a great deal of personal distress, which is a criterion for mental disorder (Weiten, 2001).

"The Messenger" takes the time to develop Joan 's character early on, and makes plain the voice in her head was making her do things, this is named "delusions of control" by DSM-IV (Frances, 1994, p. 299). The voices eventually came to control her entirely. Joan 's demands that she lead France to war were always directed by commands from "God", and she would even grow anxious when she had not heard a voice for several days, since she was without direction.

Joan 's ascent to psychosis began when she developed a religious obsession as a small girl. She wants very much to be close to God, and finds herself in confession constantly. Her psychosis may have been influenced by her religious infatuation and for that reason manifested itself as interaction with God. At this point "The Messenger" shows a scene in which Joan experiences visual and auditory hallucinations. These occurrences are commonly known as having happened to Joan, and often incite the misdiagnosis of Schizophrenia. However, a major distinction can be made between those suffering from Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder. Schizophrenics are generally impaired socially and are judged to be "slipping away" during psychotic episodes (Frances, 1994). Joan was extremely charismatic and able to convince an entire army to follow her command, despite terrible strategic techniques. A person capable of such a feet is highly likely to be Manic.

The condition intensifies after Joan watches her sister 's murder from the hiding place she gave up to Joan. It is known high stress negatively affects mood disorders. Mood disorders are also marked by guilt in Western societies (Weiten, 2001). Joan 's already psychotic relationship with religion interprets her guilt and anger into the notion God has chosen her to deliver the French from their enemies, the English.

Joan came to this conclusion due to her impaired thought process, which is characteristic of someone suffering from a Bipolar I Mixed State (Frances, 1994). She was portrayed as agitated and exhibited psychotic features including visual and auditory hallucinations.

"The Messenger" offered insight into Joan 's tactical planning, which was ridiculously naïve. She won only one victory, at Orleans, by mindlessly attacking full on. Joan demanded that the soldiers attack at once upon arrival, according to the movie, and with no strategy. This type of behavior is characteristic of Mania, during which one generally has inflated self-esteem, believing anything possible and many be extremely focused on a singular goal (Frances, 1994). The later criterion was specifically noticeable when after Joan was badly wounded she rose the next day, and began to scream at the soldiers to wake up and continue until victory.

Final scenes of the movie show Joan 's infamous burning at the cross. Joan 's haphazard style of military command had had little success in battle since her victory in Orleans, leading the dauphin to forsake her. At this point she lapsed into complete psychosis, alternately hearing God 's voice encouraging her and chastising her, as is characteristic of psychosis (Frances, 1994).

Joan of Arc was finally burned for committing the sin of dressing as a man, thus state official exempted themselves from the religious ramifications of burning a saint. The Church was finally forced to carry out England 's dirty work, and an innocent, but powerfully dangerous, young girl was burned. Joan 's power and dangerous qualities were undoubtedly due to her mental disorder. If she had not been Bipolar I suffering from chronic Mixed Episodes (the movie did indicate some times of remission), psychosis would never have prompted her to claim she was God 's messenger. Without the charismatic influence Mania can assert over others the people of France would not have been so inspired and motivated to rally after nearly 100 years of on-going war.

References

Duke, Patty, and Gloria Hochman. (1992). A brilliant madness: living with manic-depressive illness. New York: Bantam Books.

Frances, A. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

Torrey, E. Fuller, and Michael B. Knable. (2002). Surviving manic-depression. New York, NY: Perseus Publishing Services.

Weiten, W. (2001). Psychology: themes and variations. Stanford, CT: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.