Hca/240 Week 8
Bipolar Disorder
Jessica Hall
HCA/240
Bipolar Disorder Bipolar disorders which could also be called manic-depressive disorder consist of mood swings that range from a person expressing a low of depression up to the high of mania. People who experience depression may feel sad or worthless and may even lose interest or enjoyment in most recreational activities they previously found to be enjoying. When a person’s mood swings shifts frequently such as appearing happy to appearing sad in a blink of an eye it could be a sign of them having a bipolar disorder. “Bipolar disorders affect approximately 5.7 million American adults, or about 2.6 percent of the United States population age 18 and older in a year”, (Lenzenweger &, etc., 2007). The moderate age for detecting bipolar disorders is 25, (Lane &, etc., 2007). Bipolar disorders have many of common misconceptions and myths. A common myth is if someone has bipolar disorder, all their moods are a product of the condition. The truth of this myth would be that people with bipolar disorder have moods and feelings just like anybody else, and not always is their moods connected to the illness. Often family members of the people who suffer from the illness think that once a person is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, the condition cannot be stabilized, so any misspoken word or misunderstood action is blamed on the bipolar disorder. Just because a person is diagnosed with bipolar disorder does not mean that they cannot just have a bad day without the illness being to blame. In the beginning of mental illnesses it may have been expected from most people that the early history of bipolar and mental disorders were not petty, but more of an ignorance, misunderstanding, and fear. “There were many famous people who displayed classic symptoms of bipolar disorder, even though they were never diagnosed or treated. These historical sufferers of bipolar disorder include people such as Virginia Woolf, Theodore
Jessica Hall
HCA/240
Bipolar Disorder Bipolar disorders which could also be called manic-depressive disorder consist of mood swings that range from a person expressing a low of depression up to the high of mania. People who experience depression may feel sad or worthless and may even lose interest or enjoyment in most recreational activities they previously found to be enjoying. When a person’s mood swings shifts frequently such as appearing happy to appearing sad in a blink of an eye it could be a sign of them having a bipolar disorder. “Bipolar disorders affect approximately 5.7 million American adults, or about 2.6 percent of the United States population age 18 and older in a year”, (Lenzenweger &, etc., 2007). The moderate age for detecting bipolar disorders is 25, (Lane &, etc., 2007). Bipolar disorders have many of common misconceptions and myths. A common myth is if someone has bipolar disorder, all their moods are a product of the condition. The truth of this myth would be that people with bipolar disorder have moods and feelings just like anybody else, and not always is their moods connected to the illness. Often family members of the people who suffer from the illness think that once a person is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, the condition cannot be stabilized, so any misspoken word or misunderstood action is blamed on the bipolar disorder. Just because a person is diagnosed with bipolar disorder does not mean that they cannot just have a bad day without the illness being to blame. In the beginning of mental illnesses it may have been expected from most people that the early history of bipolar and mental disorders were not petty, but more of an ignorance, misunderstanding, and fear. “There were many famous people who displayed classic symptoms of bipolar disorder, even though they were never diagnosed or treated. These historical sufferers of bipolar disorder include people such as Virginia Woolf, Theodore
References: Bipolar disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder/ Retrieved on February 20, 2013. Hall-Flavin DK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 8, 2011. Hirschfeld RM. Psychiatric Management, from "Guideline Watch: Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Bipolar Disorder, 2nd Edition". http://www.psychiatryonline.com/ Retrieved on February 20, 2013. Lenzenwenger, M.F., Lane, M.C., Loranger, A.W., Kessler, R.C. (2007). DSM-IV personality disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Biological Psychiatry, 62(6), 553-564. Young A. Bipolar Disorder - the Four Dimensions of Care. 7th International Review of Bipolar Disorders. Abstract book p.23 Zelman, M., Tompary, E., Raymond, J., Holdaway, P., & Mulvihill, M. (2010). Human diseases: A systemic approach (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.