MAIN POST

Please share here the thoughts or feelings you are having about the assigned readings and videos. You are being presented with a variety of lenses through which to view the experience of bi-polar and the depressive disorders. Please link literature to practice as you offer examples, thoughts, quotes and citations.

STEVENS RESPOND

Bipolar Disorder is characterized by swings in feelings and behavior, the high highs and the low lows. Individuals with Bipolar will shift between manic episodes of high activity and then depressive episodes, and these swings can often be distinguished by days or weeks between swings. There deserves to be the distinction between Bipolar I & II; depressive episodes are more common with Bipolar I (but are not required for diagnosis).

With 25-50% of people with Bipolar attempting suicide, its a disease that deserves a great sense of care during diagnosis and treatment (Klein, 2014). With the negative impacts of medication so widely known and documented, its often the case where one might ask if modern psychiatry isnt doing more harm than good with medical treatments (Frances, 2013; Up/Down). In order to remedy the misdiagnosis of Bipolar the DSM has recently made changes to try and distinguish Bipolar from depression or schizophrenia (Craighead, 2014). With Bipolar I Disorder does not necessitate the depressive disorders that Bipolar II Disorder does, it is clear why one might be misdiagnosed with MDD or Borderline Personality Disorder (Craighead, 2014).

Both Laura Bain and Klein (2014) discuss the feeling of lacking control, being on a wave, being swept into the mood swings that are characteristic of Bipolar Disorder (TEDxTerryTalks; Klein, 2014). A close family member of mine similarly describes the feeling of helplessness in his swings. I employed my cousin for a number of years, and it was always clear upon his walking onto the job site how where he was in his experiences. It was not uncommon for him to work an 8 hour shift during his depressive episodes and not say a single word. It was utter darkness for him, and all I could do was let him know it was ok.

Over the years there has been advancements in both the diagnosis and treatment of Bipolar disorder, and this brings some optimism for people that are diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. For one, Bipolar is one of the most heritable psychological disorders (Craighead, 2014), so acknowledging a biological correlate is important. With new understandings some individuals are experiencing improvements in their quality of life, and while they might still experience swings, they are often reported as being less severe without being necessarily cured (Up/Down). There is also reports of the side-effects being worse than being non-medicated sufferer of Bipolar (Up/Down). In the end, it should be respected that everyones response to treatments are as varied as the individuals that seek treatment. In truth science still doesnt truly know the cause of the disease (Craighead, 2014). With a history rife with misdiagnosis for a great many psychological disorders, it is a great relief to not only the sufferers and their loved ones, but also psychologists and psychiatrists that advancements are showing glimmers of hope for many that suffer from the disease.

REFERENCES:

Craighead, E. W., Miklowitz, D. J., & Craighead, L. W. (2013).  Psychopathology: History, diagnosis and empirical foundations (2nd ed.).  Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. (2013). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

Frances, A. (2013) Saving normal: An insider’s revolt against out-of-control psychiatric diagnosis, DSM-5, Big Pharma, and the medicalization of ordinary life. New York, NY: William Morrow.

Klein, S. (2014). What Bipolar Disorder Really Feels Like. HuffPost. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bipolar-disorder-ellen-forney_n_5823138

TEDxTerryTalksLaura BainLiving with Bipolar Type II. (2011). from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ki9dgG3P5M&feature=youtu.be

Up/Down Bipolar Disorder Documentary FULL MOVIE (2011). (n.d.). Arpi-Revo Productions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyiZfzbgaW4&feature=youtu.be