Professor Singh
ENC 1101
11/05/2013
Dealing with mental issues: Bipolar Disorder Living a normal life means being able to hold an normal job, go to school and even having functional relationships with others and live by themselves. However, with all of the options available with medication and therapy now, why wouldn’t people who suffer from bipolar disorder be able to live a (normal) life? Even after they start medication and therapy, there are often still problems. When someone who is bipolar enters a phase, they tend to feel as if they are on top of the world. Because of this feeling, they will often times stop taking their medications and begin to skip therapy. This also can occur because they resent having to take medication, so they will try to handle everything on their own. Often times after they have realized that they do need something to help them out, rather than go to a professional for help, they will self medicate with illegal substances also known as " bipolar depression ". For these people, recovery will probably never be possible because they are not willing to do what needs to be done to recover. Sometimes someone will step in and be able to get them in gear or something will happen to get them to understand that they need to make certain changes in their lives in order to function properly. On the topic of medication, the right one can be everything. Currently there are not too many medications out there for the treatment of bipolar disorder, but there are a few which have been found to be effective. Among those used to treat bipolar disorder are Lithium, Abilify, Depakote, Tegretol, and Trileptal. Many of these medications are also antiepileptic drugs used for treating things like depression and ADHD. These medications react with the brain, affecting the chemicals that are off balance and helping to balance them out, creating more stable moods. It's no wonder these medications are known as mood stabilizers. With the right medication, someone can go from unable to complete simple tasks and out of control to excelling at what they need to do. As an addition to medication, psychosocial treatments including certain forms of psychotherapy (or talk therapy are helpful in providing support, education, and guidance to people with Bipolar
Disorder and their families. Studies have shown that psychosocial interventions can lead to increased mood stability, fewer hospitalizations, and improved functioning in several areas. A licensed psychologist, social worker, or counsellor typically provides these therapies and often works together with the psychiatrist to monitor a patient's progress. The number, frequency, and type of sessions are based on the treatment needs of each person. The success of treatment also depends largely on whether it is possible for the patient to overlook stigma attached to it. Whether or not, they are ready to face traumatic situations in hospital settings. The divorce rate in people with bipolar disorder is very high. The reason seems to be that partner cannot stand the extreme mood swings and in the aftermath of the disease often occurring social stigma. Such a regular rehabilitation obstacle is the frequent depressive-variation for manic or depressive episodes in bipolar disorders.
Mental illness is something that many people across the u.s. are familiar wit. In fact, it is guessed that six million adults suffer from just bi-polar disorder alone. Bi-polar is a mental disorder which is categorized by very low depressive situations (Depression, lots of sleeping, feeling hopeless, and thoughts of suicide.) it seems that people who are suffering from the disorder have difficulty living normal. Seems like a long stretch for someone who has mood swings that are so severe and may go from not being able to get out of bed one day and then spending all of their money another day. However, with all of the options available with medications and therapy now, why would