Theodore Finch Essay

Introduction
Theodore Finch was the not-so-average high school bad-boy. What made him different? He unknowingly suffered from Bipolar Disorder (BD). His BD ran in the family--his father had symptoms but was never diagnosed--and was triggered, like most, by childhood trauma and abuse. He began to go through the manic and depressive episodes of BD at an early age, which he referred to as “The Awake” and “The Asleep”. Finch’s BD was left untreated, his dark thoughts left unfiltered, and when his last depressive episode occurred, he committed suicide. Many people with Bipolar Disorder begin showing symptoms at an early age after an emotional event has triggered an episode and, while the disease cannot be cured, there are many treatment options

The treatments aim to “minimize the frequency of manic and depressive episodes and to reduce the severity of symptoms” (Medical News Today); they are not meant to stop the episodes completely. The most common drug treatment is lithium carbonate, but anticonvulsants and antipsychotics are also often prescribed. Since Bipolar Disorder never really goes away, patients must continue treatment even when they feel fine. Stopping treatment presents a high risk of “a relapse of symptoms or having minor mood changes turn into full-blown mania or depression” (Mayo Clinic). Using medication in combination with Psychotherapy or “talk therapy” can also be effective. Versions of psychotherapy include family-focused therapy and interpersonal and social rhythm therapy. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is also used for people with severe symptoms who haven’t shown improvement with medications or when “other medical conditions, improving pregnancy, make taking medications too risky” (NIMH). ECT is much safer than it was in the past and now “uses electric currents given in a controlled setting to achieve the most benefit with the fewest possible risks” (Mayo Clinic), but it still causes some short-term side effects, like memory loss and disorientation. Temporary hospitalization may be advised if the patient is considered dangerous, but patients can avoid severe symptoms by “keeping up a regular routine with a healthy diet, enough sleep, and regular exercise”