Bipolar Disorder Case Study

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks”. Furthermore, in this paper I will be discussing bipolar disorder and a case involving a woman named Mary. Mary is a middle-aged Caucasian woman that is married and I’m assuming is living in mental institution because in her interview she explains that her husband came to visit and she fought him so he would leave. Aside from her living situation, Mary tells the interviewer that her mother had cancer of the spinal cord when Mary was 11 years old and was later paralyzed and died 61 years later. While watching

the interview of Mary you can see many signs and symptoms displayed due to her bipolar disorder. In addition, Mary should be put on mood stabilizers and be required to go to psychotherapy.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks” (“Bipolar disorder,” 2014).

The National Institute of Mental Health also states that, “Bipolar disorder affects approximately 5.7 million adult Americans, or about 2.6% of the U.S. population age 18 and older every year” (“Bipolar disorder,” 2014). And the National Institute of Mental Health states, “it is an inherited disease. More than two-thirds of people with bipolar disorder have at least one close relative with the illness or with unipolar major depression” (“Bipolar disorder,” 2014). In addition, people with bipolar disorder go through manic and depressive episodes. According to

psychcentral.com:
A manic episode is a mood state characterized by period of at least one week where an elevated, expansive or unusually irritable mood exists.

A person experiencing a manic episode is usually engaged in significant goal-directed activity beyond their normal activities. People describe a manic mood as feeling very euphoric, “on top of the world,” and being able to do or accomplish anything. The feeling is like extreme optimism — but on steroids (Bressert, 2016).
And the MentalHelp.net states, “Just as the manic aspect of bipolar disorder is associated with manic episodes, the depressive aspect of bipolar disorder is likewise associated with depressive episodes. The severe form of depressive episode is known as a Major Depressive Episode.” It also states that, “People experiencing a major depressive episode may be lacking in energy and show slower, unmotivated movements, or they may appear irritable and agitated. They may have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning, or they may stay up all night with insomnia. Either way, they are likely to complain of constant tiredness and difficulty concentrating on tasks” (Nemade, D, & Dombeck, 2006).
Furthermore, in this paper I will be discussing bipolar disorder and a case involving a woman named

Mary.

Those with bipolar disorder display many different signs and symptoms. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “People having a manic episode may: Feel very “up,” “high,” or elated, Have a lot of energy, Have increased activity levels, Feel “jumpy” or “wired”, Have trouble sleeping, Become more active than usual, Talk really fast about a lot of different things, Be agitated, irritable, or “touchy”, Feel like their thoughts are going very fast, Think they can do a lot of things at once, Do risky things, like spend a lot of money or have reckless sex” (“Bipolar disorder,” 2014) . The National Institute of Mental Health also states, “People having a depressive episode may: Feel very sad, down, empty, or hopeless, Have very little energy, Have decreased activity levels, Have trouble sleeping, they may sleep too little or too much, Feel like they can’t enjoy anything, Feel worried and empty, Have trouble concentrating, Forget things a lot, Eat too much or too little, Feel tired or “slowed down”, Think about death or suicide” (“Bipolar disorder,” 2014). In addition, according to the National Institute of Mental Health:
Bipolar disorder can be present even when mood swings are less extreme. For example, some people with bipolar disorder experience hypomania, a less severe form of mania. During a hypomanic episode, an individual may feel very good, be highly productive, and function well. The person may not feel that anything is wrong, but family and friends may recognize the mood swings and/or changes in activity levels as possible bipolar disorder. Without proper treatment, people with hypomania may develop severe mania or depression. (“Bipolar disorder,” 2014)

Suicide, homicide, and substance abuse are issues that are to be thought about when dealing with a person with mental illness. For instance, according to alliancebhc.org:
Known general risk factors for suicide also apply to patients with bipolar disorder. These include a history of suicide attempts, suicidal ideation, comorbid substance abuse, comorbid personality disorders (58), agitation, pervasive insomnia, impulsiveness (59), and family history of suicide. Among the phases of bipolar disorder, depression is associated with the highest suicide risk, followed by mixed states and presence of psychotic symptoms, with episodes of mania being least associated with suicide (8, 56). Suicidal ideation during mixed states has been correlated with the severity of depressive symptoms (10). In general, a detailed evaluation of the individual patient is necessary to assess suicide risk (Table 1). Judgment of suicide risk is inherently imperfect; therefore, risks and benefits of intervention should be carefully weighed and documented (APA Practice Guidelines, 2002).
In addition, the alliancebhc.org states:
Bipolar disorder with a comorbid substance use disorder is a very common presentation, with bipolar disorder patients of both sexes showing much higher rates of substance use than the general population (65). For example, the Epidemiologic Catchment Area study found rates of alcohol abuse or dependence in 46% of patients with bipolar disorder compared with 13% for the general population. Comparable drug abuse and dependence figures are 41% and 6%, respectively (66, 67) (APA Practice Guidelines, 2002).

According to psychcentral.com, “Medication is nearly always a part of the recommended treatment course for bipolar disorder. Psychotherapy is also often recommended as a standard treatment option. People with undiagnosed bipolar disorder will sometimes self-medicate with alcohol or drugs to try and relieve their symptoms. However, such solutions rarely provide the type of long-term relief most people desire” (Bressert, 2016). The medications used to treat bipolar disorder according to the National Institute of Mental Health are, “Mood stabilizers, Atypical antipsychotics, Antidepressants”. Aside from medication being used for treatment there are other ways to treat bipolar disorder, the National Institute of Mental Health states, “When done in combination with medication, psychotherapy (also called “talk therapy”) can be an effective treatment for bipolar disorder. It can provide support, education, and guidance to people with bipolar disorder and their families. Some psychotherapy treatments used to treat bipolar disorder include: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Family-focused therapy, Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy, Psychoeducation” (“Bipolar disorder,” 2014).

In this paragraph, I will be discussing a woman named Mary living with Bipolar Disorder. Mary is a middle-aged Caucasian woman that is married and I’m assuming is living in mental institution because in her interview she explains that her husband came to visit and she fought him so he would leave. Aside from her living situation, Mary tells the interviewer that her mother had cancer of the spinal cord when Mary was 11 years old and was later paralyzed and died 61 years later.

While watching the interview of Mary you can see many signs and symptoms displayed due to her bipolar disorder. She displayed both symptoms in the manic and depressive stages of the bipolar disorder. The interview started off with her in the manic stage of the bipolar disorder and she appeared to be upbeat and happy. She tells the interviewer that she believes that she is a spy for Jesus Christ and that she can get drunk off coffee, water, and Kool-Aid when she’s high in her manic phase. And in her depressive stage she appears to be scared and anxious. She tells the interviewer that she felt ugly and didn’t want to live anymore and that she also burned herself because she believed her husband was cheating on her. The disorganized behavior and mood changes were the main signs of the disorder throughout the interview.

Watching the interview, you would suspect Mary of possibly committing suicide, homicide, and substance abuse. During the interview when Mary was in the depressive stage of the Bipolar Disorder she tells the interviewer that she feels ugly and doesn’t want to live anymore, and when someone starts talking like that it’s the first sign of wanting to commit suicide. I also believe that Mary could possibly commit homicide because during the interview she confessed to beating up her husband for something so simple. And substance abuse is always something that can happen with someone with a mental illness that needs medication to help keep everything in control, and could happen to Mary who loves the feeling of being high, which some medications can give you that feeling.