Ernest Easton

According to Sue (2014), abnormal psychology is “the scientific study whose objectives are to describe, explain, predict, and modify behaviors that are considered strange or unusual” (p. 2). Abnormal behaviors consist of going from euphoria to severe depression as well as loss of appetite, fatigue, and insomnia. Ernest Easton is one example of someone who has these symptoms. After having an asymptomatic thyroid mass removed, he experienced drastic mood changes. For a while, Mr. Easton would be euphoric, but then drop to being depressed for five days; therefore, Ernest has bipolar 1 disorder. Concerning one of Mr. Easton’s symptoms, euphoria, this symptom is a type of a manic episode. Hukic (2013) describes what mania is. She states, “Mania is a state of abnormally elevated mood and a defining criteria for bipolar 1 disorder” (Hukic, 2013). When someone is euphoric, they are extremely happy. Mr. Easton demonstrates this symptom for 25 days and then suddenly drops to being depressed. Depression is defined as “ a mood state characterized by sadness or despair, feelings or worthlessness, and withdrawal from others” (Sue, 2014, p. 175). Mr.

Easton really has bipolar 1 disorder, there needs to be more information gathered. I would use a type of study called a field study. This is where I would go out to Mr. Easton’s home or anywhere he felt comfortable in his environment and evaluate him. I would observe how he acts when certain situations occur and also how he felt afterwards. This field study would have to be conducted over at least four months if not more. I chose more than four months because when people have bipolar 1 disorder, they could be in their “good” state for about a month long and then drop to being depressed. If I conducted the study for two weeks, then I would potentially only observe one emotion. The more months the better, even a year or two, that way I could see if there were any patterns that Mr. Easton