Bipolar disorder

bipolar overthrowbipolar ailment was previously known as frenzied depression as it causes modal values to shift between mania and depression. It may to a fault be classified as a biological brain disorder causing severe fluctuations in mood, energy, persuasion and behaviour. This disorder results in popular anxiety and humble frustration level in the young raft (CABF 2007). Depression, in this situation, path a situation where you feel truly low bandage mania would refer to a situation where you feel very high (NHS 2009). Sometimes, symptoms of mania and depression tooshie withal occur at the said(prenominal) time (CABF 2007). These episodes washbowl last for several weeks or longer. The high and low phases of the frameness are much so extreme that they interfere with everyday keep (NHS 2009).In bipolar disorder, the depression phase often comes first. One can be diagnosed with clinical depression beforehand having a phrenetic episode. The manic episodes usu in ally take place after dickens(prenominal) time, after which the diagnosing baron change. These episodes of depression may im plowshare to overwhelming feelings of worthlessness, which often lead to thoughts of suicide. The manic phase may make you feel very inventive and view mania as a positive experience. This is the time when you may also have symptoms of psychosis. During this phase you may feel very laughing(prenominal) and have lots of ambitions, plans and ideas. Lack of sleep and appetite are different also common characteristics of bipolar disorder (NHS 2009).People with bipolar disorder fluctuate between intense depression and mania, interspersed by periods of relative steady (Macnair 2008).The causes of bipolar disorder arent completely known, but are often hereditary. A cluster of accompanimentors both genetic and environmental, such as private traumas or stress, can highly lure systems. The initial manic or depressive episodes of bipolar disorder usually tak e place early in the teenage years or early adulthood (Macnair 2008) At least fractional of all cases disunite before age 25 (Kessler et al., 2005). The symptoms of the disorder can be fairly subtle and may result in organism overlooked or misdiagnosed. This could result in unnecessary suffering darn on the new(prenominal) authorize, with proper treatment and foul a fulfilling bearing can be lived (Macnair 2008).In severe forms of mania, there are chances of a soul becoming psychotic, with delusions. thither is a conflict in intelligence and substantiveity and there may be hallucinations and delusional beliefs more or less beness persecuted. In some of the worst cases, lot in mania pose unintelligible and neglect themselves. The symptoms have varying patterns, frequencies and order. While in some case, where symptoms of mania are followed by symptoms of depression in a sure pattern, some pile have mixed symptoms its possible to have umteen of the symptoms of mania and also suffer from severely depressive thoughts (Bhugra and Flick, 2005).Although theres no cure for bipolar disorder, many deal find that an understanding of their ailment and what triggers episodes can attend them live a relatively normal life Macnair 2008). Patients could monitor their moods and thoughts and collect someone they trust to help them cope with the disorder. exclusively, sometimes some mess have extreme mood swings that cant be managed by supervise alone. in that location may be a need for antidepressants, antipsychotic medicament, do drugs lithium, which seem to stabilise mood swings. High level of lithium in blood can be poisonous while too undersized get out have no effect. So, its important to be seen continuously by the mental wellness team and have the blood levels checked (Smith et al., 2009). posteriors assign illusion had a bipolar disorder with first episode mishap when he was 19. At 28, crapper had unequivocally had manic episodes, as he had been known to contact his colleagues and clients at odd hours to discuss novel ideas. He kept en indeeding about his designs being imaginative and original. At the piece of work, clients and colleagues would complain about Johns unprofessional behaviour suggesting a lack of understanding on the part of his workplace. Johns denial of his illness further aggravated his situation. John had already sidetrack two excellent jobs because of his suss out.Johns younger chum, Michael, managed to jump John back to his consultant head-shrinker and pushed him to take his medicines regularly. With continuous support from his brother, John started responding well to the treatment. Although medicine seemed to have positive effect on John, he would give up the medicines as soon he started feeling better. This resulted in relapses and repeated episodes. And una manage ordinary mood swings, the mood changes of bipolar disorder are so intense that they interfere with the long-sufferings abi lity to function (Smith et al., 2009). John did non enroll actively in genial activities making it difficult for others to recognize his necessarily.John could not focus on his work cod to his medical examination nail down being too unstable. John was not offered any job at the volt places he had applied notwithstanding an impressive CV. This was due to the fact that John had mentioned his illness on all the forms raising doubts in Johns headspring about disclosing his illness until it was specifically stressed upon.Work labelling and stereotyping Theory of chumpStigma is the difference between the virtual social identity and the real social identity. Stigma has three forms, which can be characte inceptiond as external, face-to-face and tribal. The first form of stigma relates to external or overt deformations like scars, leprosy, animal(prenominal) disability and social disability. The second form relates to deviations in soulal traits, including mental illness, drug addiction, alcoholism and criminal backgrounds. The third form, tribal stigmas, are imagined or real traits of ethnic groups, nationalities or worships that are deemed to constitute a deviation from what is perceived as to be the prevailing ethnicity, nationality or religion (Geoffman 1963).eoffman (1963) also went on to describe 3 levels of deviance. He described them as primary, secondary and tertiary deviances. Primary deviance would refer to original infringement/deviance/and societal chemical reaction to this non-conformity to societal norms. The secondary deviance is the deviants reaction to the negative societal reaction and the tertiary deviance is the reaction of the stigmatised someone to the stigma from other leads to master status. The secondary deviant attempts to re-label certain behaviours as normal rather than deviant. This is an attempt to create a label that overshadows all other characteristics. The stigmatised psyche is seen as inferior by others and seen a s having a perpetually flawed social identity and is thus discriminated. The stigmatised individual might also have additional imperfections imputed to them on the basis of the original stigmata thus creating stereotypes (Geoffman 1963).Stigma can also be differentiated as matt-up and enacted. The felt stigma is the particularise where one feels the shame of being de edgeine with a discrediting condition and the fear of encountering enacted stigma. Enacted stigma is the actual episode of discrimination, both formal and informal against people with stigmata solely on the grounds of their having a stigmatising condition (Scambler 2004).Scrambler (2004) through the Hidden Distress Model highlighted that people with a stigmata are fearful of experiencing enacted stigma and pursue an active policy of non-disclosure. The stigma has a far more disruptive effect on their lives as this also increases the stress of managing their disorder. The socio-cultural revalues can be possible in influencing the level of felt and enacted stigma.According to Geoffmanns (1963) classification of stigma, John spend in the second form due to hid bipolar disorder. As tell by Geoffmann (1963), John was ill treated and faced discrimination, which is quite evident from the behaviour of his clients and colleagues at work.Sociology of Health and IllnessThe sociology of wellness and illness argues that socio-cultural factors influence peoples perceptions and experiences of health and illness, which cannot be presumed to be simply relations to physical natural changes (Nettleton 2006).Defining Health and DiseaseIn the constitution of WHO established approximately half a century ago, health is defined as a adduce of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely the absence of illness or infirmity (Saracci 1997). Temple et. al., in 2001 proposed a definition of disease though the approach did little to reform on previous attempts. They defined disease as a declare that places individuals at increased risk of adverse consequences. Adopting this definition, every activity involving freewill action carry a risk of adverse consequences.The problem with the image of health and disease is that it is associated with social concepts such as normalcy and irregularity, normality and abnormality being relative terms. In common parlance, disease means a deviation from the established norm, consequently abnormal, with connotations of weirdness, strangeness, repulsiveness, viciousness, complaint, derangement, impairment, and disorder (Landy 1977). Conditions may be characterised as normal or abnormal based on the supreme diagnostic criteria as in most common diseases like diabetes, hypertension, etc. A condition is considered to be normal if it is prevalent amongst the population largely. But this issue seems to be complicated by the question of medicalization versus criminalization of abnormal social behaviour (Rosen 1968 and Foucalt 1972).Often the clinicians diagnosis is influenced by social views on mental diseases. In cases where mental disorders are bear on, judging a sick person is to be avoided at all costs. Instead, the situation and the effects of the disease should be judged (Scheff 1979). The patient is worried with his own private and particular condition, while the doctor tries to make a diagnosis in the same office a zoologist or a botanist does with a standard under the microscope to weight individual variances against general signals and symptoms that agree with those of a know category of disease (de Avila Pires 2008).Failure to Recognize Mental States and Provide indispensable SupportRadley (1994) reported that it was very difficult to live with illness in todays world where health is more than meeting the demands of specific tasks or fulfilling particular duties. Mental disorders may lead to the patient becoming socially degage as was seen in Johns case.Figure 1. The patient suffering from inveterate i llness faces various modes of adjustment. (Figure adapted from Radley and Green 1985, cited in Radley 1994)According to the modes of adjustment to the degenerative illness put forward by Radley and Green in 1985 (cited in Radley 1994) John was in the phase of active denial. He resisted the illness symptoms and participated in the normal life, treating his illness as of little importance. Even his colleagues failed to recognize his condition and complained calling Johns behaviour unprofessional.Factors that Pushed John to Seek Medical Help scorn Johns being a talented architect, he had already quit two good jobs. The reasons attributed to this may be an atmosphere of discriminative behaviour in the workplace. John had developed a stage of Bipolar disorder where regular attacks of mania took place. He might also have developed psychosis suggested by the novel ideas and strange behaviour.Johns brother, Michael actually got John to go back to the medicines. He tried to know what had h appened and made sure John took his medicines regularly. Michael also managed to get John back to his consultant psychiatrist. So, it may be perceived that it was support of his brother, family support couple with a discriminative behaviour at the workplace that pushed John to practice of medicines. social InequalitiesDisability and social inequality go hand in hand. The proof is well documented and evident in socio-economic hatful (Nettleton 2006). Disabled people face many problems in their working life. In certain cases like accidents, a person may loose his value overnight while as, in case of recurrent illnesses, the patient goes through a gradual downfall Blaxter 1976). Lack of support from other people (family, friends, colleagues) often aggravates the medical condition of the patient (Radley 2004).Johns medical condition became a cause of concern for his employers and clients alike. He had to quit two jobs to cope with the situation. notwithstanding having experience and impressive CV, John was not able to get a job at any of the tailfin places he had applied to. Evidently, his revelation his bipolar disorder would have put his future employers on bouncy and thus the discrimination. Instead, of understanding Johns condition and helping him overcome his disability he was rejected every time.Community CareThe World Health governing recognizes primary health business organization to be effective in preventing illness. There has been a shift from primary health take to community apportion and this shift could be a result of three factors therapeutic, economic and reforms in the medical model (Busfield 1986, cited in Nettleton 2006).The entire concept of community care relies on the priority being given to the patient and not the disease. Social perceptions about the disability or the disabled, plays an important post in community-based rehabilitation. The term community care is used both in a stance sense to related to how people should meet t he health and social needs of the dependent people and also a description of the set of function that are currently provided (Stevenson 2008).Many people often object to being referred to as disabled. It leads to the segregation and often discrimination (Blaxter 1976). As was seen in Johns case, despite being an impressive architect he was refused job at volt places, which he thought was because of him disclosing his bipolar disorder.The local authorities along with free bodies are responsible for looking after the social needs of a disabled. This concept is based on the fact that community has to be involved in deciding the social needs of a disabled appendage and then making sure that those needs are taken care of in local conditions (Blaxter 1976).Michael, Johns brother played a major role in Johns rehabilitation. He understood his needs and convinced him to see his doctor. As is the concept of community care, Michael gave priority to his brother and his needs rather than his disease. The same cannot be said about his colleagues or his clients. Instead of understanding Johns especial(a) needs, they deemed him unfit to work with them.Cognitive Therapy of DepressionBeck et al., (1979) defined cognitive therapy as an active, directive, time-limited, structured approach used to treat various mental disorders. The rationale behind this definition is based on how a disabled person perceives and structures the world. His previous experiences and relation with other people affect his cognitions. For example, if a person interprets all his experiences in terms of whether he is competent or adequate, his thinking might be dominated by the schema, Unless I do everything perfectly, I am a failure. In such case he would react to all situations in terms of his competence even if those situations were not related to his competence in any way.Johns getting rejected at five interviews, despite of an impressive CV, made him feel disadvantaged. He thought it was due to his mental disorder. These inequalities made him want to conceal his illness and not detect it unless it was specifically asked about.Chronic IllnessPeople experience serious chronic illness in three ways as an interruption of their lives, as an intrusive illness, and as immersion in illness. Rather, from their perspectives, illness disrupts their lives it intrudes upon the day-frequently each day it engulfs them (Charmaz 1997).Johns illness was an interruption in his life. He had to quit two jobs because of his illness and was further rejected a job at another five places due to his illness. Parsons Sick Role TheoryAccording to Parson (1951), sickness is not merely a condition or a state of fact, it is rather a specifically patterned social role. The sick people have the right to be exempted from the normal social role. They cannot be blasted for their medical condition and have to be taken care of. On the other hand, they are expected to seek professional guidance and manoeuvre a w illingness to get well. The disabled people are either undefendable and are often exploited by others or they may pick out deviance to evade responsibilities and can prove to be threat to the troupe.John was vulnerable. He tried to get well and used to take medication as well, but his colleagues blamed him for his condition. They often complained against him. Moreover, after quitting his job, he could not get another job due to his disability.Zolas TheoryAccording to Zola (1973, cited in Scambler 2008) most of the patients would over look their symptoms for quite some time before consulting a doctor. He also found that there had to be something else a trigger apart from the symptoms to convince patients to seek medical intervention. The characterised five types of triggers First, the happening of an interpersonal crisis (e.g., death in the family), second, perceived interference with social or personal relations, third, sanctioning (pressure from others to consult), fourth, per ceived interference with vocalization or physical activity, and fifth, a kind of temporalizing of symptomatology (the setting of deadline). Moreover, patients personal and social circumstances also affect the patients decision to seek help.Applying Zolas theory to Johns case, one would realize that John did overlook his symptoms. He used to deny his illness and stop his medication as soon as he felt better. It was sanctioning (pressure from his brother Michael) that acted as a trigger and convinced him to consult his psychiatrist and start his medication again.ConclusionA certain medical condition or disability refers to be presented with problems and face problems earning ones living or any other day to day activities. Many disabled people find it intemperately or lack the willingness to participate in the social activities. They isolate themselves from the society and in certain cases from family as well. But constant support from family and friends coupled with proper medicatio n can help the patient recover and rise above his disability (Blaxter 1976).Bipolar disorder being a chronic mental disorder has serious consequences on patients in particular and their families and societies in general. Effective treatment for bipolar disorder is available, but patients often waver to report their condition due to various social, economic and personal barriers. Patients often go into self-denial and try to remain away from social activities. There are two ways of caring for the bipolar disordered person one, primary health care, that is consulting a general physician or a psychiatrist and second being community care. Concerted efforts on all levels (patient, family, community, healthcare provider and government) are required to improve the quality of care among the bipolar community (Bhugra and Flick, 2005). Apart from the professional help, self-help can greatly improve the condition of a person with bipolar disorder. The patient should learn about his condition. It will help him understand his needs better as well as help him in recovery. They should try and avoid stress, participate in social activities and indulge in hobbies. The patient should keep a track of his mood swings and watch out for the symptoms that have deleterious effects on their mood. Doing so would help them prepare better for adverse conditions. Maintaining a healthy memorandum (healthy food habits, exercising, and proper sleep) can greatly influence the moods of a patient (Smith et al., 2009).ReferencesBeck AT, Rush AJ, Shaw BF, and Emery G. 1979. Cognitive Therapy of Depression. untried York, The Guilford Press Bhugra D. and Flick GR. 2005. Pathways to care for patients with bipolar disorder. Bipolar Disorder 7 236-245Blaxter M, 1976. The meaning of disability. London. Heinemann.CABF ( tike and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation), Educating the Child with Bipolar Disorder, 2007Charmaz K. 1997. Good Days, Bad Days-Illness and Time. USA, Rutgers University Pressde Avila-Pir es FD. 2008. On the concept of disease. Revista de Historia Humanidades Medicas, Vol. 4, none 1Foucault M. 1972. 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