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Example research essay topic: Manic Depressive Bipolar Disorder - 1,423 words

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Is bipolar disorder the cause of great madness or great genius? The symptoms of this mental illness may also be considered as the driving forces behind some of the most gifted and talented people to grace our society. Although individuals with this illness may have some obstacles to overcome, it can be accomplished. With all of the treatment programs that are widely available, people have many options and methods to turn to for help. Bipolar disorder, also referred to as manic depression, is a mood disorder. A person with bipolar disorder will have extreme mood shifts between mania, a state of highly elevated euphoric feelings, and depression, a state of despondency and despair.

These shifts can take weeks, days, or even minutes to happen. The period between shifts will vary for each individual, depending on the severity of the disorder (Williams & Wilkins, 1999, pp. 5 - 35). Approximately two percent of adults have this mental illness, and about fifteen percent of those adults will attempt suicide. Bipolar disorder affects both men and women and the affected rates are similar between different cultures and countries.

Most people with bipolar disorder experience their first mood episode in their twenties, although it is not uncommon to experience the first episode during childhood or in late life (Bi-polar Disorder: Innovative Research in Health, 2000). Bipolar disorder is not a curable disorder, although it is treatable. Bipolar is "among the most treatable of the psychiatric illnesses" (Manic-Depressive/Bipolar Disorder, 2000). It is important for people who believe that they may need help to seek it as soon as possible because the earlier that bipolar disorder can be diagnosed the earlier treatments can start. Even after experiencing an episode, even after sensing that something may be wrong, individuals who seek help may not initially receive the correct diagnosis from a medical professional. Because of the similarity of symptoms, bipolar disorder may initially be misdiagnosed as panic disorder, schizophrenia, or attention deficit disorder (Bi-polar Disorder: Innovative Research in Health, 2000).

Bipolar may also be difficult to diagnose because the person seeking help may not be telling the doctor everything the doctor needs to know to correctly identify the problem. Medical professionals may only diagnose a person as having depression because they have no knowledge of the excessive enthusiasm that the patient feels. It is important for individuals seeking medical help to be accurate and thorough in describing their feelings or symptoms (Manic-Depressive/Bipolar Disorder, 2000). A person experiencing a manic episode may have increased energy and / or racing thoughts. Feelings of euphoria and / or an increased pressure to talk may also be symptoms. A person in this stage of the illness may have uncharacteristically poor judgement and / or may be involved in some type of high-risk behavior, such as uncontrollable spending sprees, habitual reckless driving and / or participating in unusual sexual encounters and behaviors.

Usually the individual denies that anything is wrong when in a manic state (Manic-Depressive/Bipolar Disorder, 2000). A person experiencing the depression state of bipolar disorder may have feelings of worthlessness and / or guilt. Decreased energy and / or loss of interest in once pleasurable activities may also be symptoms of clinical depression. A depressed person may have trouble concentrating and / or have trouble making decisions. Depression may also leave individuals contemplating suicide (Manic-Depressive/Bipolar Disorder, 2000). There are two classifications for bipolar disorder, bipolar II and bipolar I (Williams & Wilkins, 1999, pp. 5 - 35).

The combination and degree of mania and depression determine the type of bipolar illness. It is also determined by how long each stage lasts and the time frame of ecthyma, having normal moods, between stages. The cycling of stages may overlap, which is referred to as a mixed episode. The diagnostic system that is currently being used by mental health professionals is the 'Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders' volume four, also known as DSM-IV (Manic- Depressive/Bipolar Disorder, 2000).

A patient diagnosed as having bipolar II disorder has or has had at least one episode of major depression and is experiencing or has experienced one or more episodes of hypomania. Hypomanic episodes have the same symptoms of mania only to a lesser degree. It is important for treatment to start now, to attempt the disorder from developing into bipolar I disorder (Bipolar Treatment, 2000). Bipolar I disorder is the most severe form of bipolar disorder. Patients with bipolar I have full-fledged episodes of mania and experience major depressive states. These patients also have mixed episodes.

In addition, some bipolar I patients may experience psychotic episodes. The symptoms of bipolar I severely affect the patients's oil and / or occupational functioning (Bipolar Treatment, 2000). There are numerous treatment options for people with bipolar disorder. The patient and the patient's doctor decide which treatment or treatments are best (Bipolar treatment, 2000). The options are chosen based on the degree of the disorder and the current circumstances surrounding the patient (Manic-Depressive/Bipolar Disorder, 2000). The most predominant form of treatment is through psychopharmacology; the use of drugs that affect the patient's the mood and behavior (What is Bipolar, 2000).

Mood stabilizers, which are anti-depressants, anti-anxieties, and anti-psychotics, may be used alone or in combination to achieve and maintain a level of mental stability for the patient (Psychopharmacology Tips by Dr. Bob, 1999). These medications can significantly improve the patient's disposition and demeanor (What is Bipolar, 2000). Anti-depressants, used to treat clinical depression, come in two different chemical compounds, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, known simply as SSRIs, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors, also referred to as Mao's. SSRIs include the medications Zoloft and Prozac while Mao's include the medications Nail and Parade. Other anti-depressants are lithium (JAMA, 1999, v. 281 pp. 23 - 32) and Depakote (Psychopharmacology Tips by Dr.

Bob, 1999). Some patients may experience abnormal apprehensions, in which an anti-anxiety drug may be needed to suppress the unnatural trepidation felt by the patient. Ativan and Valium are two of the most common anti-anxiety medications that are currently being prescribed to these patients (Psychopharmacology Tips by Dr. Bob, 1999). In severe instances, usually patients diagnosed as having bipolar I disorder, an anti-psychotic medication such as Hall or Risperdol may be needed.

These medications help to control the excessive paranoia, uneasiness, and mistrustfulness that some bipolar patients feel (Psychopharmacology Tips by Dr. Bob, 1999). Patients typically respond well to drug therapy. Psychopharmacology may be used alone or in conjunction with other treatments.

One of these other treatments that may be used in combination with psychopharmacology, or used independently as treatment, is psychotherapy. There are three major types of psychotherapy. They are insight therapies, cognitive therapies, and behavior therapies. Mental health therapy, by definition, is "the professional application of techniques intended to treat psychological disorders and reduce stress" (Rubin, Peplau & Salovey, 1993, p. 492).

Insight therapies involve getting patients to discuss problems they are having and emotions they are feeling, which are thought to be the cause of their psychological dilemmas (Rubin, Peplau & Salovey, 1993, p. 494). One such insight therapy is psychoanalytic therapy, developed by Sigmund Freud, which helps patients discover their unconscious motives and develop insights about how to adjust to them (Psychotherapy, 1990). Cognitive therapies takes Freud's therapy method one-step further. These therapies focus not only on what patients think, but also center on how and why patients think the way they do (Psychotherapy, 1990).

Albert Ellis, a clinical psychologist, developed one type of cognitive therapy known as rational-emotive therapy. This therapy focuses on the irrational beliefs of patients and the techniques used to replace those beliefs with more realistic ones (Rubin, Peplau & Salovey, 1993, pp. 501 - 502). Behavior therapies help the patients identify and change inappropriate behaviors (Psychotherapy, 1990). Systematic desensitization, a type of behavior therapy, seeks to replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts in relation to a specific fear or anxiety (Rubin, Peplau & Salovey, 1993, p. 502). Psychotherapy may be conducted in private sessions, group sessions, or family sessions. Private sessions involve the patient and the doctor, group sessions include the patient and his / her peers, and family sessions are comprised of the patient and his / her loved ones.

The benefit of any type of therapy treatment and / or any type of therapy session is the relationship that is created between doctor and patient. This relationship is built on trust, thus allowing the patient to feel more comfortable about discussing future problems or issues that may arise (Psychotherapy, 1990). Hospitalization may be an element of treatment needed for p...


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Research essay sample on Manic Depressive Bipolar Disorder

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