Bipolar Disorder as a Mental Illness Research Paper

Bipolar Disorder as a Mental Illness - Research Paper Example There are specific medical events that take place that chemically represent the nature of the disease. Despite the fact that there are some people who believe that bipolar disorder is not a physical manifestation, the truth is that it is a disease that can be treated with pharmaceutical methods of treatment. The nature of bipolar disorder is that it is a mental disease with specific treatments that can assist a person who is suffering from its affects to have a vital and meaningful life. Mood Swings The nature of bipolar disorder is that it is defined by mood swings. This type of definition lends itself to interpretations that suggest that perhaps it should be more easily controlled by the individual and is a matter of choice over a matter of disease. As well, there are times when the disease is attributed to normal hormonal mood swings and is discounted as the unreasonable nature of the individual, rather than being understood as outside of their control. There are those who do not have an understanding, nor wish to believe, that a mental disorder can be accountable for the actions of a person, rather than the mental issues that are based upon a biological factor. Mood swings have been attributed to an unreasonable mind, rather than to the chemical state of an illness that can be treated. ... ves in a position where instead of their loved ones recognizing that they are experiencing a disorder, they are blamed for their symptoms without there being an understanding of how they can possibly not be in control of themselves. Women with bipolar disorder are more susceptible to larger mood swings in association with their periods, their symptoms of PMS lasting for weeks rather than days and their anger and irritability being beyond their ability to conduct themselves as they normally would (Burgess, 2006, p. 186). The problem that comes with this is that a blame is set up that creates stress, shame, and guilt, as the actions and behaviors manifest outside of the control or the actual responses that a person would have to any given situation. In this situation, the problem will begat the problem, perpetuating a cycle of episodes from the stress that is created from not addressing the problem sufficiently and from blaming a person for not having control, when they suffer from a d isease that takes control from them. Bipolar Illness Sartorius (2005) describes bipolar disorder as â€Å"a chronic remitting and relapsing illness that causes significant burden to patients, families and society† (p. 69). Hudson and Rapee (2005) through saying â€Å"Although patients with bipolar disorder may also experience many †¦psychotic symptoms, their major problem is mood instability. Periods of abnormally elevated mood, increased energy and decreased need for sleep, alternate with episodes of depressed mood, decreased interest, and low energyâ€Å" (p. 205). â€Å"It exists within the patience as an active illness for about 1% of the lifetime. Per year, 9-15 per 100,000 men contract the illness and 7-30 per 100,000 women. Most people who have the illnesses will seek some sort of help for