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Bipolar Disorder

Clinical Applications of Psychology (Kingston University)

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Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is a very complex mental disorder. The boundaries for this disorder
can be unclear, which causes confusion when making a diagnosis. The manic
episodes include symptoms of depressed mood, irritable mood, guilt, and suicidal
thoughts. Depressive phase some symptoms are daily sad mood, fatigue, or lack of
energy, feeling of worthlessness or thoughts of death or suicide (Butcher, 2009).
Dr. Stern has a Ph.D. in psychology, employed with an agency, which provides
intensive treatment residential programs, that serves adults with severe and
persistent mental illness. The programs provide services that help the client manage
the symptoms of illness and develop daily livings skills and learn to use natural
community supports services. The center ofers several programs for adolescent,
adults, pregnant women who are diagnosis with mental illness and substance use
disorder.
Demographics
The agency provides service to approximately 300 adult men and women. Bipolar
disorder afects an estimated 150 of the 300 consumers. The majority of women
sufer from bipolar than the men who attend the center. The center has a
therapeutic, structured, residential treat program for adolescents, from 13 to 17
years old with substance abuse issues and or co-occurring mental health disorders.
The agency provides substance abuse/addictive disease treatment programs. A
service ofered at the recovery center includes aftercare, case management,
childcare, family, group, and individual therapy. HIV education and prevention,
medical nurse services, multi-family education, parenting classes, psychiatric
referrals, substance abuse evaluation and trauma recovery (Stern, 2014).
The National Institute of Mental Health website are the following statistics: bipolar
disorder afects about 5.7 million adult Americans, median age 25, spans all ages,
races ethnic groups and social classes. It can be inherited, sixth leading cause of
disability, 1 in 5 individuals commit suicide, 1 million children and teens have this
disorder and manic children and teens in contrast to adults are more likely to be
irritable than euphoric.
Diagnosis
Bipolar disorder is very diicult to diagnose; it is frequently confused with unipolar
depression or with schizophrenia. There is no blood test to diagnose this disorder, so
the most important diagnostic tool is communication with individual consumers. The
diagnose of bipolar disorder hinges on having periods of elevation or irritability that
is coupled with an increase of energy, sleeplessness, fast thinking, or speech.
Treatment
Treatment with lithium has a 50% success rate. However, a patient- patient support
group improves the 50% to 86%. The diagnosis of bipolar is so complex that it might
take ten years to come up with an accurate diagnosis. Unfortunately, there can be a
gender bias where women is most likely misdiagnosed with depression; men with
schizophrenia; as well as side efects can result in non-compliance with medication
regimens (DBSA, 1999).
Diferential diagnoses
According to Dr. Stern: Anxiety Disorders; Hyperthyroidism; Hypothyroidism; Multiple
Sclerosis; Neuro-ophthalmic Perspective Migraine Headache; Neurosyphilis; and
Pediatric Attention Deicit Hyperactivity Disorder are diferential diagnoses for bipolar
disorder. This obviously depicts how diicult it is to, not only diferentiate between
psychiatric conditions, but also many medical conditions must be 'weeded out' by a
very competent psychiatrist to eventually not only diagnose bipolar disorder, but the
correct bipolar disorder.
Cross-cultural
Unfortunately, there can be cross-cultural issues. African and Hispanic Americans are

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at a greater risk for misdiagnosis with schizophrenia. The Chinese require lower
dosages of antidepressants and antipsychotics that metabolized by liver enzymes.
Pregnancy are perceived diferently in diferent culture. Females may prefer female
physicians; ethnically speaking, African Americans may prefer African American
physicians. Be it as it may, treatment of consumers as individuals with proper
communication will avoid most cross-cultural issues.
According to Dr. Stern (2014): a psychiatrist should provide treatment or and
therapist with experience in treating bipolar disorders. Treatments are based upon
the particular bipolar disorder diagnosis and its severity. Many with the hyper
mania/hypomania/depressive characteristics enter treatment through psychosocial
intervention group and family psychotherapy. Bipolar disorders are diicult to treat,
most believe they do not have problems, (denial) and need to make any changes.
Psychological techniques are utilized to learn about their condition, change ways of
thinking, learn healthy ways to manage thoughts, feeling, and behaviors that
interfere with functioning and relationships.
Conclusions
Based on the indings, this author irmly concludes that Bipolar Disorder is a complex
mental disorder that requires great competence of the psychiatrist in order to 'sift'
through the many diferential diagnoses, inally diagnose the appropriate bipolar
disorder.

References
Bipolar Diagnosis, WebMD.com Web Site. Retrieved from,
http://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/guide/bipolar-disorder-diagnosis
Bipolar Disorder Statistics. (1999). DBSA.org Web Site. Retrieved from,
http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?
pagename=education_statistics_bipolar_disorder
Butcher; Mineka; Hooley, James N.; Susan M.; Jill M. Abnormal Psychology. 14th
Edition. Pearson Learning Solutions, 2009. VitalBook ile. Argosy University.
Hirschfeld, M., et al. (2012). Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with
Bipolar Disorder Second Edition. Retrieved from,
http://psychiatryonline.org/content.aspx?bookid=28&sectionid=1669577
What is bipolar? National Institute of Mental Health website. Retrieved from
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml

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