...potential causes for depressive, bipolar and substance disorders such as biological, neurotransmitters, genetics, child hood trauma, and even major life events and even hormonal changes. Some of these causes’ people originate from and some develop over time due to their surroundings and or how a person is affected by life itself. Biological causes a change in brain activity causing depression where there is a decrease in the left frontal lobe during depression and a downward movement in activity that stabilizes the mood which again develops depression with the up and down activity in the brain. The release of imbalance neurotransmitters in the brain is linked to a person’s mood. Child hood trauma can cause depression for a long period of time that could lead to many things like substance disorders which develop by the way a person likes the way they feel, maybe feeling relaxed or not even thinking about the problems they have or stress. Substance abuse can also be genetic similar to bipolar. Some small studies have indicated that there is a "substantial genetic contribution" to bipolar disorder risk. People with a blood relative who has bipolar disorder have a higher risk of developing it themselves. Currently, scientists are trying to identify which genes are involved. hormonal imbalances are thought to possibly trigger or cause bipolar disorder. Abuse, mental stress, a "significant loss", or some other traumatic event may contribute towards bipolar disorder risk. Traumatic events may...
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...The videos and studies about bipolar I found to be profound and can be used to better my clinical and/or professional experience when working with clients who are bipolar. The videos helped me to view the disorder from people who are suffering from bipolar disorder. Witnessing their manic stages from depression, frustration, anger and even while getting treatment in a hospital really helped me to put myself in the client’s shoes. I believe from time to time putting yourself in the client’s shoes make a huge difference when trying to understand them, their behavior and their disorder. Viewing their perspective humanized the disorder in a society that often being diagnosed with bipolar as being “crazy”. Society often jokes about bipolar disorder. It is indeed serous and often difficult to discuss. I think overall bipolar disorder and all of the stages that it entails is dark and realistic in majority of people’s life whether personal or a family member or friend. Reflecting on one the video days later, what especially stands out to me are the moments I felt most uncomfortable watching the guy record his rapid cycle. I cringed as...
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...What Is Bipolar Disorder? COMM/156 5/25/2012 Mary Clark “What a creature of strange moods [Winston Churchill] is - always at the top of the wheel of confidence or at the bottom of an intense depression,” once said William Maxwell "Max" Aitken. Bipolar disorder is a chemical imbalance in the brain that has yet to be unraveled; it causes many mood swings that can happen at a moment’s notice without a word. With many mental illnesses in order to diagnose them it takes time and observation with a health care provider. Treatment is also an aspect that takes planning and reflection mostly on how the patient feels in reaction to the medication that they are taking and other forms of treatment. Although bipolar disorder is a complex disease to diagnose, there are several alternative treatments used in conjunction with medication can be effective in managing this serious mental illness. By definition Bipolar Disorder is associated with mood swings that range from the lows of depression to the highs of mania; otherwise known as obsession (The Mayo Clinic Staff, 2012). These two separate feelings could come at the same time of the day or may only take place a few times a year; it all depends on the severity of the patient’s disorder. Currently there is no known exact cause for bipolar disorder; although there are several contributing factors thought to cause the disease. Several of the factors involved with causing bipolar disorder are neurotransmitters, inherited traits, hormones...
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...Psychologists and theorists have been studying psychological disorders for many years now. Throughout history, different theorists have studied how different psychological disorders affect one's behavior. These theorists have developed their own theories on how to treat the different behavioral affects from different psychological disorders. Some psychologists believe genetics and hereditary factors cause psychological disorders while others believe they are a result from learning maladaptive ways of thinking and behaving. All psychologists and theorists believe different things when it comes to how psychological disorders are developed or what causes them, but their treatment aspects are closely the same. Mood disorders are one of many different psychological disorders. Mood disorders are disturbances in mood or prolonged emotional state. Bipolar disorder is a type of mood disorder. In this essay I will be discussing what bipolar disorder is, current trends of diagnosis, and the treatment available. Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder in which periods of mania and depression alternate, sometimes with periods of normal mood intervening. Mania is characterized by euphoric states, excessive talking, extreme physical activity, and distractedness. People who suffer from bipolar disorder can be excited and full of energy one minute, and then be sad and depressed the next minute. Some people can function with everyday things in their life and have mild mood swings that are separated by long...
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...Culture and Disease Bipolar Disorder in the United States Briana M. Bowers HCS/245 October 19, 2011 Rebecca Johnson BIPOLAR DISORDER IN THE UNITED STATES It is well known that diseases come in many forms. Whether the illness is physical or mental, the treatment for one should be as equally important as the other. Mental illnesses can affect the way one lives their lives. Depending on the severity of an individual’s mental illness can sometimes develop a physical disability if untreated. Bipolar Disorder is a mental illness defined as “a manic-depressive illness. It is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks” (National Institute of Mental Health [NIMH], 2008). Bipolar Disorder is easily described as a “roller coaster of emotions”; this meaning a person can switch between high and low emotions/behaviors at any given time. It has also been noted for an individual to experience hallucinations or delusions, depending on the severity of the current state that person is in. An article on Bipolar Disorder found on Health.com and reported on CNN.com notes, “2.4% of people have been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Out of an 11-nation study, the United States has the highest lifetime rate of Bipolar Disorder at 4.4%, and India with the lowest at 0.1%” (Gardner, 2011). Bipolar Disorder comes in different forms. Bipolar Disorder I is “mainly manic or mixed episodes that last at least seven days...
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... Circadian Rhythms as a basis of mood disorder, in particular bipolar disorder. Introduction: The complex structure and the functions of the human body has been a subject of study by a lot of individuals since a very long time. The curiosity of the human being supporting it, further aids in discovering the secrets hidden behind the way a human being is. Biological rhythms or circadian rhythms also make up one of the hidden secrets for the functions of the human beings and scheduling of various tasks. The terms Circadian is derived from Latin word Circa, “around” or “about” and diem or dies “day” meaning literally “about a day” or “around a day”. This circadian rhythm is already built in the complex human body but is regulated by external factors known as “zeitgebers”. The primary or the most important zeitgebers is ‘light’ which helps human automatically start a particular process in one’s life and controls various cycles at regular intervals. This may include sleep/wake cycle, eating habits, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or bipolar disorder. Scientists have long been researching the effects of disturbance of circadian rhythms and its consequences on the life of a human being. This paper also considers the facts that have been established in this area to identify and discuss the process undergoing in a human being and its complexities with a particular reference to circadian rhythms and bipolar disorder, its causes and how shall it be handled to ease...
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...Depression Paper Dawn Sturdevant PSY/270 11/24/2013 Ratonya Gibson Depression Paper The differences between unipolar and bipolar disorders are pretty simple, yet unique in their own ways. With unipolar disorder it is basically being depressed, getting over it, and going on about one’s life. Unipolar can be mild or it can be severe. Around 17 percent of all adults experience an episode of severe unipolar depression at some point in their lives. These prevalence rates are similar in Canada, England, France, and many other countries (Vasiliadis et. Al., 2007; WHO, 2004) Some of the people with unipolar disorder can take up to a year to get better while others don’t take nearly as long. Bipolar disorder is depression of a totally different sort, yet a little bit the same as unipolar. If one is bipolar they are not only prone to depression but also to mania, sometimes at the same time. Some might even say that being bipolar is better because it is less common than unipolar disorder but personally I think not. This assumption that bipolar and unipolar depressions are distinct has continued to guide research for almost 30 years (Cellar, A., Johnson, S., and Winters, R, 2005). Bipolar is really a mixture of depression with a side order of mania. When it comes to the causes of unipolar and bipolar disorders things are different. With bipolar “much evidence suggests that the illness has at least a partial genetic basis, but its origins are still uncertain. The symptoms...
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...Dissociative/Somatoform Disorders Lisa Mac Donald-Clark PSY/410 January 9, 2012 Mark Hurd Anxiety, Mood/Affective, Dissociative/Somatoform Disorders There are few things in this world as complex and fascinating as the inner workings of the human mind. Understanding mental disorders will afford people the opportunity recognize when an individual is suffering from a disorder, offer assistance, and support for friends and family who suffer from a disorder and be better equip to distinguish normal and abnormal behaviors and characteristics in oneself. By analyzing the biological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components of anxiety, mood/affective and dissociative/somatoform disorder one can begin to understand and identify the complexity of mental disorders. Diagnostic categories and classification for the use of identifying and diagnosing mental disorders is outlined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV-TR) (Hansell & Damour, 2008). This paper will explore the major categories of anxiety, mood/affective and dissociative/somatoform disorders, list symptoms associated with each, and discuss the biological, cognitive, and behavioral influences of each. The DSM IV-TR category for anxiety encompasses several disorders that fall within similar or shared symptoms. Obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic attacks, specific phobias, and general anxiety disorder are a few covered in the matrix. The matrix also categorizes mood/affective disorders to include...
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...Depression in this day in age is a very common occurrence in all individuals at some point in their life time. There is several different type of life events that happen to us that can cause the traits of depression to appear. Some of the most common life events that cause depression are traumatic events, death of loved ones, change in job, or even changes within one’s family life. These events that we experience can define how we as individuals will react to stressors within our lifestyles. On top of all these normal life events that most of us will experience there is a large percentage of individuals in the United States who will suffer from clinical depression and mental illness. These psychological disorders can range from severe to mild. Most individuals at some point in their lifetime will experience one or more symptoms of clinical depression. These symptoms can cause an individual not to be able to function as they normally would as well as increase the overall risk of suicide. This type of depression is known as Unipolar depression as classified by (Comer, 2005). These symptoms can also be seen in mood disorders. The disorder that these symptoms come into play with is called bipolar disorder. Throughout this paper I will explain the main causes, symptoms and treatment options that are available for these disorders. Through the use of the (DSM) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual we find that unipolar depression is defined as a major depressive state of being that...
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...Mood Disorders: Causes, Effects and Treatment Robert Baker Psychology GE1116 Dr. Angela Isom November 30, 2009 Mood Disorders: Causes, Effects and Treatments In today’s society, people seem to have a lot of problems that are classified as mental disorders. These disorders include: depression, schizophrenia, bipolar, and even seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The immediate stigma that is placed on most if not all mood disorders is that they are sicknesses. In the case of depression, this is not to confuse depression, a normal emotion with biological depression, an illness. Further along this line of irrational thought is the belief that they are not treatable and the person affected is in some way, shape or form disconnected from civilization as we know it. In this research paper, we will attempt to destroy these unfair stereotypes on this subject, attempt to rationalize the behaviors, and shed light on treatments for the various disorders. The research gathered will attempt to understand and answer these questions: 1. What are mood disorders and their symptoms? 2. What are the causes? 3. How can the stigma of mood disorders be removed? 4. What forms of treatment are the most successful? What Are Mood Disorders And Their Symptoms? In order to get a good idea of what causes mood disorders, we first must attempt to categorize what various classes of disorders...
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...structure, and behavior of individuals suffering Bipolar illness. This paper will evaluate their presentation and explain bipolar illness, explain the neurological damage or changes to the brain as a result of the illness, and also an explanation of the behavioral or functional changes that can occur as a result of the illness. I will touch bases on the following: • A description of the suspected or known causes of the illness • A discussion of current treatments or therapies and future research for the prevention or cure of the illness • The role of genetics on the onset of the illness • The visual appeal of the presentation • The overall organization of the information presented What is Bipolar disorder? Bipolar disorder is a mental illness which is also commonly known as manic-depressive illness. It is a brain disorder which causes abnormal changes in mood, energy and activity. This disorder interferes with one’s ability to handle everyday task. The symptoms and effects are extreme as this is considered a long term illness. Bipolar Disorder normally appears in an individual around their late teen or early adulthood, however some symptoms occur in childhood. An individual may have a bipolar disorder if the individual has manic symptoms for majority of the day, almost every day occurring for more than two weeks. Neurological & Brain changes Researchers believe bipolar disorder is partially caused by an unidentified problem...
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...An Unquiet Mind Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder marked by exceedingly grand and elevated moods along with exceptionally horrible periods of depression. The alters in mood and period of time in each excessive mood seem to be unpredictable and random. This very dangerous disease has a suicide rate nearing 10% with a self harm rate of around 40%. Kay Redfield Jamison, within her very unsettling, yet insightful book named An Unquiet Mind, bravely attempts to display and explain the disease to the public; which seems to have only a miniature grasp of the disorder. People, even well versed and educated at that, still associate certain stigmas with the disease. Jamison's main purposes for this very dark, yet necessary piece is to inform, educate and advocate. Within the later parts of her book, she states “I have become fundamentally and deeply skeptical that anyone who does not have this illness can truly understand it.” (page 174) However, even saying this, she still is determined to put the spotlight on this diseases and elucidate the problems one faces upon developing the disease. She tells of her horrific experiences due to bipolar disorder and how extremely long it took for her to accept the “rather bittersweet exchange of a comfortable and settled present existence” in exchange for a “troubled but intensely lived past.”(page 211). I found four themes as overwhelmingly evident and relevant throughout the entirety of the novel, being confusion, addiction, rejection and...
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...The Cause of Depression: Cognitive Perspective Kristin D Simpson-Oloso Psyc3002 Section 05 Cause of Depression Paper Capella University May 2016 Abstract Depression comes in many different forms such as major depression, dysthymia, postpartum depression, seasonal affective disorder, bipolar disorder, and psychotic depression. Along with the many different forms, there are also many symptoms, which include feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, loss of interest in daily activities, sleep changes, anger, and irritability, loss of energy, self-loathing, and reckless behavior. Although the exact cause of depression has eluded doctors, psychiatrists, nurses, and researchers since its inception, one of the key roles affecting depression is an individual’s environment. The Cause of Depression: Cognitive Perspective Environmental causes of depression are concerned with factors that are outside of us. They are not directly related to brain function, inherited traits from parents, medical illnesses, or anything else that may take place within us. Instead, environmental events are those things that happen in the course of our everyday lives that we can’t control. Age, community, society, and a person’s neighborhood do play apart in environmental depression. But, the three arguments’ that I will discuss are prolonged stress, childhood difficulties, or traumatic events. Stress and Depression Depression is a problem that is affecting 9% of U.S. Citizens...
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...IS IT BETTER TO BE MAD OR BAD.1 This essay will discuss normal and abnormal behaviour and how the definition of psychologists differentiates although defining normal and abnormal behaviour can be problematic because there is no single definition. It will also look at the current treatment of mental health and how to tackle these issues in the future. There are many ways that normal and abnormal behaviour can be defined for instant one concept is based on statistical for example something which is unusual to the society. Statistically: In this definition of abnormality behaviors which are seen as statistically rare are considered to be abnormal. In terms of statistics, abnormal behaviour involves any behaviour that is significantly different from the norm. for instance some one who is very clever is considered normal in terms of cleverness average on the other hand if some one is less or below the average he or she is considered abnormal. Therefore in the statistical impression, strange behavior improper behaviour could be classified as abnormal. Deviation from Social Norms defines the change or deviation of an individual, from society's traditional acts for example in some cultural backgrounds when couple are getting married women is responsible for every thing while others give the responsibility to the man and they thing other except from their tradition cultural believes is abnormal and they think if some does something different that he or she is deviated from cultural...
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...becomes prevalent when one’s responses begin to be defined as socially appropriate or not. An inappropriate or socially unexpectable response is then seen as abnormal, and thus categorized into mental illness. I believe that social construction plays a role in the view and diagnosis of mental illness because everyday stressors and the reaction to them are being socially labeled as symptoms of mental illness when in reality there is no “normal” response to issues experienced throughout an individual’s life. The media, politics and entertainment business play a large role in the view on what is socially normal and correct. For example, when someone falls short of these standards symptoms of depression and anxiety may result causing responses that are “abnormal”. Now that the symptoms’ have surfaced, they must be defined and many times easily being pointed in the direction of mental illness. I agree with Horwitz’s view suggesting that many issues that result in treatment and/or therapy are truly not a mental disorder, and the system used to classify the disease is not realistic. Disorders stemming from psychotic features such as bipolar disorder and depression, should be viewed more on as a continuum rather than entities that can be categorically placed (Horwitz, 2002). Disorders such as depression or bipolar disorder that fall in the continuum category aren’t socially constructed, being more biologically or chemically generated and having a prolonged effect. Jasmine Horwitz,...
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