Abnormal Psychology
Introduction
Throughout history, psychologists have tried to comprehend the unusual patterns in human behaviors that are termed abnormal. However, the term usually has long been a contentious point of debate among psychologists. A behavior is termed normal, depending on the society in context (Mclntyre & Calabrese, 2019). Years of research have been conducted by the DSM to establish criteria to term a behavior as being normal or abnormal. Abnormality in behavior is not a very precise concept, and it can take many forms and involve different features such that the first glance of it is very reasonable only to turn out problematic. An in-depth analysis of Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder, and a biological perspective on its cause and treatment is provided below.
Bipolar disorder is a cyclic mood disorder affecting 1% of the world’s population, where the patient experiences phases of depression and mania. It usually begins during the youth. When its occurrence is chronic, it can be fatal or lead to the morbidity of the individual, making bipolar the leading cause of disability among the youth today and the working class. Early intervention strategies are crucial in changing the course of the illness and to reverse reversible outcomes, as therapy during the early phases is more responsive than in advanced stages. Evidence from resulting from longitudinal studies indicate the presence of parental early-onset bipolar as the most dominant form of bipolar as opposed to the full-blown manic phase.
There is also some risk factor embedded in the course of bipolar disorder; some are modifiable while others are just too risky to undertake. By using biomarkers or diagnoses, physicians can identify individuals that are more susceptible to transition into bipolar; however, the unreliability of technological form of diagnosis renders it useless. As a result of this, bipolar is classified into two Bipolar I and Bipolar II, the latter being associated with prolonged phases of depressive behaviors, and it accompanies an unstable mood shift (Rowland, T., & Mahrwaha, S. 2018). The complex nature of bipolar depression is a result of subsyndromal symptoms from the depression pole, and it is complemented by the phase from the opposite pole of the phase. Patients that experience bipolar depression are more susceptible to suicide and psychosis.
Considering all the forms of bipolar, bipolar depression is the leading cause of psychological illness. The continuous cause of bipolar is attributed to its cognitive and medical/biological with a more recent focus on premature aging as a course. Research that incorporated 1130 patients with bipolar disorder revealed that the average depressive period is 5.2 months, having doubled the maniac phase of 3.2months. The first episode of bipolar is set to occur before the patient hits 30 years (Mcleod, S. 2018). In this study, 60% of the patients experiencing bipolar were at the age of 18 years and had a history of comorbidity anxiety and had a history of substance abuse and more likely to commit suicide. In almost half the cases of bipolar, it always begins with the depression phase.
Treatment of Bipolar
The use of pharmaceutical drugs suppresses bipolar disorder. For acute cases, the objective of treatment is to delete the symptoms, with the significant aim of full remission. Maintenance treatment aims at preventing recurring of the mood episodes. Medication used suppressing bipolar is referred to as stabilizer; a good example is Lithium Valproate and other antidepressants (Mclntyre, R., & Calabrese). Mood stabilizers are the first consideration when treating bipolar; however, it has many limitations, such as slow in action and only treats acute mania. The most effective method is the use of conventional antidepressants; however, it has been faced with controversies in the treatment of bipolar. The main point of concern is that the use of antidepressants may cause spontaneous switch between mania and hypomania phases in a patient. It is found to occur to 3% of patients who use whose treatment entails the use of antidepressants.
The other point of concern is that antidepressant is unable to suppress the mania from recurring and therefore it is sometimes ruled out as the correct outcome at most times is not known. Another more classical approach is the use of psychological treatment such as individual psychotherapies and psychological counseling, and group therapies are some of the most effective means of treating bipolar disorder (Mclntyre, R., & Calabrese, 2019). The most common means of psychological treatment is the use of education and focussing on adherence to drugs and dietary prescription and also educating the general public in giving support to people with bipolar.
Conclusion
Bipolar disorder is agony to many patients, their caretakers, and the whole community managing bipolar posses a challenge both the society and the family members of those deceased. The only way is to understand those in need of special care truly. It is the obligation of the health care worker to the safety profiles of these agents, and it is our whole responsibility to have a healthy psychological lifestyle, thereby preventing bipolar.
Reference
Mcleod, S. (2018). Abnormal Psychology | Simply Psychology. Simplypsychology.org. Retrieved 18 June 2020, from https://www.simplypsychology.org/abnormal-psychology.html.
Mclntyre, R., & Calabrese, J. (2019). Bipolar depression: the clinical characteristics and unmet needs of a complex disorder. Taylor & Francis. Retrieved 18 June 2020, from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03007995.2019.1636017.
Murray, B., & Mcmew, B. (2020). Diagnosis &Treatment of patients with Bipolar. The American Association Of Nurses, 1-3. Retrieved 18 June 2020, from.
Rowland, T., & Mahrwaha, S. (2018). Epidemiology and risk of bipolar. Psychopharmacology. Retrieved 18 June 2020, from https://www.steadyhealth.com/articles/bipolar-disorder-and-anxiety-which-comes-first-and-what-if-you-have-both.