Family Members with Bipolar and how it affects families

Abstract

In this research paper, the researcher highlighted one of the social problems of the society. Bipolar is among those illness that directly affect the working of the brain and thus causing severe damages to the family life. The researcher tried to give the readers an idea about the disease and also highlighted some of the important aspects of the disease. These aspects are the consequences of the disease. How the family and the patients react towards the disease, and what are the steps that can bring the patient back to life.

Family Members with Bipolar and how it affects families

Introduction

Bipolar disorder (also called manic-depressive illness) is an alteration of the mechanisms that regulate mood, so that common changes experienced by anyone in their vitality, are heightened to a point that may even require hospitalization. People with this problem are, for days, weeks or months, periods of loss of interest in usual activities, poor concentration, intense apathy (or disfavor any small task becomes an insurmountable hurdle) and sleep disturbances and appetite (both in terms of increase or decrease). These symptoms are common to the various forms of depression. However, these patients also reverse episodes in which they feel capable of anything, they embark on numerous projects, talk too much, spend money profusely and get upset easily when they take the opposite. These phases are called 'mania' or 'hypomania' as its intensity. Some patients eventually exhibit mixed phases, which are mixed symptoms of depression and euphoria symptoms (La-Flair, 2008).

Discussion

The remission phases

Fortunately, the person suffering from bipolar disorder all his life does not pass from one phase to another. There are periods in which, after recovery from a crisis of any kind, the mood is becoming normalized and symptoms of the disease disappear almost completely. These phases of the call reference euthymic phases. Euthymia means "right mood". During this phase it is precisely when we have to trust least, pretending nothing happened and there is no problem. Instead, you must pay attention, not obsessed, to prevent any of the symptoms of a new crisis. This requires following the recommendations of the psychiatrist and preventive medications. This medication is intended to extend the maximum time possible remission and prevent, or at least soften the appearance of a new episode of illness. Being in remission does not mean being cured, but is as close to the concept of healing. The disease however is asleep and not wake up we must try. Later we will give some tips to help keep the disease compensated.

As mentioned, bipolar disorder is a disturbance of the biological mechanisms that regulate mood. The operation of these mechanisms depends on two factors: genetic and environmental factors. We now know that bipolar disorder genetics plays an important role, since it is responsible for the bad mood is regulated. Environmental factors may act as precipitating the crisis, but usually require some hereditary predisposition for the disease. Many people are surprised about it because the disease are manifested in adulthood, or because no similar cases in the ...