In America it is considered normal for teens to engage in a certain amount of limit-testing that may not be acceptable in other cultures. Additionally, mental illness as a whole is more stigmatized in Chinese culture, which may make Miranda's parents more reluctant to acknowledge that their daughter may have a mental health issue and are more eager to view her issues as self-willed (Alonso et al
However, the fact that both Miranda's mother and brother have shown signs of mental illness in the past indicates that Miranda's issues may have a biological basis. Her parents are not receptive to the idea of treating their daughter with medications for a psychological condition despite the fact that most mental health practitioners concur that some form of pharmaceutical treatment is necessary in addressing the needs of patients exhibiting bipolarity, which is the diagnosis suggested by Miranda's pediatrician (Duffy et al
Many people suffer from the disease for a longer period before the appropriate treatment and diagnosis. This order is a long-term and complete illness that requires proper management (Goodwin & Jamison, 2007)
A few studies have shown a relationship between the outcomes of bipolar disorder and the social support. It has also been shown that the increased levels of social support are related with the enhanced outcomes as fewer relapses of depression or mania and improved recovery (Johnson et al
In the negative thinking stole of a person there is a tendency of a person to blame himself in the wrong situation. That person further considers the world and other people in a negative light (Jones et al
For instance, the length of time between the different episodes can also vary. There are many people who experience symptoms of mood and the episodes that are related to the problems in day-to-day functioning and stress (Judd et al
In many of the severe cases, the affected person can also feel psychotic symptoms like delusions or hallucinations. In the feeling of mania, some people can also feel belligerent and angry instead of the feeling of euphoria (Miklowitz, 2011)
Younger adolescents can also experience these problems, but they do not experience the extreme mood swings. The milder mood swings are called as cyclothymia (Parker, McCraw & Fletcher, 2012)
In many of the cases, the criticisms or protectiveness of the family members shows their efforts to cope up with the daily life problems. It should also be noted that the patterns can be altered or modified by the family therapy, which is helpful in the improvement of the outcomes of a patient with bipolar disorder (Rea et al
Those people who only have a feeling of depression is that some people who suffer from bipolar disorder are involved in the risk taking behavior according to the low mood. This includes consumption of alcohol, risky sexual behavior and street drugs (Thomas et al
These types of communication patterns can be addressed by using the psychological help. Secondly, the different sources of informal support and friendships are also important (Weinstock et al
The enhanced social relationships are also related to the increased likelihood of a person who is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and he gains employment. Furthermore, he shows better functioning in the working environment (Wilkins, 2004)
Family Environment Patterns in Families with Bipolar Children A scholarly research article in the Journal of Affective Disorders delved into the way families function that have bipolar children in the household -- juxtaposed with families that had only healthy children. The point of the article was to see if there were "greater levels of dysfunction" in those families with bipolar children (Belardinelli, et al
Using the Family Environment Scale again (FES), the authors involved 24 families with at least one parent with bipolar disorder and 27 families with both parents reported to be healthy. Following their investigations, the authors found that "…Seventeen (71%) of the 24 bipolar families had at least one child with a mood disorder," but only one child among the 27 healthy families was reported to have a mood disorder (DelBello, et al
This paper reviews patterns that can be identified in the literature relating to individuals living with bipolar sufferers and the resulting circumstances. Children of Bipolar Parents In a brief article published in the peer-reviewed Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter, the authors report on a pilot study that delved into the "initial course of psychiatric illness" in the adolescent offspring of parents who have the bipolar disorder (Duffy, et al
DelBello discusses "expressiveness" in the sense that healthy families have the ability to express their feelings, which creates a positive environment; and so a cohesive family can help to promote "cognitive and emotional development," and knowing this, those with the skill and knowledge to intervene should pay heed to these environmental factors within families (620). Survey of Parents with Bipolar Disorder A survey of 266 parents with bipolar disorder -- who have at least one child (30 years of age or younger) -- was published in the peer-reviewed journal BMC Psychiatry (Peay, et al
¶ … bipolar condition, serious as it can be in disrupting a person's normal living patterns, and the patterns of those living with the person with a bipolar condition, is seen in only about one percent of the U.S. population (Zai, et al
But perhaps not-so coincidentally, this spike in diagnosis also coincided with the rise in drugs designed to treat the disorder. "The spread of the diagnosis has been a boon to drug makers, according to these experts, because treatment typically includes medications that can be three to five times more expensive than those prescribed for other disorders, like depression or anxiety" (Carey 2007)
The increase also makes bipolar disorder more commonly diagnosed among children than depression, the later of which is usually thought of as the most common mood disorder. Most children whose emotional problems are now diagnosed as bipolar disorder have symptoms of aggression and explosive rage, symptoms that once usually gave rise to a diagnosis of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and conduct disorders rather than bipolarity (Egan 2008, p
It was once largely considered an adult condition, usually beginning in adolescence. Now, the pediatric version of the diagnosis has become common, even in children as young as six (Geller 2004)