Bipolar Disorder

By: Anna Kazmi

Psychology is basically the way the human brain functions; how its functioning affects one’s mentality, how that mentality affects one’s behaviour, and how that behaviour aids in or restricts one from living one’s life as one wants to. A psychological disorder, also known as mental disability, can occur at any stage of life – it can be there by birth as well. Often, such disorders can be cured, but sometimes the damage inflict to the nervous system is too severe to overcome. There are many instances when people don’t like to admit to the fact that they are affected by a certain type of psychological disorder; as it is an ’embarrassing reality’ to them. They do not want others to know about their psychological disorders so as to avoid becoming a topic of discussion or being subjected to their ridicule and derision. Many people take psychological disorders as a normal thing; something that can be cured; and if not that, then something that is not of much import as it doesn’t seem to have ‘major effects’ on the persona of the affected individual. Often, the very family of the affected person is unmindful of his state of mind and heart, and how and what he is going through. Social criticism and public disgrace also make most psychologically challenged people keep their ailments to themselves though it often results in the sickness getting out of hand. People should understand the fact that one’s psychological disorder is not one’s own fault and for that one should not be blamed, and that it can be the result of some sort of trauma or a specific event the person may have witnessed or experienced.

Most of the suicides committed around the world are those of the youngsters or preadolescents, and the principal cause behind nearly 75 percent of them is psychological disorders; mainly depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress order, etc. Sometimes, the person would be a patient of obsessive compulsive disorder, at other times he would be deeply affected by anorexia, or in other words, an eating disorder. Many such disorders may lead to extremely harsh outcomes. Therefore, it is advisable to take them seriously, and get them treated as soon as possible so as to avoid letting, the sickness get out of hand.

Bipolar disorder, also known as “manic depression” is one of the most commonly diagnosed psychological disorders. Bipolar, meaning “two poles,” refers to the two poles, or the two ends or phases, which the affected person goes through viz. mania or hypomania and extreme depression. Mania is derived from the Greek word, “Mainesthai” which can be described as hyperactivity, overexcitement, or euphoria. Similarly, hypomania is considered a milder, but equally concerning, form of mania. When a person goes through this side of the bipolar disorder, he tends to do silly things, without thinking about their consequences. The other phase of this disorder is depression of the severest kind. This malady has adverse effects on the person’s emotional stability, and can sometimes result in suicide, for when the person is in the depressive state – the other side of this disorder – he has a rather negative outlook on life, whereas in other cases, self-harm is more common. This condition can be cured with the help of psychotherapy and medication.

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People should always be up for any opportunity to be able to help the psychologically challenged people. One of the most important ways to establish a connection with such a patient is to treat him as kindly as one would treat a normal person. A patient should not be made to feel that he or she is an exception; rather (s)he should be regarded as one of our own kind. We should always be sympathetic towards such people, and never let them feel as though one pities them or is sorry for them. They have just as much of the right to mental treatment as any other human being does. We should all spread awareness among our fellow beings to let them know how serious mental illnesses are, and how we can help people dodge the “mentally disturbed” bullet. We should all do our part in helping make this world a better place to live in.