Bipolar_Disorder__a_Quest_for_Understanding

Bipolar Disorder: A Quest for Understanding Psychology is an ever expanding field that has grown to encompass several different issues. These issues range from subjects concerning human behavior and why humans behave the way they do, as well as what causes a person to develop a psychological disorder that effect their behavior. There are several psychological disorders and with each disorder comes a variety of causes and effects that psychologist devote their life to studying. One of the more complex psychological disorders is bipolar disorder. According to Myers (2011), “Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder in which the person alternates between the hopelessness and lethargy of depression and the overexcited state of mania” (p.481). When a person who has bipolar disorder reaches the manic phase, they are “typically over talkative, overactive and elated” (Myers, 2011, p. 481). However, what goes up must come down and once the person reaches the peak manic state, eventually they reach the depressive state. Myers (2011) states that “Though bipolar disorder is much less common that major depressive disorder, it is often more dysfunctional” (p. 482). This mood disorder can be classified into four types that include: Bipolar I, Bipolar II, Cyclothymic Disorder and Bipolar disorder not otherwise specified (“Using APA”, 2010). As with most psychological disorders, there is still much that we do not understand. However, based on research that combines understanding of the patients and symptoms as well as potential causes, bipolar disorder is a result of biological factors as well as environmental factors and with proper treatment can be controlled. One of the contributing pieces of bipolar disorder is biological factors. When discussing bipolar disorder, the most prevalent biological factor is genetics. Myers (2011) stated, “We have long known that mood disorders run in families” (p.484). In fact, the likelihood that a person will develop bipolar disorder is much greater “if you have a parent or sibling with the disorder” (Myers, 2011, p. 484). According to Phelps (2008), bipolar disorder is a different breed from most other mood disorders, in fact there are several different combinations of genes that can be traced back to different forms of the disorder. As he states, “there are many different bipolar disorders” (Phelps, 2008, Chapter 1 The Genetic Basis of Bipolar Disorder, para. 4). Although genes play an important role in predisposition to this condition, there are other factors. In fact, there are “at least two neurotransmitter systems [that] play a role in mood disorders” (Myers, 2011, p. 486). The first one is norepinephrine (Myers, 2011, p. 486) which serves to boost mood and increase arousal (Edmunds. 2012). Norepinephrine is extremely scarce during depression and overabundant during mania, which obviously creates mood distortion for an individual (Myers, 2011, p. 486). Serotonin is the second neurotransmitter that plays a role due to the fact that it is also scarce during depression (Myers, 2011, p. 486). The cycle makes full circle when Plomin and McGuffin (2003) discovered that some genes “provide codes for a protein that controls serotonin activity” (as cited in Myers, 2011, p. 486). Currently, there is still extensive research concerning the biological factors that contribute to bipolar disorder. Environmental factors also play a significant role in bipolar disorder. Myers (2011) said it best when he stated that “biological influences contribute to depression but don’t fully explain in” (p. 486). In fact, events like death and divorce can cause the disorder to appear, as well as other stressors (“Using APA”, 2010). Specifically in teenagers, puberty can cause immense stress (“Using APA”, 2010). Unfortunately, a variety of stressors and environmental factors can contribute to a person showing symptoms of this disorder and it is difficult to pin-point specific factors, especially since individual experiences can vary greatly (Myers, 2011, p. 486). Based on these finding, it is reasonable to come to the conclusion that quite frequently, people have a gene or some sort of biological predisposition to a condition, but unless they are exposed to some stressor or environmental factor, they never present as having the disorder. Bipolar disorder can be extremely debilitating and can be very challenging to control. According to Myers (2011), there is no known cure for bipolar disorder (p. 481). This is due primarily to the fact that “we do not know the fundamental causes and cannot therefore target our treatments accordingly” (Phelps, 2008, The Biologic Bases of Bipolar Disorder, para. 2). It is because of this lack of understanding that there is extensive research concerning bipolar disorder and its causes in effect today. Although there is not a cure for this disorder, a combination of medication and psychotherapy can be incorporated to create a treatment plan in order to help and individual cope with the disorder (“Using APA”. 2010). Bipolar disorder, like most other mood disorders, does not discriminate, according to Myers (2011), this disorder affects men and woman equally (pg. 482). The reason for this is currently unknown. Due to the fact that there is currently much debate centering around the exact cause of the disorder, there is no known treatment but there is still hope for those who suffer from this disorder. In conclusion, based on my research it is apparent that the combination of biological factors and environmental factors contribute to the contraction of this disorder and despite a significant lack of understanding, with the correct treatment plan, an individual can learn to cope with their symptoms. There is still hope! References Author. (2010). “Bipolar Disorder”. Kidshealth.org. Retrieved April 19, 2012, from http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/bipolar.html# Edmunds, H. (2012). In class Myers, D.G. (2011). Exploring Psychology Eighth Edition in Modules (pp. 480-486). New York: Worth Publishers. Phelps, J. (2008). “The Biological Bases of Bipolar Disorder”. Psycheducation.org. Retrieved April 19, 2012., from http://www.psycheducation.org/BipolarMechanism/introduction.html