Diagnosis and Management of Bipolar Disorder: A Comprehensive Report

This report provides a comprehensive overview of bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, a mental health condition characterized by frequent mood swings. It details the signs and symptoms of the disorder, including hypomania and depression, and explores potential origins, such as genetic and biological factors. The report outlines the investigative processes used for diagnosis, including physical exams, mood charting, psychiatric assessments, and the use of DSM-5 criteria. It also describes the referral process to specialist services and the various care services available, such as mental health hospitals and rehabilitation centers. The roles and responsibilities of professionals involved in patient care, including nurses, physiotherapists, and counselors, are discussed, along with a range of treatment options, such as medications and psychotherapy. The report also covers the monitoring process to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions, strategies for adapting to the illness, and coping strategies. Finally, it provides insights into the prognosis and long-term outcomes associated with bipolar disorder.

Running head: BIPOLAR
BIPOLAR
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

1Bipolar
Abstract:
Bipolar disorder also known as manic-depressive sickness, which is mental health illness.
Bipolar disorder is responsible for causing frequent mood swings and is associated with more
recurrent episodes of depression and hypomania. It is observed in individual of any age. The
essay focusses on the overview of bipolar disorder. The essay includes the signs and symptoms
of the bipolar disorder which is commonly observed in case of patient suffering from bipolar
disorder. The actual origin of the bipolar disorder is assumed to be either genetic that is from the
family member or is biological such as nerve damage. In order to provide appropriate treatment
to the individual who has been suffering from the disorder, diagnosis is conducted which is
mentioned in the essay along with the preventive strategies. In order to evaluate the efficiency of
the preventive strategies, regular motoring should be performed. As in the case of bipolar the
patient might feel difficulty to adapt with the new illness. Hence coping strategies are evaluated
in the essay. The roles and responsibilities of the health care specialist who are involved in the
treatment of the patient are listed in the essay along with the care service that assist the patient in
getting a quick recovery.

2Bipolar
Table of Contents
Introduction:....................................................................................................................................2
Signs and symptoms:.......................................................................................................................2
Origins:............................................................................................................................................3
Investigative process:.......................................................................................................................4
The process of referral to identified specialist services:..................................................................5
Care services available:...................................................................................................................6
The roles and responsibilities of professionals:...............................................................................6
Range of treatments available for the condition:.............................................................................7
The monitoring process:..................................................................................................................7
Adapting to the new illness:............................................................................................................7
Coping strategies:............................................................................................................................8
Prognosis and long term outcome:..................................................................................................8
Conclusion:......................................................................................................................................9
Reference:......................................................................................................................................10

3Bipolar
Introduction:
Bipolar disorder is defined as the manic-depressive sickness, which is a brain illness
which causes frequent shifts in the mood, activity levels, energy and the skill to continue regular
tasks (Grande et al. 2016). There are mainly four different types of bipolar disorder such as,
Bipolar I Disorder, Bipolar II Disorder, Cyclothymic Disorder (also known as cyclothymia), and
the Other Unspecified and specified Bipolar Related Disorders (Van Meter et al. 2018). All of
these bipolar disorder have negative impact on the mental and physical health of the individual
and other than that it also have negative impact on the energy, mood and the activity levels
(Grande et al. 2016). There is no cure of the person suffering from bipolar depression, however
there are strategies to manage the mood of the person (Bilal et al., 2018). If the person suffering
from bipolar disorder are not managed effectively, it can destroy both the personal such as
family, friends and relationship and professional life such as, career, academic performance of
the person (Bora, Bartholomeusz and Pantelis 2016). According to Mental Health Foundation
(2019), bipolar is considered as the 4th most common illness of mental health. Around 4 million
cases of bipolar disorder were reported in the United Kingdom.
Signs and symptoms:
Symptoms of the bipolar disorder vary from person to person based on the severity of the
disease, and according to the mood of the individual (Beiwinkel et al. 2016). In some individuals
vibrant mood swings have been observed with symptoms of obsession, mania and after that of
the depression which lasts for about several months to year if left untreated, or stay stable
between them for several months (Nicholas et al. 2015). It depends upon person to person, some
stay in high mood for months whereas some stay in low mood for the several months (Pfennig et

4Bipolar
al. 2016). Hence there are two types of symptoms observed which are of hypomania or mania
and depression (Bart, Abramson and Alloy 2019).
The mania or hypomania symptoms observed in case of bipolar disorder includes,
impaired judgment, feeing "wired", a feeling of boredom or distraction, visible professional
underperformance (education and career), they think that they can achieve anything and believe
that nothing can happen wrong with them, high probability of involving in risky performance,
extreme self-confidence and rapid talking behavior, exhilarated and extremely forthcoming
(Smagula et al. 2018).
The depressive symptoms include life-threatening sadness, insomnia, anxiety, fatigue,
weight loss, mood swings, a feeling of hopelessness, low attention, irritation, underperformance,
altered eating patterns and guilt (Tondo H Vazquez and J Baldessarini 2017).
Symptoms of bipolar disorder varies from men and women. The symptoms observed in
case of women is frequent depressive episodes along with frequent episodes of mania and
hypomania, thyroid disease, anxiety disorder, migraines, obesity and increased consumption of
alcohol (Driscoll et al. 2017). The symptoms observed in case of men includes, excessive
substance use and improper act during maniac episodes. Attempt to suicides has also been
observed (Salloum and Brown 2017).
Origins:
The actual reason of bipolar disorder is not known but it depends upon several factors
such as, genetic and biological factors (Kessing et al. 2015). According to Kerner (2015), there
are certain genetic component which are responsible for the bipolar disorder. Hence, there are

5Bipolar
chances that person might get the bipolar disorder who has a family member suffering from that
condition (Hjorthøj et al. 2015). In patient suffering from bipolar disorder, physical changes has
been observed in the brain (Sigitova et al. 2015). Neurotransmitter disparities seems to play a
crucial role in several mood disorders which also includes bipolar disorder (Muneer 2016). Apart
from the brain-chemical discrepancies, hormonal imbalance also appear to be responsible in
triggering the bipolar disorder (Yang et al., 2016). Environmental factors such as, mental stress,
abuse, grief, traumatic event are responsible also contribute to the cause of bipolar disorder
(Vieta et al. 2018).
Investigative process:
To diagnose, bipolar disorder numerous tests are completed by the general practitioner. In
order to diagnose bipolar disorder in an individual physical exam is executed as recommended
by the general practitioner where numerous queries concerning the mental health and physical of
the patient (Ghaemi 2016). The result which is gathered by conducting the physical exam is
connected with the underlying cause of bipolar disorder (Zhou et al. 2018). An investigative
process known as mood charting is conducted in case of patient suffering from bipolar disorder.
In the mood charting process, the mood of the person is evaluated by analyzing the sleep patterns
and other factors in order to find the appropriate treatment for the patient (Strejilevich et al.
2019).
Apart from mood charting, psychiatric assessment helps in examining bipolar disorder
among different individual. Psychiatric assessment helps in the evaluation of the mental well-
being complexity of the patient. In the psychiatric assessment, indications, approaches, opinions
and the performance arrangements which is assessed by the aid of questionnaire (Fritz et al.
2017). DSM-5 is also a test which is conducted for the diagnosis and analysis of the bipolar

6Bipolar
disorder. In the DSM-5, the therapist and the psychiatrist uses standards registered for the bipolar
disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders that is available by the
American Psychiatric Association among public (Machado-Vieira et al. 2016).
The process of referral to identified specialist services:
As in the case of bipolar disorder, frequent episodes of depression and mania. For the
management of the person who has been suffering from bipolar disorder, the individual is
refereed to different health specialist.
For the improved recovery of the individual suffering from bipolar disorder, the patient
after from the family and close friends is referred to the doctor, which recommends medication
that includes drugs such as, a Mood stabilizers, Atypical antipsychotics and Antidepressants to
the individual that contribute in the rapid recovery from the disease (MacDonald et al 2016).
The patient has been also mentioned to the psychotherapist. Psychotherapist uses talk
therapy and Psychotherapy education in case of children who has been suffering from bipolar
disorder (Young and Fristad 2015).
In the case of patient suffering from severe illness the patient is recommended to
officially visit a councilor as it support the enduring to recover from the mental sickness.
Counselor conducts several advising session (Myers 2018). Apart from the councilor and the
psychotherapy an individual is also recommended to meet a physiotherapist. Physiotherapist
encourages an individual to involve in diverse physical movement (Khan et al. 2019). The
patient has also been recommended to the dietician as the patient suffering from bipolar disorder
loses excessive weight (Łojko, Stelmach-Mardas and Suwalska 2019).

7Bipolar
Care services available:
In the case of patient suffering from bipolar disorder, frequent episodes of mood swings
and depression has been observed, which if not taken care of properly can lead to adverse health
effects. Hence, it is extremely necessary to take care of the patient. For the appropriate care of
the patient, help of the licensed mental health specialists is to be taken and psychiatrist care
service is also considered (Kessing, Vradi and Andersen 2015). In case of more severe patient,
mental health hospitals are there, where proper care of the patient is taken and also 24 hour
should be provided (Townsend and Morgan 2017). In the case of bipolar disorder, excessive
substance use has also been observed, for that the rehabilitation care service has been provided to
the patient (Messer et al. 2017).
The roles and responsibilities of professionals:
The professionals involved in the care of patient suffering from bipolar disorder are
Dietician, nurse, psychotherapist, physiotherapist, general physician and counselor. All of the
mentioned have different roles and responsibilities. It is the duty of the registered nurse to take
proper care of the patient by building a good rapport with the patient with the help of effective
communication (Nimh.nih.gov 2019). Physiotherapist encourages the patient to involve in
physical activity and helps the patient to live a standard life (Khan et al. 2019).psychotherapist
helps in improving the mental wellbeing of the patient (Young and Fristad 2015). General
physician maintain the physical health of the individual by assessing the vital signs and by
providing medication (MacDonald et al 2016). Counselor helps the patient to avoid negativity
from the life and encourages the patient to enjoy at the fullest (Myers 2018). As in the case of
bipolar disorder, excessive weight loss is commonly observed, hence dietician helps in reducing
the weight loss of the patient (Łojko, Stelmach-Mardas and Suwalska 2019).

8Bipolar
Range of treatments available for the condition:
Several ways of treatment are available for the treatment of bipolar disorder which
include counseling, medications, and lifestyle modifications. Medication includes, Mood
stabilizers, atypical antipsychotics and Antidepressants (MacDonald et al 2016). Another popular
treatment available for the treatment of bipolar disorder is Psychotherapy which include,
Cognitive behavioral therapy, Cognitive behavioral therapy, psycho education, social rhythm and
Interpersonal therapy, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), sleep medications, supplements, and
acupuncture (MacQueen and Memedovich 2017). Patient is also encouraged to modify the life-
style such as, healthy eating, sleeping and talking with friends and family and also regular visit
with doctor (Lund and Pedersen 2016)
The monitoring process:
Effective monitoring is extremely important for the quick recovery of the patient
suffering from bipolar disorder. Monitoring in case of bipolar disorder is conducted regularly to
evaluate the effectiveness of the applied intervention (Merikangas et al. 2019).The monitoring of
the in case of bipolar disorder, involves the consistent assessment of the signs and indications of
bipolar disorder. If after the intervention the condition of the patient is observed to be enhanced,
the applied interventions are said to be effective (Faurholt-Jepsen et al. 2016). If the indications
and symptoms of the patient suffering from bipolar disorder is said to be under control or
reduced, the interventions are continued and if it is observed that the interventions are not
effective, it is again evaluated (Saunders et al. 2017).
Adapting to the new illness:

9Bipolar
The person suffering from bipolar disorder shows different signs and symptoms such as
obesity, anxiety and other illness. Due to which, it becomes extremely difficult for the person to
adapt to the illness (Stein, Bass and Hofmann 2019). The bipolar disorder comes along with
other illness which worse the health condition of the patient (Irfan et al. 2019). This sudden
change in the mental and physical wellbeing of the patient makes it difficult for the patient to
adapt to the new illness (Rago, Čyras and Toni 2016). It is sometimes observed that due to the
medication that has been prescribed to the patient leads to certain side effects. These effects
creates difficulty in the adaption (McKenzie and Chang 2015).
Coping strategies:
As bipolar disorder is associated with the frequent episodes of mania and depression
which can destroy the physical and mental wellbeing of the patient. Hence to avoid such adverse
health effects, coping strategies can be used. The coping strategies include, controlling the
excessive stress as it poses negative impact on the mental health of the individual. The person
should keep a consistent schedule in order to control the mood swings (Nitzburg et al. 2016).
The person should involve in physical activity and healthy eating and sleeping habits
(Deckersbach, Eisner and Sylvia 2016). Substance use should be reduced and if possible the
person should be involved in writing about their daily events (Gold et al. 2018).
Prognosis and long term outcome:
Apart from the short term approaches, bipolar disorder long term effects are also there.
Long term effects observed in case of bipolar disorder includes more frequent episodes of mania
and depression. It hampers both the personal and the professional life of the individual due to
low self-confidence and self-esteem (Tondo H Vazquez and J Baldessarini, 2017). It can also

10Bipolar
cause brain damage and severe episodes of depression, obesity and diabetes (Hajek et al. 2015).
Due to depression, more frequent attempts of suicide are observed which can lead to death
(Richard-Devantoy et al. 2016).
Conclusion:
From the above essay it can be concluded that, bipolar disorder is a mental illness which
is associated with the frequent episodes of mania and depression which can destroy the physical
and mental wellbeing of the patient. In the essay, the signs and symptoms such as impaired
judgment, feeing "wired", a feeling of boredom or distraction, life-threatening sadness, insomnia,
anxiety, fatigue, weight loss, mood swings, a feeling of hopelessness, low attention, irritation,
underperformance, altered eating patterns and guilt are discussed. The actual reason of the
disorder is not known but it depends upon several factors such as, genetic and biological factors.
The investigative process used in the diagnosis of the disorder which includes, mood charting,
psychiatric assessment, physical exam and DSM 5 is discussed. In the above essay, the specialist
such as specialist such as physiotherapist, counselor, and dietician are involved and the care
service which are involved in the treatment is mentioned. It becomes difficult for the patient to
adapt the new illness hence the coping strategies which can be during bipolar disorder is
mentioned. In the essay, the prognosis ad long term outcome is also stated.

11Bipolar
Reference:
Bart, C.P., Abramson, L.Y. and Alloy, L.B., 2019. Impulsivity and Behavior-Dependent Life
Events Mediate the Relationship of Reward Sensitivity and Depression, but Not Hypomania,
Among at-Risk Adolescents. Behavior therapy, 50(3), pp.531-543.
Beiwinkel, T., Kindermann, S., Maier, A., Kerl, C., Moock, J., Barbian, G. and Rössler, W.,
2016. Using smartphones to monitor bipolar disorder symptoms: a pilot study. JMIR mental
health, 3(1), p.e2.
Bilal, A., Khan, F.H., Polick, S. and Haque, S., 2018. Manic after having found a'cure'for
Alzheimer's disease. Current Psychiatry, 17(9), pp.49-54.
Bora, E., Bartholomeusz, C. and Pantelis, C., 2016. Meta-analysis of Theory of Mind (ToM)
impairment in bipolar disorder. Psychological medicine, 46(2), pp.253-264.
Deckersbach, T., Eisner, L. and Sylvia, L., 2016. Cognitive behavioral therapy for bipolar
disorder. In The Massachusetts General Hospital Handbook of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
(pp. 87-103). Humana Press, New York, NY.
Driscoll, K.E., Sit, D.K., Moses‐Kolko, E.L., Pinheiro, E., Yang, A., Ciolino, J.D., Eng, H.F.,
Luther, J.F., Clark, C.T., Wisniewski, S.R. and Wisner, K.L., 2017. Mood symptoms in pregnant
and postpartum women with bipolar disorder: a naturalistic study. Bipolar disorders, 19(4),
pp.295-304.
Faurholt-Jepsen, M., Munkholm, K., Frost, M., Bardram, J.E. and Kessing, L.V., 2016.
Electronic self-monitoring of mood using IT platforms in adult patients with bipolar disorder: a
systematic review of the validity and evidence. BMC psychiatry, 16(1), p.7.