Manic Depression Disorder Research Paper

Manic Depression

Guiding Questions: Does Manic Depression Distort Thoughts and Moods? Does It Incite Dreadful Behavior? Should people with manic depression give birth? Are there hindrances to healing Manic Depression?

Manic depression is an appalling and terrifying disease that affects many people, who spend years wishing for the end because of their inability to accomplish even the simplest tasks. Additionally, they withdraw themselves from families and friends and have the fear of the social gatherings. Indeed, the affected try to commit suicide as they abhor the lack of productivity, creativity, or due to inexpressible unhappiness. Most importantly, the disease tends to control the actions and thoughts of an individual. In fact, when suffering, one cannot think freely as they wish or as accorded by their talents. Therefore, the current paper seeks to illustrate that manic depression distorts the thoughts and the mood; it incites behaviors, which are dreadful for an individual, as well as proves destructive to the rational thinking. Accordingly, the paper also seeks to depict its erosion of the will and desire to live, therefore, denying such patients a chance to give birth is not a solution that can substitute the required care.

Manic Depression Distorts Thoughts and Moods

Jamison notes that an individual suffering from a bipolar disorder succumbs to a specific type of pain, terror, loneliness as well as elation while in the state of depression (45). According to her, when an individual is in a high mood, the situation may seem tremendous (45). The feelings and ideas become so frequently changeable that any sign of personal shyness simply complies with a feelings of easiness, power, intensity, emotional omnipotence, as euphoria pervades within an individual. Unfortunately, with time, the feelings change greatly, and overwhelming forces replace any clarity and clear the memory. Thus, the aspiration and the humor of the surrounding people are gradually replaced with the concern and fear. Everything that seemed workable change and the individual becomes frightened, irritable and angry when the problem of depression develops.

Nonetheless, if one receives a proper therapy and medication, it might be possible for them to regain the control of their life. However, many manic-depressives fear that medicaments would control their bodies, whereas others are terrified by the idea that the therapy would influence their minds, compelling them to behave in a certain way. Nevertheless, if one is treated by a qualified therapist or physician, such fears would not be warranted, as good therapy and medicine are the means that can give individuals control over their life (Keck et al. 19). It is worth noting that the most imperative message from Jamison’s memoir suggests that the treatment of the disease does not necessarily mean taking lives away from the patients.

The internal horror that results from the mental illness exhibited by the individual is not the same as the external horror experienced by their friends, family members and beloved ones. Additionally, the harm that the people close to the mentally ill experience is lasting and irreparable. Jamison expounds on the intensive monitoring processes called suicide watches, which were required to ensure the impossibility of her committing suicide (56). As there was every likelihood that somebody would want to prevent Jamison from killing herself, she even mentions the affection and love they had for her.

Manic Depression Incites Dreadful Behavior

In addition to mania, other issues are found over the course of the illness, such as indiscreet sexual behavior, feeling of persecution, risky investments, extravagant spending, rapid speech, and racing thoughts. In detail, an individual afflicted with a manic depression endures sleepless nights, unrealistic and inflated feeling of power. Bowden argues that such people feel as though they have a special way of communicating with the dead and God (19). In other cases, they exhibit psychotic symptoms, like delusion and hallucinations, which were defined by Maj et al. as alse beliefs that cannot be altered by the evidence or an argument (27).

Furthermore, Jamison describes the euphoria she felt while she was under the influence of the disorder (45). According to her (32), the rejoicing is similar to what one feels when they have injected cocaine or some other addictive substance. She also argues that her behavior caused other people a great deal of discomfort (12). Fortunately, her extraordinary spending did not manage to leave her homeless (Keck et al. 29). Her brother guarded her when she started experiencing some manic-depressive episodes, helped her manage her health as well as loaned her the means to do it. According to Bowden, a manic excessive spending experienced by individuals who do not obtain a sufficient amount of funds or lack education can eliminate all accumulated assets and capital of the manic-depressive within a rather short period (17).

In fact, after Jamison, the American Civil Liberties Union as well as people like Thomas Szaz effectively manage the California’s legal system and ensure that patients with developed bipolar disorder get protection form greedy and aggravating family members, loved ones and friends (18). In addition, the social context of such mental illnesses tends to be ignored in favor of advocating the rights of individuals. As, according to Bowden, the patient is supposed to establish whether they want to be treated despite the fact that they might not be in a position to make good judgments on common matters (17). Moreover, the they are alsothe ones who determine whether the doctor should communicate with other family members on behalf of the patient. As Jamison claims, if a family member is contacted about some felony charges, they are not supposed to talk to the doctor about the issue without the permission of the patient (28). Normally, the paranoid delusions accompanying the patient’s extreme mania outweight the trust towards the family members as well as towards the close friends.

Therefore, it is the patient`s right to make decisions about their social surrounding and communication processes. They also hold the power to decide whether someone should be notified about their condition or the date of being discharged from the hospital (Keck et al. 19). Overall, if people want to read about their loved one being treated for mental illnesses, the information is usually acquired via the media. According to Jamison, the sufferers have their rights to keep their secrets and rights until the end (21). The only right that has been ignored by defenders and lawmakers is the entitlement to the proper treatment (Sarris et al. 84). The patient’s accurate therapy requires the knowledge of the past behavior, a judgment of the mental health professionals in regards to the involvement of friends and family members, access to the different levels of information and data for establishing a diagnosis (18). However, the confidentiality laws, though well intentioned, tend to interfere in the patient’s proper treatment.

Jamison addresses the issues discussed above (12), but she fails to appreciate the difficulties and sorrow caused by her conditions. In fact, intellectually, she comprehends how she caused harm to others, expresses the concern (19), although egotistic concerns impact her more. (Keck et al. 19). Even though her vanity and egocentrism could be a survival defense mechanism or a manifestation of the illness, such traits are not endearing or charming, but they do not impede with the ability to illustrate manic depression disorder from the inside as well as give hope to the people suffering from the disease.

People with Manic Depression Should Give Birth

Throughout the book, Jamison does not suggest whether manic depression can be healed or relieved of all the symptoms permanently by therapy or medication. However, according to Maj et al., bipolar disorder requires constant struggle, hard work as well as unsympathetic moves to deal with the situation (17). Jamison also agrees that one feels the guilt for acting and thinking differently despite the fact that their actions and thoughts are determined by their organisms (Sarris et al. 85). As Bowden states, it is difficult for people to handle the blame from others because of the actions and thoughts, which they cannot control (27). It is worth noting that manic depression is a condition or a disease that has biological origins, the disease is hereditary (17). Additionally, Maj et al. suggest that lithium, a common drug utilized for treating the disease, leads to the birth defects. That can, therefore, lead to complications for women planning on giving birth.

All in all, suggesting that people suffering from neurochemical dysfunction should never contemplate on giving birth would be a preposterous idea and should not be followed. Such arguments should not be made and have nor valid basis, as can be observed in the example of the Jamison’s father, who was undergoing psychic problems and operated perfectly well for years before becoming nonsensical (56). Many famous people have had neurochemical problems and most people suffering from mental illnesses are very creative. For instance, according to Sarris, there is a significant number of composers, poets as well as artists who suffered from manic depression (85), whereas some tend to sleep in ditches, others wander in the streets, scavenge different trash containers, others have children and families. Therefore, it might seem absurd to suggest that none of the mentally unhealthy should have given birth or should have been born in the first place. There is no dishonor on the suffering people, only on the way the healthy people mistreat them. Nevertheless, lack of the proper treatment for a big number of the individuals affected by mental disorders has been a social problem.

Hindrances to Manic Depression

It is worth mentioning that the main problem with a mental illness as a manic depression does not arise because it cannot be treated efficiently by therapy, or with medication, but it arises from the fact that many people suffering from the disease do not take their medication while others fail to seek treatment due to ignorance as well as prejudice, poor medical advice or even fear of professional or personal reprisals (Keck et al. 19). The patients who do not take medication are behaving in that way due to a number of reasons. Firstly, some maintain the perception that the medicine transforms the individual into the obedient institutional toy. Secondly, other medicaments can aggravate mental illness as well as produce irreparable damages to the brain. Thirdly, some believe that the healing might deprive the patient of some parts of an individual’s memory and intelligence, thus, diminishing their physical coordination. In addition, the remedies cause irritating and painful physical side effects patients would prefer to remain without (Keck et al. 29).

In other cases, patients take the medicine, start feeling better, and stop the process because they begin to believe that the pills are not imperative. Moreover, they blame it for obstructing their creative energy and euphoria of manic episodes that are extremely addictive and pleasant (Sarris et al. 86). There is also a cultural prohibition of the use of the medicine connected to the disease based on the cultural stereotype about the lack of character in individuals who cannot deal with their own problems on their own. The society promotes the belief that everyone should be in a position to control their actions and thoughts through an act of will. Furthermore, the numerous social, personal and cultural facets interfere with the appropriate treatment of manic depression disorder. Indeed, according to Tondo. (26) such hindrances outweigh the knowledge of those who believe that the salvation of manic depression can be achieved via therapy and medication (20).

Nevertheless, the manic depression syndrome encloses mild or moderate levels of mania known as a hypomania. Such a state may be good for individuals experiencing it as it leads to the enhanced and functioning productivity (Keck et al. 19). Nevertheless, when friends and family learn to recognize the mood changes of a mentally disabled person, there is a high likelihood that the individual will deny the existence of a problem. If there is no perception of the problem, there is no appropriate treatment, and, in such cases, hypomania can dangerously grow and develop into a depression.

Martinez-Arin states that at times, the severe episodes of depression or mania include symptoms like psychosis (17), hallucinations and delusions. The characteristic features of someone with the bipolar state tend to exhibit the mood state not necessarily typical for the person`s beliefs or lifestyle. For instance, one may start believing that they are the president of a country or someone with wealth and special powers. Additionally, one may have a delusion of feeling worthless and guilty, as when people feel that they are penniless, ruined or have committed crimes.

In accordance with the views of Keck, some people manifest symptoms of depression and mania due to the mixed bipolar states (19). Such traits may include sleep apnea, agitation, and change in appetites, suicidal thinking and psychosis. Essentially, an individual may demonstrate hopeless and sad mood along with the feelings of extreme happiness or being energized.

The mania may occur as an issue and not as a mental illness. For example, drug and alcohol abuse, bad work performance or poor schooling may serve as manifestations underlying mood disorders (Keck et al. 29). Therefore, manic depression tends to distort the thoughts and moods as well as incite dreadful behaviors of an individual. It also damages the basis connected to the rational thinking while corrupting the will and desire to live. Even though the illness is biological in nature, it is a unique disease for conferring the pleasure along with the unendurable suffering to individuals as well as to the family members, and to the close friends (Keck et al. 19).

Another aspect that makes it hard to treat the bipolar disorder is its uncontrollable nature. Its symptoms comprise the changes in the mood that can appear abruptly without any provocation. If the patient cannot control the disease, they can manage or control the symptoms (Keck et al. 19) with a help of various patterns and devices. One of the ways is the implementation of the practice in the habits that reduce emotional acts. For instance, the patient is supposed to make sleep a priority, getting to bed early as well as creation of calm bedtime routine, avoidance of alcohol is advisable (Keck et al. 19). Early waking should also be avoided because it leads to lethargy. Exercises are critical because they reduce depressive symptoms. The patients should try to avoid caffeine and foods that can exacerbate mood changes as a way of reducing anxiety and irritability.

Conclusion

Manic depression is a serious disease that affects different people. A majority suffering from the illness regrets being born because of the irritation that they feel about the inability to manage with anything. It distorts the thoughts and moods of an individual, even more so, as people affected with the bipolar disorder acquire particular type of terror, pain, loneliness as well as elation while in that state of depression. Changeable mood leads them to the extremely disruptive consequences and, in particular, a high level of happiness proves to have a tremendous effect. One also experiences shyness simultaneously with a firm feeling of power, intensity and emotional omnipotence.

The research proves that the disease incites dreadful behavior within an individual. Apart from the bipolar mood effects, the patients endure the feeling of persecution, engaging in risky investment, rapid speech, racing thoughts as well as changes in sexual behaviors. The person may also undergo inflated and unrealistic feelings, sleepless nights, communicative acts with their God as well as with the dead people, which signify of hallucinations and delusions.

Nonetheless, there has been a debate on whether people with mental disability should give birth due to the hereditary effects and biological nature of the disease. Those suffering from manic depression have their right to live the way they choose, and that implies having the right to choose to bear children. A hereditary nature of the disease would not justify the denial of human rights to anyone that cannot control their behavior on a daily basis. However, there are some hindrances to the manic depression healing that should not continue. Some people disregard the required medicationand therapy due to ignorance or some societal stereotypes, which results in the progress of the disease. Thus, society has to maintain the control over such mental issues as the manic depression in order to secure a successful recovery of its rightful members.