Implications of Diagnosing and Treating Patients With Bipolar Disorder Essay

Introduction

Nowadays, bipolar disorder (BD) is one of the most misrepresented yet prevalent mental health issues. There are numerous cultural factors, which contribute to the variations in diagnosis and treatment among different socio-economic and racial groups. The purpose of this essay is to examine a variety of legal, ethical, and cultural implications in treating patients with bipolar disorder.

The Impact of Culture and Systemic Oppression on Diagnosis and Treatment

Culture can amount for differences in how mental health patients communicate their symptoms or which treatment options are selected for them. Unfortunately, due to a variety of socio-economic factors some ethnic groups in the United States have lower level of health literacy (Oedegaard et al., 2016). Thus, they rarely seek help in the first place, which explains the statistics that demonstrate how minorities are often underdiagnosed for bipolar disorder (Oedegaard et al., 2016). As for treatment, privilege based on race and class factors in a person’s ability to not only receive acute psychiatric help but also maintenance during follow-up visits. Residents of low-income communities, who are often people of color, do not have access to the full range of treatments needed for efficient management of BD.

Theoretical Orientations and Interventions I Would Use

I would use cognitive behavioral theory (CBT) and interpersonal and social rhythm therapy (IPSRT) for treatment of patients with bipolar disorder. CBT centers on the balanced relationship between a patient’s feelings, behaviors, and thoughts (Miklowitz, 2019). IPSRT helps people with BD to keep track of their routines and sleep-wake cycles in order to prevent extreme mood swings (Miklowitz, 2019). As for specific interventions, I would focus on early intervention strategies such as positive lifestyle changes instead of relying on pharmacotherapy.

The Need for Additional Resources: Their Accessibility

Treatment of patients with bipolar disorder often requires the incorporation of additional resources apart from the aforementioned interventions. First, a crucial part of the treatment is a reliable support system, which many people do not have. Thus, medical professionals have a responsibility to introduce patients to innovative support networks, including online groups and offline socializing events. Additionally, patients sometimes require expensive pharmacotherapy to manage BD symptoms. Unfortunately, there are many people suffering from bipolar disorder who do not have access to medications, which are usually not covered by standard health insurance.

Methods to Address Concerns Regarding Patients with Bipolar Disorder

There are numerous concerns regarding the treatment of patients with bipolar disorder. Some of them include the adverse effects of medications as well as the patients’ need for acceptance, validation, and support, particularly during hyper-manic episodes. In a psychiatric setting, healthcare professionals have to identify the needs of a person suffering from BD, ensure that there is a close support network, and take preventative measures to limit negative implications of pharmacotherapy.

The Impact of Media Representation

Mass media forms the public’s attitudes and perceptions, which can be exceptionally harmful to people struggling with mental health disorders. TV shows, films, commercials, and gossip web-sites often portray psychiatric disorders negatively. Those suffering from extreme mood swings, which are the primary symptoms of BD, are usually portrayed as violent and overly dramatic (Srivastava et al., 2018). Moreover, misrepresentation of persons with bipolar disorder in the media results in exaggerations that contribute to the social stigma surrounding mental health issues. Thus, people who may experience some symptoms of BD often refuse to seek help because they believe they “have themselves to blame for their condition” (Srivastava et al., 2018, p. 2). Therefore, there is an overall lack of access to therapeutic attention among persons with bipolar disorder because of misleading imagery presented by mass media.

Conclusion

It is evident that bipolar disorder is a serious mental health issue, which often gets overlooked and underdiagnosed, especially among people from low-income communities. Unfortunately, due to socio-economic factors, some people have a lack of health literacy and limited access to the appropriate care. Thus, medical professionals have a task of incorporating all of the applicable and available therapies and interventions to ensure that the patient’s needs are met.

References

Miklowitz, D. J. (2019). Different types of therapy for bipolar disorder. National Alliance on Mental Illness. Web.

Oedegaard, C. H., Berk, L., Berk, M., Youngstrom, E. A., Dilsaver, S. C., Belmaker, R. H., Oedegaard, K. J., Fasmer, O. B., & Engebretsen, I. M. (2016). Socio- cultural challenges in the management of bipolar disorder: A trans- cultural qualitative study by the International Society of Bipolar Disorders (ISBD). UIB. Web.

Srivastava, K., Chaudhury, S., Bhat, P. S., & Mujawar, S. (2018). Media and mental health. Industrial Psychiatry Journal, 27(1), 1–5. Web.