The Effects Of Bipolar Disorder On The Development Of Self

Bipolar Disorder is described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM 5) as a mood disorder with manic symptoms. Individuals with the disorder may swing between periods of depression and mania. Bipolar disorder has subtypes characterized by the frequency and intensity of manic and depressive episodes. Onset typically occurs when one is a young adult, but can often occur during the early teen years. There are numerous developmental considerations to early onset Bipolar disorder which are further examined in our supplemental readings for class. This appears to be an area in much need of further research especially to discover and develop interventions which will assist young adults during this critical and complex†¦show more content†¦They chose this topic because it has not been researched much. The qualitative study examined how a sense of self and or an identity develops for those with the disorder. Psychosocial development is a challenge in itself for most teens. In this study the researchers described finding that bipolar disorder made this developmental process more challenging. According to, Inder et al. (2008), â€Å"Bipolar disorder created experiences of confusion, contradiction, and self-doubt which made it difficult for these participants to establish continuity in their sense of self.† They continued to describe how living with the disorder can be di sruptive and prevent one from looking at themselves as separate from their condition. Their results showed the importance of viewing bipolar disorder within a psychosocial developmental framework. By doing so, one can consider the impact of the disorder on the developing self-identity. This study discovered that there is a need to utilize interventions that would help individuals not focus on themselves related to their illness but instead to foster increased self-acceptance and integration which would then develop a stronger self and identity. During the course of this study the researcher used an interview and interpretation process which allowed them to garner common themes from their interview responses. They found that the disorder has a profound impact in a variety of areas. Themes emerged that included