Beh 225 - Week 8 Assignment

Diagnosis and Treatment

Name

BEH/225

Date

Teacher

Bipolar Disorder

I chose the bipolar disorder because it affects around 2% of the United States population which means we all have met or know someone who has this disorder, this also means we will be more aware and know how to handle the situation when knowing more information based on it. This 2% is around 5.7 million Americans, even though this is a semi-common disorder, it is treatable and people with it can lead practically normal lives. If in any case you don’t get treated if you have this disease then you may experience maniac phases. During this period you may be acting hyperactive and acting quite irresponsibly or the complete opposite and go through a depressive state in which you may find yourself unable to do anything correctly or effectively. This only means one thing; you must get treated if you suffer from this diagnosis and become aware of your situation.

The problem however is not the treatment, it is actually getting the diagnosis of this disorder simply because there are no medical tests out there which can very accurately detect or diagnose you with the bipolar disorder. This isn’t the only issue however; there are other physical disorders which the bipolar disorder can be confused with. The best way to diagnose is to recognize the systems and then getting a complete medical history and physical exam, this includes psychiatric history, family history of their medical and psychiatric problems as well as an evaluation of their current systems. All this extensive research is done to uncheck every other diagnosis that the bipolar disorder can be mistaken with, eventually leading to the only one left, being bipolar.

After you are diagnosed you will noticeably be told and your doctor will discuss with you the treatments available and medication available. You can be referred to a psychologist in addition or a counselor or mental health professional which their specialty is precisely that,...