BAD-DAY MOODY? Bipolar Mood Disorder

Sixteen year old Monica Thompson had a rather strange routine. She would wake up early in the morning only to find her face covered with tears and hands bruised with scars. She had a difficulty in recalling the events of the previous night but would easily fall into her daily charade of being cheerful and active. She was an excellent student, a favorite amongst her friends and a good daughter. Her life seemed perfect but she would still find herself crying most of the time and sometimes she experienced uncontrollable anger and would throw chairs and books around her room. Apart from this abnormality, Monica was a perfectly healthy teenager.


What she or her family didn’t realize was that Monica was suffering from Bipolar Mood Disorder.

This disorder is the “common cold” of psychological disorders. Moods are emotional states and mood disorders are psychological disorders in which individuals experience swings in their emotional states that are extreme and prolonged (Baron, 2002). Mood disorders affect 21.3% of women and 12.7% of men at least once in the course of their lives.

In a bipolar disorder, as the name suggests, a person undergoes mood swings that are poles apart- Mania and Depression.

It is characterized by irritability, euphoria, hostility, decreased or increased sleep, change in appetite, suicidal thoughts and behavior, grandiose and lofty planning during mania and crying spells during depression.

Although these symptoms seem easily identifiable abnormal behavioral patterns, it is in fact rather difficult to spot a person suffering from this disorder.

The case of Monica Thompson for instance is how bipolar disorder is manifested in most people. They may be able to still function normally in certain situations such as their academic performance and daily chores but there is a consistent decline in their efficiency. Usually their inefficiency is interpreted as a ‘rough’ period or a bad day.

These constant ‘blues’ are generally ignored and the person usually does not seek help. Self injury and the attempts of suicide are signals for attention and help but in most cases these go unnoticed.

The affected individuals themselves are seldom aware of their condition. They know something is ‘wrong’ but cannot put their finger on it. The may be unable to comprehend the reasons that urge them to behave in strange ways and the fear of rejection prevents them from voicing their troubles.

As a concerned friend or family member, one must be quick to react to the registered changes. If the above mentioned symptoms occur for everyday for one week or longer, it is advisable to seek immediate help.

Counseling and therapy are sure ways of overcoming the disorder. Along with this, the person requires a trusted and loving friend or parent to stimulate the progress. An outlet for their frustration, a shoulder to cry on, and a model to look up to is what they need the most.

With constant care and guidance, one can fight the bipolar disorder and return to their happy and healthy life.

Luckily for Monica, her mother discovered her problem, which had stemmed out of a molestation incident that she had experienced in her childhood, and with regular therapy she was able to overcome this malady.