Joseph C.

Carey
English-112-07
June 17, 2016
Prof. Intawiwat
Proposal
INTRODUCTION
Bipolar Disorder is one of the more prevalent mental health issues affecting the world
today. This disease can be treated with medications and psychoanalytic therapy, but all sufferers
must embrace the fact that it is a life-long condition. That being said, how can a person with this
illness position themselves as a functioning member of society? It is my intention to examine
this point of concern. In truth, the same daily choices and routines that the average adult
heedlessly follows could mean the difference between a manic episode and a deep depression.
Consequently, the judicious and deliberate decisions a responsible adult with Bipolar Disorder
makes concerning lifestyle, career, and personal relationships can and will determine their
functional success in society.
QUESTION AND ANSWER
Bipolar Disorder is a formidable disease. Suicide is all too common, as is self-exile into
hermitage. Furthermore, the loved ones that surround an afflicted person are often the unwilling
casualties of the inevitable fallout. I have found this to be true in my own struggles to
understand this illness. Be that as it may, I believe most victims of this disorder prefer that
neither they nor those dearest to them fall victim to the negative trappings of it. I am keen to
explore how a patient would go about accomplishing that. Much the same as anybody else, they
just want to be a well-adjusted and functioning human being.
So what are the best means to accomplish this effort and what difficulties should be
considered in order to facilitate the process? I am resolved to discover what daily choices can
help sustain a successful presence in our society? For instance, how does sustaining a uniform
and recurrent schedule impact a person with Bipolar Disorder? I have found that having a

routine is of significant importance. A steady program alleviates the added stress of

unfamiliarity and allows the person to stay focused on daily tasks. Moreover, a consistent
pattern keeps him or her on the beaten path rather than allowing uncertainty to snowball into a
full-blown manic or depressive episode. Additionally, this concept of organized tasks leads me
to further questions. Such as, does a robust exercise regiment yield mental health benefits in
conjunction with the physical payoffs for subjects with the illness? Will any healthy adjustments
to ones diet prove advantageous in the struggle? How does weight gain play a part? Typically,
patients who take advantage of proven medications that treat Bipolar Disorder experience
notable weight gain. It is my understanding that sleep is another vital area to examine. Does the
simple victory of a proper nights sleep determine whether or not the following day is going to be
a success? Any average human being can attest that it certainly does. Yet piggyback that lack of
sleep with Bipolar Disorder and the result could be catastrophic. One restless night can quickly
turn into a pattern of sleeplessness that fluctuates into mania. On the flip side, during a deep
depression a subject can be overcome by fatigue and lethargy which could prompt them to
remain in bed for days.
I also recognize that there are further concerns apart from maintaining a schedule that are
relevant here. Arguably the idea of advancing ones career would be part of any successful
endeavor. Though what would that resemble for a person with this illness? Are there certain
types of jobs that are more geared toward them? Conversely, are there particular jobs that should
be avoided? Moreover, what nature and number of hours worked would be most fitting? I
question whether full-time employment is even feasible? It has been my observation that
managing a regular everyday job can be quite taxing for an individual with Bipolar Disorder. A
corresponding concern is the handling of funds and income. Should a sufferer be left in charge
of their own money management? Should they have the ability to exhaust all of the funds they
have access to at any given moment? This question may at first appear to be rather pedestrian.
However, it is stereotypical behavior of someone in the throes of a manic episode to go on an
irrational spending spree. Credit cards are easily maxed out and savings are swiftly depleted.

Guidelines and boundaries should necessarily be established before any crisis rises to this level
of severity.
Consider again that person in the thick of a money depleting mania. The repercussions
will surely be overwhelming. Yet what if that person has a family? What if there are three
hungry children at home to feed? The consequences in that case would be catastrophic. This
leads me to inquire if it is at all sensible for an ill person to beget a family? Is it irresponsible to
procreate? We now know that Bipolar Disorder can in fact be transmitted genetically. What
about personal relationships in general? Is it foolhardy for a subject to engage in casual
romance? Are the perils of being hurt or mistreated too treacherous to be endeavored? How
about friendships? Is it too challenging for them to legitimately care about another persons
difficulties on top of their own? I am forced to ponder about just what level of solidarity and
accord would even be attainable considering the incessant struggles brought upon by the disease?
It has been my experience that a persons lifestyle choices are substantially restrained in this
capacity. Would a night out on the town with friends be appropriate? Or having a drink at the
local bar? What about other activities? Do hobbies prove beneficial the same way they do to
people with other ailments? How about traditional stress-reducing pursuits such as yoga or
reading a book? Do these efforts produce any measurable effects? Can traveling and
vacationing be rewarding ventures? I am inspired to learn whether the exhilaration of an
excursion and the triumph of experiencing new things can overcome the negative hallmarks of
the disease? Or is the required upheaval too detrimental to allow for any measure of satisfaction
to be had.
SUPPORTING DETAILS
The exercise I aim to compile concerning a person with Bipolar Disorder and their
continued functioning success will be pieced together from many parts. I plan to write about the
numerous aspects of a patient striving to live a relatively ordinary life. That will include such
topics as the relevance of maintaining a daily routine as well as the grave importance of
managing a proper sleep cycle. I endeavor to provide scientific data as it applies to a healthy

sleep regimen and Bipolar Disorder. Additionally, I will correlate that information with the
effects that irregular sleeping habits have on a subjects up and down mood swings. The
document will also consist of a discussion on patients with the disease sustaining gainful
employment. Empirical data may be used to reveal the struggles many of these people encounter
in this capacity. My composition will also delve into the theme of lifestyle choices regarding
such ideas as love, family, friendship, and other daily affairs. I aim to furnish second-hand
accounts from men and women dealing with the illness as they relate to those ideas.
Furthermore, I resolve to contribute first-hand anecdotal evidence as it pertains to the topic of
discussion.
FORMAT
My examination of contemporary adults with Bipolar Disorder functioning successfully
in our society will take shape as an informative essay. It is my conviction that the subject will be
best served if presented in this fashion. While it is true that some of the statistics I intend to
submit could be produced in a chart or graphic form, I do not believe it is absolutely necessary to
do so. In fact, I maintain that featuring visual material could disrupt the flow of the essay.
Moreover, it could potentially cause the reader to detach from empathizing with the daily
struggle of living with the disease in the manner as I aspire to present it. Likewise, the first-hand
and second-hand accounts of Bipolar Disorder patients are already constructed in worded form,
and I have deemed it best if the reader were to regard them as such. What is more, attempting to
advance all of the information in a purely visual manner seems nonsensical with respect to the
fact that the majority of the referenced material will come from printed sources.
POSSIBLE SOURCES
~Anonymous. "Sharp Mood Swings Common in Bipolar Disorder." Philadelphia Tribune 04 Nov.
2007, African American/Caribbean/African, Ethnic Interests sec.: 6, 19, 21, 23. ProQuest
Central. Web. 17 June 2016.

The author of this article is listed as Anonymous, yet it is immediately obvious that the
man or woman who wrote the piece has intimate knowledge of the disease as it affects real
people. Contained within are extensive lists of the signs and symptoms of both mania and
depression. These indices include the factors of the illness that directly impact a persons ability
to be an effective part of society. The column then goes on to discuss treatments, therapies, and
other courses of action that can assist a patient in becoming a successful and functioning adult.
~Chang-Calderon, Marie E. Successful Management Professionals with Bipolar Disorder. Diss.
Alliant International U, 2012. Ann Arbor: ProQuest Dissertations, 2012. ProQuest Central.
Web. 17 June 2016.

This source is an exhaustive dissertation that directly correlates with the topic I have
proposed. The author selected multiple successful individuals from the business world, all
coping with the challenges of Bipolar Disorder. She examined, interviewed, and studied each of
them at length while each, in turn, evaluated their own diagnosis. The subjects defined the
choices they had made and identified the friends and family members in their lives that allowed
them to be successful. Notably, they realized success not only in the business world but in
varying fragments of their personal lives as well. Additionally, numerous failures and setbacks
are revealed to further illustrate to what degree stressors can be overcome and success be
achieved.
~Frank, Ellen, Isabella Soreca, Holly A. Swartz, Andrea M. Fagiolini, Alan G. Mallinger, Michael E.
Thase, Victoria J. Grochocinski, Patricia R. Houck, and David J. Kupfer. "The Role of
Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy in Improving Occupational Functioning in Patients
With Bipolar I Disorder." American Journal of Psychiatry AJP 165.12 (2008): 1559565. ProQuest Central. Web. 17 June 2016.

This is an article, published in a highly respected medical journal, regarding men and
women with Bipolar Disorder and the complications associated with their effective employment.
The authors of this paper conducted an in-depth study into diverse therapies that pertained to

relevant patients and the proficiencies required for them to realize occupational success. The
analysts go on to discuss the difficulties that these subjects characteristically have in regard to
preserving long-time gainful employment. The paper even includes a quote from Sigmund Freud
who was of the opinion that sustaining a worthwhile occupation was fundamental to practical
adulthood. Thus, the authors are implying that any person burdened with the disease may not be
capable of functioning as a normal adult.
~Plante, David T., and John W. Winkelman. "Sleep Disturbance in Bipolar Disorder: Therapeutic
Implications." American Journal of Psychiatry AJP165.7 (2008): 830-43. ProQuest Central.
Web. 17 June 2016.

The main focal point of this article is the substantive issue of patients with Bipolar
Disorder and the consequences of not upholding conventional sleep regimens. Presented in a
medical journal, this paper discusses complications regarding both the manic aspect of the
disease as well as the depressive perspective. Troubles relating to mania such as complete
sleeplessness or coping with unsatisfactory sleep are examined. Concurrently, the insatiable
appetite for sleep observed in subjects wrestling with deep depression is considered. The authors
go on to pursue the reality of circadian rhythms and the hardships that subjects can encounter
when those patterns are not adhered to.
~Sanchez-Moreno, J., A. Martinez-Aran, R. Tabars-Seisdedos, C. Torrent, E. Vieta, and J.l. AyusoMateos. "Functioning and Disability in Bipolar Disorder: An Extensive
Review." Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics Psychother Psychosom 78.5 (2009): 28597. ProQuest Central. Web. 17 June 2016.

This paper is a decidedly comprehensive article, issued in a medical journal that

specifically connects to the theme of my proposal. The authors reviewed a multitude of
previously conducted studies associated with Bipolar Disorder patients and their capacity to
persevere within societal norms. Consequently, they were able to compile a voluminous

database forged from those results. Thus, the writers were able to discuss, at length, the ability
of subjects to successfully function in respect to the social, work, and family arenas.