Bipolar Disorder Case Study

The following is a case study of a 24-year-old male, Daryl, suffering from Bi-Polar disorder caused by stress from environmental factors. According to The National Institute of Mental Health, Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. It is one of the most common disorders with 3 million US cases per year. One prominent symptom displayed by people with this disorder, as well as Daryl, is the occulting between numbness and overwhelming anxiety. After reviewing the individual’s history, and symptoms his bipolar disorder has progressed to a point where the individual would benefit from medication and psychotherapy.

Daryl suffers from symptoms following a trauma that includes both high anxiety and depression as well …show more content…
Daryl reported that before the event he had no earlier symptoms. The increased stress and psychological trauma are what primarily caused the onset of bipolar disorder, which typically manifests itself 50 percent of the time before age 24 (National Alliance on Mental Health, 2016). According to the DSM-5 Bipolar Disorder is diagnosed if the individual displays five or more symptoms associated with this disorder. Daryl’s symptoms described above give the basis for a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder. Another possible explanation of Daryl’s problem is Freudian's theory of depression being caused by anger turned inward on oneself that has manifested itself through a Bipolar Disorder. Since the client has no history of mental illness in his family this can rule out genetic factors contributing to the onset of this disorder. The cause of this can most likely be attributed to external stressors caused by environmental and biological factors . Another alternative, however, to Daryl’s symptoms is Major Depression which offers an alternative psychological explanation of his