Pat Solitano is portrayed by Bradley Cooper, who is a substitute history high school teacher. The film portrays Pat’s struggle and hardships as he is institutionalized in a mental hospital after beating up his wife’s lover. Pat loses his job and was recently discharged from the altercation. The movie follows his release and how he adapts back to life at home with his parents. I would diagnose Pat with bipolar disorder I because he has experienced at least one manic episode, which according to DSM-5 is a factor for the consideration of bipolar I. The DSM-5 states that when the individual has this manic episode it causes significant harm to the individual, and impairs his or occupational and social life. The altercation that Pat has with his
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Pat’s father has obsessive compulsive tendencies like superstition, pathological gambling, wearing a special handkerchief, and having specific people with him when he watches football games. His father was even kicked out and banned from a football stadium for beating up a lot of people. Pat’s father admits to being more closer and spending more time with with Pat’s older brother, who is a successful lawyer, married, and has a big house. Aggressive behavior by his father and having a poor childhood are certainly not what one would describe as a welcoming and loving environment. Pat’s relationship with his father can be described as strained, and emotions are expressed by hitting and yelling at Pat rather than being more nurturing. According to Emery and Oltmanns, bipolar patients who have less social support are more likely to relapse and recover more slowly than patients with higher levels of social support. Another stressor that negatively affected Pat was seeing the love of his life having an affair, and seeing how she was fine with simply moving on. An event like that can cause episodes of depression, feeling hopeless and empty. Effective skills for managing life stresses can be critical to a healthy lifestyle, rather than things that can aggravate the illness like drugs and
Pat’s father has obsessive compulsive tendencies like superstition, pathological gambling, wearing a special handkerchief, and having specific people with him when he watches football games. His father was even kicked out and banned from a football stadium for beating up a lot of people. Pat’s father admits to being more closer and spending more time with with Pat’s older brother, who is a successful lawyer, married, and has a big house. Aggressive behavior by his father and having a poor childhood are certainly not what one would describe as a welcoming and loving environment. Pat’s relationship with his father can be described as strained, and emotions are expressed by hitting and yelling at Pat rather than being more nurturing. According to Emery and Oltmanns, bipolar patients who have less social support are more likely to relapse and recover more slowly than patients with higher levels of social support. Another stressor that negatively affected Pat was seeing the love of his life having an affair, and seeing how she was fine with simply moving on. An event like that can cause episodes of depression, feeling hopeless and empty. Effective skills for managing life stresses can be critical to a healthy lifestyle, rather than things that can aggravate the illness like drugs and