In this video, a man with bipolar disorder discusses different events throughout the past couple years that have triggered his disorder. He talks about how during his final exams, drugs like ritalin and caffeine triggered his manic episode and caused him to have a more elevated mood and become manic. This caused him to perform illegal and outrageous acts that did not reflect his normal morals and personality. As a result, he did not perform as well on his exams as he intended to. This also triggered his disorder and caused his elevated mood to decline rapidly and enter into a depressed state. Throughout the video, he describes different triggers to his disorder and how it affected his life.
This video enhances my learning on the topic of bipolar disorder because it gives me a first hand look at a client with this disorder. In my abnormal psychology class, we were given basic examples of situations that happen to people with the disorder, but it definitely helps to get a first hand look. With these more personal examples, I’m given a more detailed and personal view of the disorder which helps me better understand the illness as a whole. Watching more videos on disorders would help me have a more well-rounded view on mental illnesses to help me further my psychology education.