Porter 1

Mollie Porter

Professor Johnson

English 1201 K15

12 March 2024

Literature Review

Bipolar disorder is a severe mood disorder characterized by episodes of depression and

(hypo)mania. Bipolar Disorder affects 1–2% of the population and is known for its recurrent and

chronic display with high interpersonal and societal impact. However, depression doesn’t only

affect the person who has it, it can also affect the family and friends of the person who has

bipolar disorder.

Depression is a broad spectrum. Bipolar disorder can have many negative effects, such as

substance abuse, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. Living with and/or having a relationship with

someone who has bipolar disorder can be damaging in a way. The profound changes and

unpredictability of the patient’s behavior often create volatility and insecurity in the relationship

(Azorin). This can cause trust issues within the relationship, which can lead to the relationship to

become strained (Azorin)(Brown).

Not only do the children of a person who has BD also struggle with their BD parent not

being emotionally stable or available (Brown) but children of patients affected with BD (bipolar

offspring) are a vulnerable population in genetically gaining Bipolar Disorder (Koenders). It has

been explored that the experiences of young children who have parents with bipolar disorder,

found that children were able to experience negative emotions affiliated to their parents’

behaviors when unwell (Azorin).

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Being a care provider for someone who has BD can result in these burdens: financial

status, relationships, relapse anxiety, depressive symptoms and for immediate family members, a

fear of developing BD themselves (Speirs). This could also lead to the care provider, child, or

significant other not feeling seen or having to “walk on eggshells” just to not “trigger” the BD

patient (Neale).

In every perspective, someone is getting affected. While one person, that person being the

one who has BD, is being affected because they are the one who has the disorder itself, the

signifcant other has to deal with the mood swings or dissatifaction with their sexual life (Azorin),

then the children have to deal with their parents arguing or seeing a parent do drugs or

drinking(Azorin)(Brown).

Overall, carers of people with BD report increased psychiatric symptoms, including

stress, anxiety and depression, with the most robust evidence being for depressive symptoms

(Speirs). There has been Cognitive Behavior Therapy for BD patients that has seemed to work,

yet there has not been any type of therapy developed for the carers (Speirs).

These sources I have summarized above will help enhance my research paper because

they are detailed and contain all different types of relationships that could be affected by

someone who has BD menntally, physically, and emotionally. Incorporating credible sources

into my research essay can help enhance the depth and realness of the topic I chose, since mental

health is a real issue in today’s world.

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Works Cited

Azorin, Jean-Michel, et al. “The Impact of Bipolar Disorder on Couple Functioning:

Implications for Care and Treatment. A Systematic Review.” Medicina, vol. 57, no. 8,

July 2021, p. 771, https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina57080771. Accessed 27 Feb. 2024.

Brown, Elisha. “Living a Life Interrupted by Bipolar Disorder.” The New York Times, 24

Nov. 2019. Accessed 27 Feb. 2024.

Koenders, Manja A., et al. “Traumatic Experiences, Family Functioning, and Mood

Disorder Development in Bipolar Offspring.” British Journal of Clinical Psychology, vol.

59, no. 3, Feb. 2020, pp. 277–89, https://doi.org/10.1111/bjc.12246. Accessed 27 Feb.

2024.

Neale, Benjamin. Bipolar Disorder and Genetics: What Caregivers Need to Know20.

Interview by Susan Weinstein, 16 Nov. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?

v=6w5MDLbbtKg. Accessed 27 Feb. 2024.

Speirs, Bronte, et al. “The Lived Experience of Caring for Someone with Bipolar

Disorder: A Qualitative Study.” PLOS ONE, edited by Anna Manelis, vol. 18, no. 1, Jan.

2023, p. e0280059, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0280059. Accessed 27 Feb.

2024.