Britney Spears Bipolar Disorder

Thesis Statement: Famous singer, Britney Spears suffers from many disorders one such as the bipolar disorder. Britney once lost custody of her two sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James when her bipolar disorder got out of control. She was briefly hospitalized when her mental state exploded. Britney happens to get very out of control when her mental state occurs. Such as yelling or getting very angry at something happening. Spears was diagnosed with the bipolar disorder in the year of 2007. Britney spoke out about the mental health issues she struggled with in the year 2007.

History of Psychological Disorder: The bipolar disorder is one of the most highly investigated mental health disorders. This disorder affects around 4.5% of adults in the United States. Aretaeus of Cappadocia began detailing symptoms of the bipolar disorder as early as the first century. The ancient Greek and Romans discovered that using lithium salts in baths calmed manic people and lifted spirits of people who were depressed. During this time, it was common for people with bipolar and mental disorders to be executed. While the study of medicine advanced religious dogma said that these people with this disordered were possessed by demons and should be put to death.

Robert Burton wrote the book The Anatomy of Melancholy in the seventeenth century, which addressed the issue of treating melancholy, a nonspecific depression, using music and dancing. Later in the same century, Theophilus Bonet published, Sepuchretum, that drew from his experience performing 3,000 autopsies. In his work, he linked mania and melancholy in a condition that he called manico-melancolicus.

French psychiatrist, Jean Falret, published an article describing what he called la folie circulaire, which translates to circular insanity. The article details people switching through severedepressionand excitement and is considered to be the first diagnosis of bipolar disorder. He also noticed that there was a genetic connection in the bipolar disorder. Medical professionals still support this to this day.

Emil Kraepelin, a German psychiatrist, changed the history of bipolar disorder when he broke away from Sigmund Freud's theory that society and the suppression of desires played a large role in mental illness. He had recognized biological causes of mental illness and was believed to be the first person to study mental illness seriously.

Prevalence and Biological Relationship of Psychological Disorder: Britney noticed she was bipolar when she became very angry at random times. Spears was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after she was hospitalized from getting very angry at her significant other. Britney was very understanding when they told her she was bipolar and needed to be prescribed medication, but at the same time, she didn't want to believe what the doctor was telling her. Spears had said I become a different person. literally! After she had suffered from a public breakdown in 2007, she has felt very alienated from the public.

Cultural Perspective: Culture aspects of bipolar disorder are ways people are shaped by their surroundings. People react to this disorder in many different ways, such as anger. Some people may think the way they react is embarrassing or they might get judged by their actions. This mental illness affects people in different cultures all over the world. There are regions of the planet, and cultural islands, where the bipolar disorder is less common or severe. Scientists did a study and reported the seafood consumption levels and rates of bipolar illness in nine countries. This study showed the lowest rates of the bipolar disorder occurred within the countries that had the highest level of fish consumption. This is because fish are rich in the omega-three fatty acids. Some of the countries that were included were, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Korea, and Iceland.

Symptoms: Symptoms of bipolar disorder such as mood swings, sadness, anger, anxiety, guilt, hopelessness, or loss of interest. Britney's symptoms are more like anger, anxiety, and mood swings. Britney also has depression, trouble falling asleep, and restlessness. Mood swing symptoms are when you're happy one minute, and within the next minute you are angry and upset. As the loss of interest symptom occurs you just lose interest in anything happening and you don't want to interact with anyone or anything. Symptoms of the bipolar disorder usually occur when people get angry or have severe anxiety.

Treatments: Bipolar disorder can be controlled but cannot be cured. Some treatments for the bipolar disorder are therapies, supportive care, specialists, and medications such as anticonvulsant, antipsychotic, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Britney chooses therapies to try and cure her bipolar disorder, she goes and talks to a therapist about her disorder to help maintain it. Britney is also prescribed to medication by her doctor when she was hospitalized. Britney's bipolar disorder gets the best treatment by visiting her therapist once every week. The least effective treatment for the bipolar disorder is more likely to be the specialists, Britney doesn't like the care providers having to watch every move she makes. Britney says she would rather go and talk to the therapist instead of someone coming to watch every move she makes.

Societal Perspectives: I think there should be a cure for bipolar disorder so people don't have to worry about every move they make and if it's going to trigger the mental health issue they have. I also agree with Britney by getting good treatment by going to a therapist and taking the prescribed medicine the doctor has given her. I think our society has taken responsibility for the treatments for Britney Spears bipolar disorder. Also, our society has found ways to treat the bipolar disorder to calm it down. They have yet to find a way to completely cure it, but for now, they found a way to maintain it.

Conclusion: Spears is now able to somewhat control her disorder. She still continues to go to therapy and still continues on her medications. Britney is now able to be with her children, now that she controls her bipolar disorder. Spears speaks out to people about her disorder, because she wants people to understand what she went through and how she found a way to control herself and her disorder.

Cite this page