This project is for LIB495 Capstone

1. Bipolar Disorder
by
Jelon Randle

2. Thesis Outline
• I chose the topic Bipolar. The reason I chose this topic to study is
because I wanted to understand the human brain and how one can
function and normalize within society while having such a disorder.
• I decided to highlight famous artists who have been diagnosed with
the illness specifically because I want to show how art therapy is a
way of coping with chronic and or lifelong challenges they face with
the illness.
• To be able to understand just how important having a mental illness
such as bipolar is, we must learn the history of the illness, the signs
and common trigger that affects one’s mood such as depression,
mood swings, manic episodes and so forth.

3. THESIS OUTLINE (CONT’D)
• The problem I want to solve is finding out why and how bipolar is
considered art, by some as a benefit in creating art.

4. •Background on Bipolar Disorder

5. Just what is Bipolar?
• Bipolar is a disorder that affects one’s mood
• Bipolar formally known as manic depression is brought on by
random episodes of depression and mania

6. How are the two types of bipolar
distinguished?
• There are two types of bipolar disorder
• Bipolar II is a less severe case whereas, Bipolar stage I is a cause for
concern
• Stage II is known as the hypomania stage. In stage II, one will
experience the following symptoms;
• Depressive stages that could last for days to weeks
• Hypomanic episodes
• Low grade hypomania
• Full blown mania, if hypomania s left untreated

7. Bipolar II (Cont’d)
• According to the American Psychiatric
Association (APA), the diagnosis involves 1
hypomanic episode that lasts for 4 days and 1
episode of major depression
• Women are more likely to suffer from stage II
than men, mainly because of hormonal and
menstrual changes they experience.

8. Bipolar I
• Stage I is the more severe case of Bipolar
and should be monitored carefully
• Symptoms of stage I include:
• Flying suddenly from one idea to the next
• Rapid, "pressured"
(uninterruptible), and loud
speech
Increased energy, with hyperactivity and a
decreased need for sleep
Inflated self-image
Excessive spending
Hypersexuality
substance abuse
suicidal thoughts

9. Did you know?
• Virtually anyone can develop bipolar I disorder. About 2.5% of the
U.S. population suffers from bipolar disorder – that’s almost 6 million
people.
• Most people are in their teens or early 20s when symptoms of bipolar
disorder first appear. Nearly everyone with bipolar I disorder develops
it before age 50. People with an immediate family member who has
bipolar are at higher risk.
• By anyone, it can be male or female but the original carrier comes
from the maternal side of the family.

10. Can bipolar be
cured??
• Unfortunately, no. bipolar can not be cured although
scientist are working hard to find a cure.
- It is most unfortunate that scientists don’t
know what causes bipolar disorder, but
they do however believe abnormal
physical characteristics of the brain or an
imbalance in certain brain chemicals may
be among the main causes.
- Clinicians have mentioned the reason
many individuals may develop this illness
may be due to a host of reasons such as
death of a loved one, living a stressful life
(severe stress, overworking one’s self),
childhood trauma, drug and alcohol
abuse, generational illness
- However, there are plenty of coping mechanisms
for the illness

11. What are these mechanisms that one
can benefit from?
• Some of the best and reliable benefits for patients are as follows:
• Antipsychotic drugs
• psychotherapy
• Mood stabilizers
• Lithium
• Arts and crafts
• Walking
• Talking and engaging in social events
• Writing (music, poems)
• Painting
• Group counseling

12. How does art therapy help
those who are diagnosed?
• There are some musicians, writers, painters, poets authors
who have been diagnosed and they use their talents to tell a
story about their lives.
• Most of the music we listen to or the movies we watch,
paintings we see that look rather disproportioned or out of
place come from a place in their minds.
• These talented individuals use their gifts to tell a story
through the lens of their mental status.
With the help of therapy, one can focus on the healing process
of;
• Rebuilding their self esteem
• Managing stress
• Acceptance that they have an illness and that they will be
okay
• Believe it or not, recalling certain memories such as a
traumatic event to make their creativity come to life, by going
through episodes of reliving those moments

13. How exactly do they tell
a story?
Kid Cudi
Mariah Carey
Vincent Van Gough Jennifer Lewis

14. • For Rapper Kid Cudi, he uses rap to illustrate his pain. For
example, in his album, Kids See Ghost, he made a song titled
Reborn which explains the highs and lows of his life and how
he overcame several suicide attempts
• Singer Mariah Carey had to come out of a place of denial in
order to get the help she needed. Her 11th studio album The
Emancipation of Mimi tells a distinctive story of self love,
finding the strength to press through the scrutiny of bad press,
her failed album attempt during a crucial time America was
facing (September 11th) In 2018, she announced that she was
diagnosed in 2001 but was in denial of her diagnosis. Her
illness was passed down from her mother who is bipolar (stage
II)
• Like Mariah, Actress and author Jennifer Lewis had to come
out of a place of denial in order to tell her story as she did so
on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2008 and in her book Black
Mother of Hollywood She admitted that like Carey, she was in
denial for 20 years about her diagnosis but with medication
and therapy, she’s able to live normal again.
• Painter Van Gough channeled his artistic abilities to tell his
story of depression, and manic episodes through painting

15. What did we learn about art
and bipolar disorder?
• Some of the most artistic
individuals have been or are
currently experiencing bipolar
symptoms and find them
useful to tell a story, which is
how art originally defined and
through life experiences.
• Without a story or life
changes, there would be
nothing to write or paint, its
just a blank canvas.
• With the help of medications,
art therapy, etc. individuals
with bipolar can manage the
symptoms and lead normal
lives and coexist with society
despite the odds