This a project for a high school AP Psychology course. This is a fictionalized account of having a psychological ailment. For questions about this blog project or its content please email the teacher, Laura Astorian: laura.astorian@cobbk12.org

1. ROWAN CHILDERS
VICTIMIZED BY BIPOLAR
DISORDER

2. DISCLAIMER
This a project for a high school AP Psychology course.
This is a fictionalized account of having a
psychological ailment. For questions about this blog
project or its content please email the teacher, Laura
Astorian: laura.astorian@cobbk12.org

3. A BRIEF ON THE BURDEN
• Hello. My name is Rowan Childers. I was diagnosed
with bipolar disorder when I was 19 years old. I now
understand the depths of my illness and take
necessary precautions as to not inflame its
symptoms. I’d like to share a little about the illness
with you and later show some visuals I believe best
represent how we feel.

4. BIPOLAR DISORDER DEFINED
• Bipolar disorder: a mood disorder associated with
alternating periods of mania and depression
• Mania: intense feelings of elation, optimism, and
hyperactivity
• Depression: lack of feeling or interest; extreme levels of
sadness or thoughts of suicide
• Also referred to as “manic depression” or “bipolar affective
disorder”

5. CLASSIFIED TYPES
• Bipolar I Disorder: patient experiences periods of
severe mood episodes alternating from mania to
depression
• Bipolar II Disorder: patient experiences milder forms
of mania that alter with severe depression; suicide
watch prevention often associated
• Cyclothymic Disorder: patient experiences periods
of hypomania with brief episodes of depression
• Rapid-Cycling: patient experiences four or more
episodes in under 12 months

6. SYMPTOMS
• Bipolar symptoms:
• Elevated or irritated extremes in mood
• Often associated with dramatic increases of activity
• Alternates between symptoms of hypomania and depression
• Mania symptoms:
• Euphoria
• Excessive talk; account of racing thoughts
• Unusually high self-esteem
• Overconfidence
• Impulsiveness (excessive investments, shopping grandeurs)
• Depression symptoms:
• Difficulty concentrating
• Feelings worthless or guilty
• Loss of interest, enjoyment
• Thoughts of suicide or self-harm
• Extreme weight gain/loss

7. NOTABLE CASES
• Vincent Van Gogh- famous artist remembered by
strange and moody personality; often mood
reflected in artistry
• Virginia Woolf- English novelist and essayist known
to psychotic breakdowns later resulting in
depression
• Jane Pauley- T.V. journalist famous for her work on
the The Today Show and later NBC who
encountered episodic depression and elation

8. NOTABLE CASES
Jane Pauley Virginia Woolf Vincent Van Gogh

9. STATISTICS
• Diagnosed equally among men and women
• Average of Onset: 25 years
• 82.9% of cases are classified as severe

10. BRAIN ACTIVITY

11. BIOCHEMISTRY
• Increased periods of depression results in weak neural
plasticity
• Decreases number of brain cells in parts of the brain
• Low levels of serotonin when enduring episodic
depression
• Serotonin: neurotransmitter responsible for maintaining a
balance of one’s mood.
• Reuptake causes deficiency
• High levels of norepinephrine when enduring episodic
mania
• Norepinephrine: neurotransmitter released upon arousal of the
sympathetic nervous system
• Causes raise in blood pressure, heart rate, and other bodily
functions

12. TREATMENT VS THERAPY
• Medication:
• Mood stabilizing medication; SSRIs
• Psychotherapy:
• Working with therapists helps learn to cope with feelings,
repair relations, manage stress, and overall regulate one’s
mood
• Lifestyle Management:
• Promote healthy living style by eating nutrition rich food,
exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep
• Support:
• Having a solid support system stabilizes mood

13. SSRI IMPACT: IMPROVEMENT

14. SPORADIC EMOTIONS
My peers recognize my rapid change in behavior. Either I am up or I’m
down. After being diagnosed, I am thankful enough for the medication I
have been prescribed. I now am able to maintain a stable mood under
its guidance.

15. ELATED OR DEPRESSED
I feel this is an accurate visual depiction of the bipolar disorder. Both
pictures are of the same person, simply mirrored and colored
differently. By alternating from mania to depression, I move from color
to black and white. The sense of euphoria is lost and I feel listless in the
sea of my thoughts.

16. REGRETTED INVESTMENTS
A few years ago, I placed a large sum of money into an unstable stock.
I thought- I knew there had to be a profitable outcome out of the
growing company! But to my grief, my investment placed me in a large
debt of 60k. I regret every moment of my impulsivity.

17. LIFE’S PERCEIVED BREVITY
The noose that I most nearly let take me away form the world- a
time of severe depression. Shortly after, I was hospitalized and
sent to be nursed back to health under the California Medical
Institution.

18. THE TWO SIDES OF ME
Although under direction
of prescribed
medication, I still often
feel mild cases of mood
swings and changes.
Some events activate a
strong emotional
response- beyond my
control in all actuality. I
feel the depths of the
happiness through my
body only to feel the
cyclic suicidal thoughts
in the next month or so.

19. IMPULSIVE SHOPPING
At the
moment, the
groceries
seemed like a
necessity. I
needed it all. I
now pay
repercussions
as to what to
do with the
food.

20. SYMPTOM: DEPRESSION
Over the years, I have faced both challenges of which resulted in extreme weight loss
and extreme weight gain. In 2006, I weighed 93 lbs and in 2009, I weighed 161 lbs.
After I began treatment, I began to maintain a happy weight medium.

22. SOURCES
• http://www.webmd.com/bipolar-
disorder/guide/bipolar-disorder-forms
• http://umm.edu/health/medical/ency/articles/bipo
lar-disorder
• http://psycheducation.org/the-biologic-basis-of-
bipolar-disorder/