Psychology and media correlation project

1. By Arden Hysell

2.  Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) is
institutionalized after assaulting the man
that his wife, Nikki, was having an affair with
 During his time in the mental hospital, Pat is
diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Shortly
thereafter, Pat begins spending time with
Tiffany Maxwell (Jennifer Lawrence)
 Silver Linings Playbook focuses on Pat’s
attempts at recovery after being released

3.  As defined in class, bipolar disorder is;
“alternating episodes of mania and depression”
 Pat Solitano likely suffers from Bipolar I
where the individual experiences the
following pattern
Mania
DepressionMania
Depression

4.  Pat experiences debilitating lows, or
depression stages. When Pat can’t
communicate with his estranged wife due to
a restraining order, the resulting episode of
depression leads to rage and a fist fight with
his father (Robert DeNiro)

5.  When experiencing episodes of mania, Pat is
highly motivated and energetic. He runs,
reads, and invests most of his time to
bettering himself
 However, when experiencing depression, Pat
becomes aggressive and inconsolable.
 This cycle is further perpetuated by Pat’s
refusal to take medication for his condition

6.  Throughout the course of the movie, Pat
learns to better recognize and handle
symptoms of his Bipolar disorder. His friend
Tiffany, despite their ups and downs supports
him throughout the film. At the end of the
film, they begin dating