Bipolar Disorder

and Mad Love

psychology basis

Bipolar Disorder- Bipolar disorder used to be called manic-depressive illness- It is a mood disorder in which an individual suffers from severe

mood swings between depression and mania, with some normalcy in between.

depression- severe changes in an individual’s behavior, emotion,cognition

and physical functions.- feelings of overwhelming sadness or worthlessness last for long

periods of time.

mania- is the opposite of depression. - a period of extreme exhilaration wherein the individual is full of

energy, high self esteem, creativity and ambition.- in manic states one feels as if they could conquer the world.

media

Mad Love- made in 1995Screenplay: Paula MilneStaring Chris O’Donnell as Matt Drew Barrymore as Casey

Plot: Casey and Matt are high school kids in love. They run away together after Casey's parents check her into a mental hospital for trying to kill herself. Matt sneaks her out and on the road Casey starts to have Mental problems.

While on the road together Casey has several episodes of both mania and depression. This raises concern for Matt.

connection

At one point Casey is so sad and tired of being sick that she tries to kill herself yet again, she doesn't want to be locked up again in a psych ward, but she knows she needs help. This does not have a quick turn around into mania, as it did before.

Matt soon realizes that Casey needs more help than he can give. She needs medication to help balance her mood. He brings both of them back to their hometown and she receives the help that she needs.

- Drew Barrymore’s character has very believable mania and depression, true to the description we read in our text book.

- In the end the main character is put on medicine to stabilize her moods, also true to the reality of this mood disorder.

- The depiction of Bipolar Disorder was very accurate. The screenwriter clearly did her research.

References

- http://www.imdb.com- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Mad_Love_(1995_film)