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By Doneil Jones of Freeworld of the Mind

Person-centered

Treatment

For

Bipolar Disorder

Author’s note

Doneil Jones is the authentic architect of this Freeworld of the Mind document.

E-mail: freewolrdofthemind@gmail.com

Manuscript last updated on 27 July 2019


By Doneil Jones of Freeworld of the Mind

Abstract

Person-centered therapy can serve as an effective tool in helping to treat bipolar disorder.

The person-centered approach is a therapeutic strategy. This paper explains how this

therapeutic style can be used effectively as a treatment measure. It also examines how

synchronism between therapy techniques and emotional polar shifts can help to establish

breakthroughs. Topics are covered such as focus of the study, key research that will be

used as a framework to guide theoretical arguments. This article also provides key

elements behind what will make its findings relevant to the future of the scientific

community.
By Doneil Jones of Freeworld of the Mind

Person-Centered Therapy establishes the best therapeutic climate to help

treat patients with Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder that riddles one’s life with an ongoing

fluctuation of stages that range from depression to energetic highs. It is completely

different from the daily ups and downs that can come with life. These mood swings or

mental swings can be devastating to the life of the inflicted individual, as well as to the

families of whom they come in contact with.

According to the NIMH, it tends to be genetic, yet there are also situational risks at

well, plus brain scans revealed how prefrontal cortex appeared to be smaller in adults and

produced less physical responses than those individuals who did not have bipolar disorder

(NIMH, 2014).

More over, there can be a healthy and effective outcome in therapy by utilizing

such a nurturing and non-judgmental school of thought as that of the humanistic path. The

person-centered therapeutic path that Carl Rogers introduced can be effective in fostering

patient self-reflection. This self-reflection can assist them in reflecting upon who they are

as individuals while bolstering their self-awareness; throughout this process of being open,

receptive (Kottler, 2003) and congruent.

There is an ugly side of psychiatric treatment that is not often written about

clinically. Nor, is it televised upon the news daily. However, there are bipolar patients

who currently are hospitalized in behavioral centers that are treated like animals. Some of
By Doneil Jones of Freeworld of the Mind

these patients are also mistreated, talked down to, neglected and administered medications

to merely keep them sedated (AFMH, 2013). For the sake of maintaining clinical integrity,

clinicians should submit sufficient substantial evidence for treating all bipolar patients

with greater sensitivity and clinical benevolence for the sake of the clients’ recovery and

coping.

For example, a corporate employee reported the stigma that she has experienced

with Bipolar disorder. She is a member of management who is surrounded by co-workers

who think that individuals who are inflicted a mental illness are cognitively incapable of

performing at the required levels of most executives at her level (Rachel, 2008)

Let us also examine how person-centered theory will be effective in treating

bipolar disorder. Individuals who experience life with bi-polar disorder can be bombarded

by their emotional tidal waves. The emotional shifts are not planned nor expected. They

can be very unpredictable. Shifts in mood can swiftly alternate from the heights of

euphoria to a swift plummet into despair quickly. Not all who experience bi-polar disorder

take on the depression; however, manic episodes touch the lives of all who carry this

challenging condition (Mayo Clinic, 2014). In this regard it is pivotal that all levels of the

field from professional to clinical understand the need to treat these clients with the utmost

respect and tact.

Articles Needed for the Study

In the article, “Humanistic psychologies and the contemporary crisis of reason,” it

provides an information base which supports the mission of the humanistic school of

thought and its determination to provide sensitivity and richness to the therapeutic

relationship while honoring the complexity (Cosgrove, 2007) of the human experience.
By Doneil Jones of Freeworld of the Mind

In the article, “Stressful life events, bipolar disorder, and the 'kindling model,”

there is an exploration of some of the very detrimental statistics behind what makes the

lives of individuals with bipolar disorder challenging and sometimes nearly debilitating.

The statistical categorizing of manic depressive episodes over the course of up to 5 years

has been documented up to 44% up to 1 year and up to 87% over 5 years Hlastala, Frank,

Kowalsk, Sherrill, Tu, Anderson, Kupfer, 2000). This research has even expressed that

external stressors play a huge role in stressors (Hlastala et al, 778).

In the article, “Current treatments for bipolar disorder: a review and update for

psychologists,” an analysis of bipolar disorder is examined. The article begins by

identifying bipolar disorder in three categories. The article then follows up, by exploring

what it considers to be the hallmarks of pharmacological drugs. The article mainly

highlights the drugs that have been most effective in curbing the mood swings associated

with the mental disorder. What is even more interesting is the revelation that the limbic

system and associated regions are thought to serve as the primary locus of dysfunction in

mood disorders (Rivas-Vazquez, Johnson, Rey, Blais, Rivas-Vazquez, 2002). This

statement of course leaves much in question; there is great potential for further discovery

there.

In the article, “Elevated left mid-frontal cortical activity,” it provides another

perspective for the discussion of bipolar I disorder analysis. The article goes on to explain

how bipolar disorder is the 10th most incapacitating mental illnesses in the world

(Nusslock, Harmon-Jones, Alloy, Urosevic, Goldstein, Abramson, 2012) and it goes on

further to deconstruct other alleged aspects of the illness. The remainder of the article

attempts to bring clarity to the nature of diagnosis, demographic and clinical predictors of
By Doneil Jones of Freeworld of the Mind

progression and neurophysiological (Nusslock et al, 2012).

In the article, Mind, Brain and Humanistic Values: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientist,

the author states that the Humanist impacts the behavior science (Sperry, 1996). This will

prove instrumental to my research because it will lead into key elements that can prove

how humanist methods can positively impact mental and mood instability in individuals

who struggle with bipolar disorder.

Theoretical Foundations

I selected humanistic approach as my theoretical foundation because of how it was

founded upon the premise of valuing the entire human being and respecting their inner

locus of desire to strive for their highest state of being (Tilley, 2005, Henry, 2011). The

humanistic school of thought presents the individual with a platform of which they can

explore their lives and become reacquainted with who they are all within the same process

(Myers, 2001). This is an important privilege and gift for individuals with mental illness to

be able afforded in a society where they are faced with what can feel like unrealistic

expectations, bullying and clinical labels daily. The person-centered approach has the

theoretical design, which can help bring peace of mind to an individual. Lastly, peace of

mind is exactly the state of mind that clinicians should be helping those who struggle with

bipolar disorder to successfully achieve.


By Doneil Jones of Freeworld of the Mind

References:

Advocates for Mental Health. (2013). The Truth about Many Psychiatric Hospitals.

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By Doneil Jones of Freeworld of the Mind

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By Doneil Jones of Freeworld of the Mind

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