Introduction
Times of elevated mood and times of depression alternate during bipolar disorder, a mental illness.
Bipolar illness is a mood disorder that is characterized by unusual emotions, inadequate sleep, and abrupt changes in behavior. Social factors, genetic components, life events, relationship-related issues, and psychological disturbances are thought to be the main contributors to the disease, particularly in adults and adolescents, according to (Leahy, 423) as discussed below.
Genetic and Environmental Factors
Bipolar illness is strongly correlated with both genetic and environmental factors (Craddock and Ian, 589). The disease appearance depends on the presence of a vulnerable gene and their interactions with the external environments. Emily may have inherited susceptible genes from her parent. As stated by Pediatrics, these genes would have been dormant if the external environment was not favoring their manifestation. However, being a time of civil war, there were a lot of challenges in Emily’s Country more than she could bear. Other issues arose within her families like that one of being denied the right to marry her beloved boyfriend. These harsh conditions may have triggered and awakened the genes causing bipolar disorder (Faulkner, n.p).
Relationship Triggers
According to the author, many young people are not always prepared to lose the “love of their life.” They easily allow their relationships to cloud their judgments; this has been attributed to be one of the biggest triggers that result in self-injury and more so to mental disorders, bipolar disorders being among them. In some instances, breaking up of relationships can result in suicidal attempts and such similar behaviors. Parents should, therefore, pay close attention to prevent such self-destruction behaviors. The fictional character “Emily Grierson” is at a great risk of depression that would consequently lead to bipolar disorder as her father has denied her the right to have a boyfriend.
The Importance of Relationship Support
From the fiction, it can be noted clearly that relationship triggers should never be taken lightly. Young people should be actively listened to by their parents. Their relationship matters should also be taken seriously and avoid saying such as “there is plenty of fish in the ocean.” When dealing with a person in love or a relationship with another person on matters regarding their companionship, it is important to note that it is his or her emotions you are dealing with in most cases and not the person you are addressing. Caution should, therefore, be taken so as not to induce bad feelings in that person which could result in undesirable results. With proper guidance and care both from parents and other relationship experts, relationship issues can be kept in check and regulated accordingly from the beginning of our youth onwards.
Stress as a Trigger
Stress is considered one of the commonest bipolar disorder triggers. A negative or a stressful life event can trigger mood swings according to research conducted. Dr. Bennett has stated that the events causing stress are highly individual, but one’s lifestyle and key life events can act as triggers to elevated levels of stress. From the book we see that bipolar disorders are likely to occur where there is restraint in socioeconomic factors linking together aspects such as low education levels and joblessness.
The Impact of Stress on Emily
Emily had been exempted tax payment as a result of her low-income level as well as her occupation. We are also told that the stench that was coming from Emily’s house was discomforting people living beside her homestead, but they could not take any action as they knew the poverty level she was living in. The high degree of stress made her lose her senses, and she never thought anything critically. She was neither able to smell the odor coming from her house nor think of burying her boyfriend as a sign of showing him her last respects.
Gender Differences in Bipolar Disorder
A person’s gender has a significant effect on the ways the disorder manifests itself. Women, for instance, are more vulnerable to depressive episodes more than manic episodes as seen in men. Depression affects a person’s mood and also the way he or she feels. The mood, on the other hand, impacts a person in ways regarding how he or she feels about himself, how he or she relates to others, and how they interact with people around them. When depression goes untreated, it can last for a long time and can consequently lead to devastating results or conducts.
Depression's Impact on Emily
Depression makes Emily retain her father’s dead body in the house for three days; this is an indication that her psychology was already affected by depression to a large extent. She also continued to murder her boyfriend and withheld his body in her house for about 40 years. A study done by forensic has shown that there is a great connection between depression, homicide, and suicide. In fact, homicide is said to have a more significant correlation with depression than it has with mania. It is therefore advisable that people with depression should be assessed by the likelihood of committing suicide or a homicide.
Fear of the Unknown
Fear of the unknown is another factor considered to contribute greatly to bipolar disorder. The display of discrimination against certain people can encourage or lead to the development of a person's self-stigma. People suffering from mental illnesses can begin to have negative thoughts about other people. People suffering from this disease always seem to overlook the downside of every decision made by others in their day to day life. In the story, we are told that Emily feared that her husband Barron was going to leave her once he made a decision to leave for a while. Emily did not see anything good coming out of her husband leaving, but instead, she only saw their relationship breaking; this overthinking and her negativity lead to her developing bipolar disorder.
Mental Health and Community Development
Mental health is very crucial for the development of the community and a nation as a whole. People can define who they are, their positions, and their roles in development. In the story, we are told that Jefferson County's urbanization and economic status were greatly connected to people's mental health status. People were able to reason and reconcile to put an end to the civil war that was disrupting their development.
Conclusion
Bipolar disorder is a long-term devastating illness affecting a mass number of people and having great consequences for the afflicted people as well as those taking care of them. It has for the longest time remained a mystery in its cause and its probable cure. There is, however, hope that the disorder can be dealt with and be eliminated. With the increased research on treatment and the understanding of ways into which the burdens of the patient and the caretaker can be significantly reduced, this challenge can be dealt with successfully.
Work cited
Craddock, Nick, and Ian Jones. "Genetics of bipolar disorder." Journal of medical genetics 36.8
(2011): 585-594.
Faulkner, William. A rose for Emily. Verlag F. Schöningh, 1958.
Leahy, Robert L. "Bipolar disorder: Causes, contexts, and treatments." Journal of clinical
psychology 63.5 (2016): 417-424.
