Social Stress Shapes the Lives of People with Bipolar Disorder

By Aalaa Basheer 

Most of us feel stressed about school, work, money, or family at some point in our lives. But for people living with bipolar disorders, stress can have an even bigger impact on their mental health. 

 

What is bipolar? 

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness listed in the DSM 5. People with bipolar disorder experience strong shifts in their mood and energy. They tend to go from very high to very low mood episodes. The high state is called a manic or hypomanic episode. In that episode, they have too much energy and feel irritable and unusually confident. The low state is called a major depressive episode. They feel down, tired and lose their appetite and interest in activities they usually enjoy. There are two types of bipolar disorders, bipolar I and bipolar II. Bipolar I has more severe manic episodes, while bipolar II has more severe depressive episode.  

 

Social stress and bipolar disorder 

A recent study looked at the effect of social stress on the mental health of 2,280 adults diagnosed with bipolar disorders. The researchers looked at different types of social stress. Some were about access to education and healthcare. Others were about money, housing, safety, and transportation. Also, they looked at the community they live in, like family relationships and living in an unjust society. The participants answered a questionnaire about the stress they had in the past year and how severe it was. The study found that the people who experienced more stress had worse mental health outcomes. People with high stress had more anxiety and mood shifts. Moreover, they were more likely to have alcohol or drug problems and attempt suicide. Even though bipolar disorder is related to biology, this study showed that someone’s environment also has a big impact on their health. 

 

Gender Differences 

This study discovered interesting differences between men and women in stress. The women in the study were more likely to report that they lacked family support. They had more money problems and more difficulties accessing healthcare and getting health coverage. Meanwhile, men had more problems with unemployment. When it comes to the effect of the social stress on their health, women were more likely to have problems with binge eating and more mood shifts. Women also had more suicide attempts. Men, on the other hand, were more likely to have problems with alcohol and drugs. 

 

Why this matters 

So, why do we care? It is important to understand all the factors that affect the mental and physical health of people with bipolar disorders. This study shows that supporting people with bipolar is more than just medication and therapy. We must address the real-life issues that affect their well-being and make their illness more difficult to manage. It is also essential to recognize the gender differences. Financial pressure and barriers in accessing healthcare and health coverage are not small issues. This severely affects long-term health and well-being. This research suggests that social stressors are as serious as physiological symptoms. By looking at the person as a whole, including their environment, we can provide them with the help they need. Bipolar disorder does not exist in a vacuum, it is shaped by one’s genetics, housing, employment, relationships, and society.