The consumers at Piper Place have been diagnosed with a wide
variety of psychiatric disorders. I gained substantial knowledge about these
illnesses during second semester’s psychiatric nursing class as well as
clinical. Here I will shed light on some of the disorders I witnessed and
encountered.
Anxiety Disorder
When a
person cannot use constructive coping measures to combat normal levels of
anxiety, higher levels can result to cause behavioral changes in the client
that are often persistent and disabling. The various anxiety disorders include
panic and obsessive compulsive disorders, phobias, and posttraumatic stress
disorder. Patients with anxiety disorders behave in ways that endanger
themselves and others while others are so fearful of social or specific contact
that they may never even leave home.
Below is a clip featuring a woman living with Panic
Disorder:
Bipolar Disorder
This
mood disorder is characterized by recurrent episodes of depression and mania
that usually emerge in late adolescence or early adulthood. The client
experiencing bipolar disorder may exhibit bizarre, paranoid, and psychotic
behavior during manic episodes. These incidences alternate with depressive
episodes in which the client appears to lack energy and interest, personal hygiene,
and concentration. Treatment of bipolar is focused on keeping the patient
healthy and free from harm. Mood stabilizers such as Lithium and Valproic Acid
are used as well as benzodiazepines and antidepressants.
In this video, famous actor Maurice Benard talks about his struggles with Bipolar Disorder: