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Lydia Henry Mr. King English Honors 1 28 December 2013 Bipolar Disorder Bipolar Disorder is more serious than someone might expect. The disorder may be referred to as manic-depression, which results in deep depression, madness, excitement, and anger (Signs of Depression). According to (WebMD), The primary symptoms of bipolar disorder are dramatic and unpredictable mood swings. This mental disorder causes extreme emotions and energy, and needs to be controlled or helped as soon as possible (Signs of Depression). If nothing is done about severe cases of bipolarity, someone could be hurt. Victims affected by the disorder need help and comfort from other people around them instead of criticism. A character who has Bipolar Disorder is definitely Romeo from Romeo and Juliet and he does not receive the help and cures he needs in order to control his disorder. There are a few cures, but many adults and teens with bipolarity are afraid of treatment because they do not want their source of joy and excitement to be taken away (Signs of Depression). Some victims have mania, extreme energy and madness. If the bipolarity is never treated, it can only become worse. The disorder cannot be cured without treatment, and can occur frequently or occasionally over a lifetime (Martin 214). The longest cycle can last up to eight months without treatment and can occur at any time. Bipolar Disorder can be inherited or have the ability to hibernate for small periods of time (Jovinelly). Bipolarity can be cured by taking medication, therapy, and using self-help strategies (Martin 214). Sometimes cures are not strong enough to cure bipolarity completely, but the cures may make the disorder a little less extreme.

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The symptoms of bipolarity prove that Romeo is bipolar. There are four episodes of manic-depression; severe mania, hypomania, moderate depression, and severe depression (Martin 214). Some people may not know the difference between depression and just having a bad day. Healthline states that the specific signs and symptoms determine whether its depression or just a case of the Mondays. Severe depression is the extreme low of bipolarity; and prevents a person from functioning properly. If a person was to go into severe depression, he or she would have more need for sleep, sometimes appetite problems, loss of interest, changed feelings, uncontrollable emotions, anxiety, and irritability. The extreme highs and lows of mania and depression can hurt your job and school performance, damage your relationships, and disrupt your daily life. The worst possible symptom of severe depression is suicidal thoughts (WebMD). The high peak of bipolarity is mania, the opposite of severe depression. (WebMD) states, A manic episode is a period of abnormally elevated mood, accompanied by abnormal behavior that disrupts life. Whoever is affected by mania would have less need for sleep, racing thoughts, restlessness, and irritability (Segal). In many cases, a victim influenced by mania also has crazy and unrealistic thoughts and speech (Signs of Depression). The same person might make huge, ridiculous plans only to abandon them soon after making them (Segal). Bipolar

people have less neurotransmitters in the brain tell the brain how to react to something happening to the person (Jovinelly). Because bipolar people have less, they cant think straight or control their emotions as well as others. Romeo is a member of the Montague family in the classic Romeo and Juliet, and is constantly having extreme mood shifts. In the state of being bipolar, Romeo frequently changes from depressed, to hyper and overly excited. In the play, Romeo met Juliet, a member of the

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enemy Capulet family, and fell in love with her. They decide to get married quickly the next day in secret by Friar Lawrence. Meanwhile, Juliets father is planning an arranged marriage for her to marry the Princes cousin, Paris. Romeo ends up killing Tybalt, one of Juliets kin, in a fight, and is soon after banished from the town. After his banishment, Romeo tries to kill himself, because of the overwhelming stress and emotion he is going through. Luckily, Friar Lawrence stops him, and says, Hold thy desperate hand: Art thou a man? thy form cries out thou art: Thy tears are womanish; thy wild acts denote The unreasonable fury of a beast! (Hylton). He instead makes a plan for Romeo to be with Juliet. The plan goes terribly wrong, and Romeo arrives back in town to see that his one true love appears to be dead. In his sorrow and depression, Romeo commits suicide. Romeo could not stay in control of his emotions in the drama Romeo and Juliet, which led to his death. Romeo, at the beginning, had locked himself in his room for a long time, refusing to leave or do anything. Lord Montague, Romeos father, says, Away from the light steals home my heavy son, And private in his chamber pens himself (Hylton). Romeo did not have any appetite problems, however, but he had no interest in what his friends told him. The only reason Romeo was convinced to go to the Capulets party was the hope of seeing Rosaline. Romeo had wild, racing thoughts when he was around Juliet, and slept little, because of the need to visit her. Near the end, though, Romeo began to have thoughts of suicide, and without thinking, he ended his life. Because of the bipolar disorder, many people were indirectly hurt in Romeo and Juliet. Because of the actions of Romeo, a bipolar character, there was a tragic end to the story. People can also be hurt in real life because of the actions of a bipolar person, including if she hurt herself. Many people do not take the disorder seriously and underestimate the effects of it.

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Although it may not be able to be prevented, others can do something to help cure people with Bipolar Disorder.

Bibliography Signs of Depression. Healthline (2005): n.pag. Web. 5 Jan 2014. <www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/recognizing-depression-symptoms Hylton, Jeremy. "Romeo and Juliet." . N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan 2014. <http://shakespeare.mit.edu/romeo_juliet/full.html>. Jovinelly, Joann. Coping with Bipolar Disorder and Manic Depressive Illness. New York, New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2001. Print. Martin, G. Neil. Psychology: A Beginner's Guide. Oxford, England: Oneworld Publications, 2008. 214. Print. Segal, Robert, and Jeanne Segal. "Bipolar Disorder Signs and Symptoms." HelpGuide (1999): n.pag. Web. 11 Dec 2013. <www.helpguide.org/mental/bipolardisorder-symptoms-treatment.htm>. "Bipolar Disorder Health Center." WebMD (2005): n.pag. Web. 13 Dec 2013. <www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/guide/bipolar-disorder-symptoms-types>.

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