Bipolar is a common mental disorder that is also commonly misunderstood. Even people who have it can easily believe misconceptions about it. Someone working to help those with the disorder to understand what they’re going through, is Kay Jamison, a popular psychologist and author living with Bipolar disorder. Through her book An Unquiet Mind, a memoir explaining her struggles living with Bipolar, she helps others who suffer to understand they are not alone in what they’re going through.
Throughout the book she uses different devices to help the reader. One of these devices is logical reasoning and facts. Jamison is a psychologist and knows enough about about mental illness to explain it all. She also explains rational events such as how mania can lead people to make impulsive decisions or purchases. After mania, depression normally begins to settle in. The bills or consequences of the mania give a greater reason for this depression. Through explaining this, a person with Bipolar that can relate to this will feel relief that they are not the only one. They will also understand better why they feel the way they do. Another device Jamison uses is personal narrative. In her memoir she shares specific stories such as one where she went to a party when she became a staff member at a university. At the time she had believed to behaved normal but later was told by a friend she had seemed manic, dressed provocative, and been way too talkative. Sharing her perspective of the party and then giving the story from another person’s perspective allows the audience to understand that when a person with Bipolar is manic, they do not realize they are making bad decisions. I believe these devices allow the reader to have a much greater understanding of the mental illness. After reading this book so far I have more knowledge and a deeper curiosity for Bipolar disorder.
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