First Current Event posting
Topic: Health
Title: Back to school with bipolar? How college can unleash mania
Writer: Michael Hoos
Publication name: cnn.com
Published on 9/21/2010
Length: 1,595
Main Idea:
Studies have shown that college students are highly susceptible to Bipolar disease. The academic stress, social pressure, and intense partying can cause students to develop the disease or for those who have it, it worsens. College life can be very tough on student at the beginning. It can be very difficult to make new friends and adjust to the work load, therefor students feel isolated and depressed and start to show their first signs of Bipolar disease. Without treatment, Bipolar disease can result in severe alcohol/drug abuse and even suicide. Although the disease negatively effects all of its victims, some Bipolar students thrive in college. When taking proper medication, finding counseling, and planning out a strict schedule, Bipolar students can function just as well as everyone else. In 2006, two different groups entered college with the same IQs and backgrounds, 50% of the healthy group received a college degree compared to only 16% of the Bipolar students. Students can find ways to deal with their disease by learning about their campus's health services and counseling programs.
Conclusion:
The stress caused by entering college, and college life in general, has become a main cause of the development of Bipolar disease in many students. When dealt with properly, the disease can have little effect on students and are still able to succeed in college life. However when left untreated, Bipolar victims can resort to alcohol/drug abuse and even suicide.
Opinion:
I believe this is not something to be taken lightly. If the rate of Bipolar students continues to increase, colleges should set up some sort of special counseling. Similar to at Gunn, how we have counselors that are always available because of the tragedies that occurred last year.
url: http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/09/21/health.bipolar.college/index.html?npt=NP1
This article definetly makes sense.
ReplyDeleteIn college there you go through so many new experiences which may be hard for you to handle. There's the partying, late nights, huge homework load, and the stress of making new friends and feeling comfortable in a new place. It's basically high school times 10. I think that all that stress and emotion can for sure unleash a disease that you didn't know you had before.
Because Bipolar disorder can affect your life in horrible ways, it's important that colleges have programs and resources that can help you deal with it. Students should not have to struggle alone, and they should make sure that they communicate with others and get help.
This is a really good article. I think this is a very important issue must be worked on. The thing is with mental disorders it is harder to work with. I think bipolar people should study their disease since studies show that about 60% of the people with a mental disease know more about it, and how to live with it and handle it, they are 90% more successful since they are comfortable with themselves and who they truly are. The truth is anyone with a mental problem should be helped by Psychiatrists and be given Lithium, but at the same time the only TRUE person that can help them, are themselves. They must find a motivation to help themselves and keep that motivation strong.
ReplyDeleteI think this shows the society is recognizing that mental health is just as important as physical health. This will reduce the stigma against mental issues. Hopefully, people will be more open about their mental health, leading them to get help.
ReplyDeleteI find this article to be very interesting and I definitely agree with many of the things it says. It exaggerates the importance to pay attention to mental illness which I think is something often forgotten in today’s society. There seems to be a trend of it becoming more and more serious, meaning it is something we have to balance and make sure we acknowledge. If all high schools and colleges had the same counseling and services that Gunn did, I agree many kids and young adults would be much better off.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think this article is recognizing that a lot of changes in environment and lifestyle can be really emotionally draining. I can definitely see how college and mental health are connected in this way.
ReplyDelete