Farr, Joanna and Smith, Jonathan and Rhodes, John (2025) Disrupted relatedness and shifting perceptions of others: changing moods over time for people diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. The Qualitative Report 29 (11), pp. 2950-2963. ISSN 2160-3715.
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Abstract
For people diagnosed with bipolar disorder, the relationship between mood episodes and interpersonal life is critical. Yet little is known about how their experience of other people changes during and between episodes of depression and mania. This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the experience of interpersonal change during depression, mania and euthymia (stability). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three women at two time points and were analysed using longitudinal interpretative phenomenological analysis. One longitudinal theme, “Changing sense of others impacts relatedness,” demonstrates profound changes in participants’ experiences of other people within and between episodes. During depression, participants experienced other people as critical and threatening, making interactions impossible, whereas during mania they felt liberated from the expectations of others, who were seen as either subservient or irrelevant. For some participants, interpersonal disruption persisted during euthymia, making social interactions challenging. The findings highlight distinct forms of disrupted relatedness during depression and mania which were cumulative, impacting participants’ ability to relate to others and reconnect during stable periods. This points to the clinical value of those affected by bipolar disorder gaining insight into their trajectory of interpersonal change, along with a focus on rebuilding relationships and relational connection during euthymic phases.
Metadata
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Keyword(s) / Subject(s): | bipolar disorder, interpersonal, bipolar episodes, longitudinal, qualitative |
| School: | Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science > School of Psychological Sciences |
| Research Centres and Institutes: | Interdisciplinary Research on Mental Health, Birkbeck Centre for |
| Depositing User: | Joanna Farr |
| Date Deposited: | 16 Jan 2025 12:52 |
| Last Modified: | 30 Mar 2025 01:42 |
| URI: | https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/54785 |
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