The Lived Experience of Adults with Bipolar Disorder: The Case of Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital
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Date
2014-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The purpose of the study was to explore the lived experiences of persons with Bipolar disorders
the case of Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital. Ten interview participants and eleven FGD
participants were participated in the study. The participants of the interview and FGDs were
selected using purposive and snow-ball sampling techniques respectively. An existential
(phenomenological) qualitative design was utilized. In-depth interview and FGD were conducted
within two months. Four overall themes (i.e. perception towards their illness, negative and
positive experiences of the illness, challenges of the illness and coping strategies with their
illness) were emerged from the interviews and triangulated with two FGDs. The study result on
the first theme shows that patients have limited perception to mental illness in general and to their
bipolar disorder in particular. Regarding the second theme nearly all participants especially
women participants have negative experience like forced sex (raped), socially or self stigmatized,
physically and emotionally abused. In relation to the third theme, participants described their life
with BD is complex and challenging. Regarding to the last theme, most of the participants
employed negative and emotion focused coping mechanism.
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Keywords
Specialized Hospital