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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Specialized Hospital

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