"Det går upp, det går ner, det står aldrig still" : En kvalitativ litteraturstudie om kvinnors erfarenheter av att leva med bipolär sjukdom

Sammanfattning: Background: Bipolar disorder is a demanding illness to live with. Triggers are a mixture of heredity and environment. The disease is divided into two types, 1 and 2. Type 1 is characterized by episodes of depression and mania and type 2 of hypomania and depression. The disease is treated pharmacologically but also with therapy. Previous research done on women's experiences of living with bipolar disorder shows that they found it difficult to maintain relationships. Purpose: To illuminate the experience of living with bipolar disorder from a women's perspective. Method: A qualitative literature study based on five autobiographies with Swedish authors. Result: The result consists of five main categories with a total of eleven sub-categories. The result is based on the main categories: Being Different, Difficulty with Relationships, The Black Hole: Depression, Mania and Hypomania - can handle everything and a bit about Medicines - a rescue but at the same time a curse. The experience of feeling different compared to other people was found in all of these women. One of the biggest losses for women was often that they could not work to the extent they wanted. Reducing stress in one's life proved to be an important factor in not falling into a mood change. Anxiety turned out to be one of the things that women had the most difficulty coping with everyday life and also living with because of the physical pain it caused them. The experience of having to be medicated for the rest of their lives caused great grief at the same time as it is a necessity to function as a person. Conclusion: Being a woman living with bipolar disorder is demanding and easily becomes a burden unless the right help is obtained. Women with bipolar disorder need to be heard and met with respect for not feeling different. More research is needed in this area in order to, as a general nurse, have enough knowledge to support these women.