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A Look at Bipolar Disorder in Michael Clayton

Richard A Moore

Jefferson College of Health Sciences

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Abstract

I will give my perspective on the movie Michael Clayton and focus on one of the characters

Arthur Edens, who suffers from bipolar disorder. I will also show how bipolar disorder affects

many individuals’ lives that suffer with it. I will show what treatment and therapy are available

today to alleviate some of the problems associated with bipolar disorder.

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Look at Bipolar Disorder in Michael Clayton

The main character of the movie is Michael Clayton; Clayton is a fixer in a large law firm

in New York who has been given the task of cleaning up after one of the partners Arthur Eden,

who has had a psychotic episode at a deposition in Milwaukee. Michael Clayton is the main

character in the film, but Arthur Edens plays a vital role in showing how someone with mental

illness can affect the lives of so many. Edens suffers from bipolar disorder, and he is in charge of

defending a large agrochemical company that has been charged with poisoning people. Edens

stops taking his medication and strips naked and claims he is “Shiva the god of death”

(Treatment Advocacy Center, 2007). Michael then proceeds to try to get Edens back on his

medication and show the chemical company that Edens is still in control of the case, and this is

just a small set-back. I could give a full synopsis of Michael Clayton but this small part shows

how this disorder can affect those who suffer with it, and those who are associated with anyone

who has bipolar disorder.

“Bipolar disorder affects approximately 5.7 million American adults. This translates into

about 2.6 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older” (NIMH, 2008). It is also know as

manic depression. Bipolar disorder causes a serious shift in mood; one can go from extreme

highs (mania), to extreme lows (depression). These mood swings can last for days, weeks, or

months at a time and interfere with everyday functions. During a manic episode the bipolar

sufferer can do many things that they would never do in everyday life, such as buy unwanted,

and unneeded items. They also feel like 30 TV channels are on all at once in their brain. They

sleep very little and feel rested after just a few hours of sleep. They can also hit bottom and feel

unable to do the simplest thing such as get out of bed, or bathe themselves. There are four types

of mood episodes associated with bipolar disorder, severe mania, hypomania, mild depression,

and severe depression. During a severe mania episode they may talk a mile a minute, sleep very

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little, hear voices, engage in inappropriate sexual activity, and be very irritable. Many times

when a person has a manic break they have to be institutionalized an medicated to control their

destructive actions. Hypomania is a less severe form of mania. People with hypomania may feel

euphoric, energized, and can take on anything. Many are able to carry on their day-to-day

activities like nothing in the world is wrong. An outsider looking in would see this person in

what they would perceive as a good mood. Hypomania can escalate into mania and the person

suffering can make bad decisions that can harm relationships, and do harm to their everyday

livelihood. Episodes of hypomania can also lead into major depressive episodes. These episodes

can also increase the risk of suicide if not treated. The depressive episode of bipolar disorder

they feel hopeless, sad, loss of pleasure in everyday activities, and have persistent thoughts of

suicide. Many researchers feel that there is a vast difference between bipolar depression, and

regular depression, and that antidepressant medication to treat regular depression does not help

the bipolar patient. Helpguide.org says “Most people with bipolar depression are not helped

by antidepressants. In fact, there is a risk that antidepressants can make bipolar disorder

worse–triggering mania or hypomania, causing rapid cycling between mood states, or

interfering with other mood stabilizing drugs.” (Smith, Segal, & Segal, 2009, par.14).

Treating the bipolar patient is not a quick fix. Many of bipolar sufferers must stay on medication

long-term. It is also a chronic illness that many patients will relapse many times during their

lifetime. Medication alone is not the only treatment for bipolar illness. A combination of

medication, therapy, and social support should be included in any care plan. The most widely

used medications that are available to treat bipolar disorder is Lithium, and Depicote. “Studies

have shown that when taken by the bipolar patient it reduces the risk of suicide, prevents future

manic episodes, and relieves depression” (WebMD, and The Cleveland Clinic). Both of these

medications are limited in treating many of the underlying side-effects that accompany bipolar

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disorder. According to the website Kathi’s Mental Health Review “many clinicians feel that

both Lithium and Depicote are better at treating mania than depression, and using

antidepressants with these drugs has been known to trigger mania or rapid cycling-

conventional” (Stringer, Kupfer, & Detre, Unknown, par.1) Many clinicians have also started

experimenting with off label drugs for many of the side effects of bipolar disorder. Off label

drugs are medication that the FDA has prescribed for certain illnesses, but physicians prescribe it

for a different illness due to its benefits. The benefits of anticonvulsants are considered off label

drugs and according to Kathi’s Mental Health Review, “The type of medication used most often

for bipolar disorder in an "off label" capacity is the group known as anticonvulsants. Used

primarily for the treatment of epilepsy, several of these drugs have recently shown promise in

treating those with manic depression, particularly in helping stabilize mood.” (Stringer, Kupfer,

& Detre, Unknown, par.3). There are also treatments available for those who do not respond to

medication, psychosocial treatment, or when combinations of both are not alleviating the

patient’s symptoms. Electroconvulsive therapy has been used to treat acute manic episodes.

According to Kathi’s Mental Health Review, “ECT may also be considered to treat acute

episodes when medical conditions, including pregnancy, make the use of medications too risky.

ECT is a highly effective treatment for severe depressive, manic, and/or mixed episodes.”

(Singer, 1999, par.58).

In the movie Evans stopped using his medication and had a psychotic manic episode. He

stripped down in front of the plaintiff during a deposition and started running through the

parking lot professing his love for the plaintiff. Edens also is delusional thinking that he went

through a re-birth where he was covered in the placenta. This behavior impacted a very high

profile case that he was working on with millions of dollars on the line. Evans behavior impacted

his friends and partners working with him in the firm where he was employed. In the movie

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Michael bails Evan’s out of jail and gets him started on his medication only to have him leave

without saying a word to Michael. Evan’s continued on his destructive path of taking down his

clients with true brilliancy which makes Michael wonder if he is mentally ill at all. Evan’s

should have stayed on his prescribed medication and while it would have taken a while to get

into his system, it would have eventually brought him out of his delusional and destructive

pattern. However; Evans seemed to be in a hypomania state after leaving Milwaukee and was

thinking in a rational manner which would question weather he knew what he was doing, or just

having a manic episode. In the end the large agrochemical company employees hired killers to

make it seem like he overdosed on his medication. Michael question’s weather Evan’s was even

mentally ill after finding out that Evans was right all along, and the weed killer was poisoning

people. Only after an attempt on Michaels life was the large agrochemical company brought

down. This movie is a small glimpse of what many bipolar sufferers, friends and family go

through on a daily basis. Many like Evans suffer manic episodes throughout their lifetime. With

a good therapist, and family support many can lead good productive lives.

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Click

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4)

Method

Describe

Participant (subject) characteristics

Detail

Sampling procedures

Describe

Sample size, power, and precision

Demonstrate

Measures and covariates

Define

Research design

Specify

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Experimental manipulations or interventions

Describe

Results

Report

Recruitment

Provide

Statistics and data analysis

Analyze

Ancillary analyses

Report

Participant flow

Describe

Intervention or manipulation fidelity

Provide

Baseline data

Provide

Adverse events

Deatail

Discussion

Examine

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References

NIMH. (2008). The Numbers Count: Mental Disorders in America. Retrieved from National

Institute of Mental Health Web site: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-

numbers-count-mental-disorders-in-america/index.shtml#Bipolar

Singer, K. (1999). Comprehensive Information on Bipolar. Retrieved from Kathi's Mental Health

Review Web site: http://www.toddlertime.com/dx/bipolar/what-is-bipolar-2.htm

Smith, M., Segal, J., & Segal, R. (Comps.). (2009, September). Understanding Bipolar Disorder.

Retrieved from Helpguide.org Web site:

http://helpguide.org/mental/bipolar_disorder_symptoms_treatment.htm

Stringer, K., Kupfer, D. J., & Detre, T. (Unkown). New Treatment Options For Bipolar

Disorder. Retrieved from Kathi's Mental Health Review Web site:

http://www.toddlertime.com/med/new-bipolar-treatment.htm

Treatment Advocacy Center. (2007, October). Important message in "Michael Clayton":

location matters. Retrieved from Treatment Advocacy Center Web site:

http://psychlaws.blogspot.com/2007/10/important-message-in-michael-clayton.html

WebMD, and The Cleveland Clinic (Comps.). (2008, July). Lithium for Bipolar Disorder.

Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/bipolar-disorder-lithium