Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Oct 3, 2024
Date Accepted: Feb 21, 2025
A Social Media Study of Portrayals of Bipolar Disorders on YouTube: Content and Thematic Analyses
ABSTRACT
Background:
. Individuals affected with mental disorders frequently use YouTube to express themselves, reach an audience, or as a means of understanding of their condition. Testimonies posted on YouTube provide longer and richer perspectives than the short posts found on other social media platforms. Research focusing on the depiction of mental disorders on YouTube is blossoming. Bipolar disorders (BDs) are chronic (treatable, but uncurable) mental disorders. The diagnosis of any mental disorder, and more so BD, is often a life changing event. But no published study has investigated the portrayal of diagnoses of BD on YouTube.
Objective:
Investigate the portrayals of bipolar disorder on Youtube
Methods:
We performed a manual content analysis of 39 testimonies (24 from women) depicting bipolar disorders and their diagnosis by individuals suffering from a bipolar disorder. We also performed a thematic analysis of the corpus relying upon a deductive and inductive approach.
Results:
Our manual content analysis revealed a similar proportion of portrayals are provided by individuals who disclosed a diagnosis of BD-I and BD-II, that the reactions to the diagnosis were mostly negative, followed by positive, while less individuals indicated a denial of the condition. Several portrayals made mention of issues in the areas of money and accommodation, profession and education, and relationships. Medication and psychotherapy where often mentioned as part of treatment for bipolar disorder, most generally in positive terms. The nine themes emerging from the thematic analysis were: “Use of metaphores to convey a sense of bipolar disorder”, “Reactions on diagnosis, treatment and health care professionals expertise”, “Trial and error in medication”, “Positive effects of bipolar”, “Disability, stigma and shame”, “Loss”, “Family planning and genetics”, “Identity change (psychological and physical)”, and “Human social relationships”.
Conclusions:
Overall, our result underline the complexity and richness of the depiction of the diagnosis of bipolar disorder and its narrative context, and highlight the importance of the moment of the diagnosis, medication and psychotherapy. Clinical Trial: None
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