A Nepalese bipolar case amidst risk and protective factors during COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

Bipolar disorder is a chronic and recurring psychiatric illness. Emphasis on enhancing key protective factors like social support systems and promoting this to minimize risk factors like non‐compliance is one of the key strategies tied to enhance overall psychological, intellectual, and emotional health for symptoms remission and relapse prevention even during adverse situations like the COVID‐19 crisis. We intend here to point out implication of the dynamics of the protective and risk factors for bipolar mood through a 23‐year patient from eastern Nepal, which is largely harmonious in its multi‐ethnic, multilingual and multicultural social composition. This attribute of social cohesiveness and compassion is evident in this case report. When disturbed and ill, neighbors from native semi‐urban Nepalese society did support even in the times of crisis of COVID‐19 pandemic. The support of other people including neighbors is a key factor for the short‐term and long‐term management of bipolar mood.