Post-cognitivism and autoethnography in the study of bipolar disorder

Introduction Bipolar disorder (BD) is increasingly recognized in clinical settings and there are several accounts of this lived experience. But there are not many studies that try to go beyond the question of what it is like to have such an experience. While psychiatric and philosophical literature presents analysis of atypical time and space experiences in BD, sociological perspectives on this topic remain scarce. In my study I approached the problem within the post-cognitivist paradigm that takes into account the full living body, context, interaction in the environment, and first-person experience. My study was informed by enactivist questions of why does something mean something, for someone, in a particular historical and interactive situation; and what is at stake for this person?

Goals and Methods Presented research aimed to provide an in-depth, first-person account of bipolar disorder. I employed an autoethnographic approach, leveraging personal experience as a primary data source. The study design involved:

1. Detailed journaling and field notes during and after hospitalization
2. Analysis of diagnostic processes
3. Reflective writing on the lived experience of bipolar disorder
4. Application of enactivist theories to interpret and contextualize the data

Data analysis employed iterative coding and thematic analysis, with a focus on embodied cognition and the interplay between individual experience and sociocultural context.

Results Preliminary findings suggest that the experience of bipolar disorder extends far beyond its clinical definition, encompassing dimensions that could be described within a 5E dimension: Embodied, Embedded, Enactive, Emotive, and Extended. This research contributes to a more nuanced understanding of bipolar disorder, challenging stigmatizing narratives and highlighting the importance of first-person accounts in mental health research and practice. The enactivist framework, which emphasizes the interdependence of mind, body, and environment, provides a novel lens through which to examine the complex dynamics of mental illnesses.