Doença Bipolar

Bipolar Disorder is a neuropsychiatric condition characterised by alternating episodes of mania (or euphoria) and depression. It can be highly disabling, leading to sleep disturbances, increased susceptibility to comorbid conditions (e.g. cardiovascular and neurological disorders), and significant social impacts on the lives of both patients and their families. However, Bipolar Disorder should not be viewed solely as a limiting condition. It is particularly important to address and reduce the social stigma that continues to surround this and many other mental health conditions — a stigma that often discourages individuals from seeking help. An effective communication strategy in the field of mental health — and specifically regarding Bipolar Disorder — is thus crucial for reducing stigma and raising public awareness. This initiative proposes to bring together scientific knowledge from the health sciences and the arts, through the creation of multimedia artistic content, as a way of engaging society in critical reflection on mental health issues.

The effectiveness of using artistic languages to explore scientific topics is increasingly recognised. Performance arts — particularly theatre and film — have the capacity to evoke emotion and stimulate the formation of opinions around a wide range of issues, including scientific ones. Simultaneously, the use of multimedia content has proven to be an effective tool in science communication. The COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the need to diversify and improve multimedia content aimed at raising public awareness of mental health. We believe this project will make a meaningful contribution to the promotion of scientific culture, not only within the University of Coimbra community, but also across the city of Coimbra and on a national scale.

This project is supported by the Interdisciplinary Research Institute as part of the 2021 Science Culture Promotion Awards.

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