Everyone in their life will experience some sort of mental illness, some more severe than others. We can define mental illness as a health problem that significantly affects a person's emotions, behavior and social interactions, in very different ways. Everyone suffering from a mental illness has their own journey to recovery, which is very different and completely subjective. One person's experience of illness may be very different from another person's because the person is exposed to many risks and protective factors. The film Silver Linings Playbook directed by David O. Russell highlights the illness experience of bipolar disorder through the main protagonist Pat Solitano Jr. In the film, Pat has just been released from psychiatric prison for 8 months and is determined to get his ex-wife back. after discovering that she had cheated on him (Russel, 2012). Bipolar disorder is described as a mood disorder experienced by the individual, ranging from extreme manic episodes, hypomania to major depression. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Health care providers must understand the importance of an individual's unique experience of illness. This can be done by studying the biopsychosocial risk and the protective factors to which the person is exposed. Everyone is exposed to different factors that make their journey to remission and/or recovery unique. The World Health Organization defines risk factors as when there is an increased likelihood of developing an illness or injury due to factors such as the environment, certain characteristics or exposure to an individual (“WHO” , 2019). Some of the risk factors Pat faces are medication noncompliance, stress from a traumatic experience, and family history of mental illness. Protective factors are the opposite: they are factors that reduce the undesirable consequences of a risk factor (Baltes et al., 2001). Supportive relationships, physical activity, and access to health care such as psychotherapy are examples of protective factors. Patients are more likely to be at increased risk of recurrence and hospitalizations due to lack of supportive relationships and stress. Adherence to medications and participation in psychotherapy sessions are associated with a more positive prognosis in bipolar disorder. To improve and sustain the life of a person diagnosed with bipolar disorder, there must be pharmacological intervention. Medication non-compliance can be considered as a patient not complying and taking the prescribed medication that has been agreed upon and given to them by the prescriber. This is a significant and serious barrier to the patient's journey to recovery and affects how health care teams can effectively treat bipolar (Li et al., 2014). This concept of non-compliance is highlighted in the film through the main protagonist Pat, through his journey dealing with this mental illness. Non-adherence to medications can have debilitating effects on the patient as it significantly increases the risk of relapse, suicide attempts and hospitalization, leading to less chance of remission and recovery (Jawad, Watson, Haddad , Talbot and McAllister-Williams, 2018). This has a negative impact on their experience of mental illness. It can cause depression and mania if the stabilizers ofmood such as lithium are stopped suddenly (Jawad et al., 2018). Non-adherence is completely subjective and varies from person to person, on the one hand, a patient may be completely adherent or not (Jawad et sl., 2018). A patient may be non-compliant due to several factors such as negative side effects, an elaborate medication regimen, poor disease awareness, and an unhealthy relationship between the phycologist and the patient. Bipolar side effects of medication are a common reason for non-adherence and impactful. on the patient's mental health experience. Pat faces the bad side effects due to medication and therefore does not take his medication (Russel, 2012). The medications make him “foggy and bloated” and “less lively” (Russel, 2012). It describes fighting side effects because it has a big impact on normal functioning, which deters people from taking it. Non-compliance also increases the risk of violence and suicide rates. Research indicates that "plasma medication levels for prescribed antipsychotic and antidepressant medications suggest that 3 out of 24 people were nonadherent to antipsychotics and 10 out of 10 were nonadherent to antidepressants at the time of their suicide." In the film, Pat goes through episodes of extreme violence with his family and friends. This is explicitly shown in the film when Pat hurts his parents during manic episodes. Throughout the film, the audience sees the irritability of Pat's mood, his agitation and his difficulty controlling his emotions, which impacts his recovery. Poor perception and awareness of this disorder is a common factor in non-compliance (Jawad et al., 2018). ). It would be difficult to understand the disease without proper knowledge of the disease. Compared to this, patients who are non-compliant with their medications have a lesser understanding of their illness and what it entails (Jawad, et al., 2018). The stigma placed on mental illness contributes to this denial and lack of understanding which contributes to this risk. The protagonist denies his illness and thinks he is fine and therefore does not take his medication. He tries to overcome his illness by being optimistic, but this is not possible. This shows his lack of understanding of his illness, which affects his daily life and recovery. Engaging in any physical activity is one of many ways to improve a person's experience of poor mental health. Various mental illnesses can be prevented and treated through physical activity. This is a protective factor that is a recurring theme in the film, highlighted by Pat. Research shows that people experience fewer depressive symptoms when they participate in physical activity, resulting in a better quality of life (Ho et al., 2009). Bipolar patients are generally more sedentary, and low levels of exercise are linked to lower quality of life, higher depressive symptoms, and poorer functioning in various aspects of their lives. Due to the inactive lifestyle, it has a direct implication not only on their mental health but also on their physical health (Hearing et al., 2016). People with bipolar disorder who are more physically active have better functionality in all areas of life, such as work, cognitive functioning, financial management, and social interactions, which has a positive impact on their illness experience ( Melo et al., 2019). There is a higher risk of obesity, stroke, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. These are linked to a sedentary lifestyle. Physical activity has an impact