Funny... You Don't Look Bipolar!

Autobiography and stories from five other people with Bipolar disorder, many facts about Bipolar, how to get help, and advocacy.

"I was on top of a skyscraper, somewhere in Boston. I was at the peak of mania, convinced that I could fly. I don't remember whom I was with, or where they came from... Someone dared me to see how far I could put my feet off the edge of the building. I took the bet, and slowly stepped a little bit off the side of the building. Then another little step... Suddenly, someone grabbed me and yanked me back to reality. That is all I remember, other than someone calling me “crazy.” Stigmatized and demonized in the news and entertainment media, Bipolar Disorder, once known as Manic/Depressive, seems viewed by the public on the whole, as simply "crazy," or "attention getting," or "irresponsible." The willingness to along with such erroneous notions illustrates the depth of ignorance about a neurochemical disorder that is physical, but shows up as changing the brain's behavior. There is no cure, but well-executed diagnosis and well-chosen medications can go a long way toward mediating the deleterious, and often fatal, effects of it. The author outlines the story of her lifelong bout with Bipolar, presents several other people's stories, and offers pathways to obtaining help for those who suffer, and for their families to understand.

About the Author Linda Benschop, A.K.A. “Hummingbird,” got her formal training in nursing and psychology. She was a crisis counselor, and has lived with Bipolar, at one time known as Manic Depression, all her life. She is the originator and owner of an international Delphi forum named, “Mental Health Kaleidoscope,” formerly known as “Bipolar Kaleidoscope.” Linda has started and run numerous support groups for people with Bipolar-spectrum mental illnesses. She has also been an avid long-distance Appalachian Trail hiker and backpacker. She is married to Jan Benschop, author, editor, and former technical writer. They live in Abingdon, Virginia with their feline fur baby, “Jingle.”