Funny... You Don't Look Bipolar!

"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.