The formal study of psychology is a fairly young field in the scope of history. Throughout time, as people struggled with emotional or psychological issues, they were seen as demonized, crazy, or some other culturally relevant term that would deem them an outcast. As this field continues to be refined through thorough scientific study and developments in technology, genetics, and brain mapping, we are learning more about the diagnoses and treatment of the various mental disorders.

There may be no disorder that is more challenging to understand and to live through than bipolar (what was previously know as manic-depressive). Without getting into too much detail as to the various specifics, bipolar is a condition where an individual experiences periods of debilitating depression and abnormally elevated (manic or hypomanic) states, which interferes with daily functioning. Because of the varied emotional intensity that a person endures with bipolar, it is often difficult to diagnose correctly, and even more difficult to find the correct balance of mood stabilizing medications.

Can you imagine?...For months you felt unmotivated, lacking in energy, hating yourself and life; you couldn’t remember simple things, which has led you to lose your job; you turned most of your family and friends away because of your irritability. You had been thinking for a while that it would be better just to end it all…Then things started getting better. Your mood improved; you felt great about yourself! You didn’t need as much sleep, which allowed you to clean the house like crazy or get those neglected projects done. It was irritating how your mind raced, never slowing down, but you found you could keep a conversation going with anyone about anything forever. Man, it was great! Colors were brighter, more vivid! Songs were so rich and full of energy!...Soon it seemed like those colors were so bright they might blind. Your own skin felt like it might explode, and now your brain is whirling so quickly that you can’t even find a thought to hang on to. You sleep hardly at all, and you’ve found that smoking pot or drinking alcohol are the only things that can dull it a little. You try to find any activity that will keep up with all of your energy - motorcycle riding, sex, shopping - but nothing works. You feel like you are going crazy!

Some version of this scenario is the story for about 2.6 percent of the adult population in the U.S. - that’s 5.7 million people (see NIMH website), with the onset of the disorder blossoming during the late teens and early twenties for most. Some will spend much of a year in one state or the other; with those who have “rapid cycling” bipolar, the stages can switch within days.

In the book Facing Bipolar, Russ Federman & J. Anderson Thomson tackle this issue with clarity and reality. They use the perspective of speaking to a young adult who has recently been diagnosed with bipolar, laying out how to get help, how to tell others, and how to manage daily life:

When you travel to a new city, it helps to have a map close at hand. On the first day of school, you need to have your schedule of classes. And if you’ve been diagnosed with bipolar disorder or suspect you may have it, then it’s even more important to have a guidebook within reach.

I highly recommend this book to those who have been diagnosed, those family and friends who are supporting someone with this specific difficulty, and to mental health practitioners who want a clearer understanding of what it means to walk daily with bipolar.

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