Thank you for showing another side to bipolar. My husband is bp and over the years I have lost the memory of the “good parts” of this mental illness.
I hate that my husband’s more interesting parts of his illness is blunted by his meds, but at some point he needed respite and so did I.

Two corrections to the above: 1) Kay Redfield Jamison is a psychologist and not a psychiatrist; 2) in her book _Exuberance: The Passion for Life_ she was not talking about feelings/moods associated with mood disorders.

i would just like to balance up the scale of BI-POLAR you decribe as quite exciting artistic adventure,that maybe for some people but you also have to describe the other end of the scale , which isnt as glamourous for those who live it , like unemployment, a reclusive lifestyle,dark days you cant get out of bed, the lonliness,the torture in your own head that no one can understand,the failed relationships the financial mess we so often get in,the constant daily routine of medicines , doctors , community practice nurses , hospitals,psychiatrists, and that is only a brief description,
so yes some people do come out on top with BP if they are lucky, but the majority of us are still at the bottom struggling with simple everyday life

Thank you for this top ten list.i was searching on google for a list of the pros of having Bipolar, and hey i found it. i was diagnosed with BP back in 2001. When i was fist introduced to the idea that i had bipolar disorder i hated it it(A LOT!!). like many people when they are told they are BP it takes some time to accept it. in the past 3 years or so i have lerned to accept my disorder and in fact i like that i am polar. i think it increases my ability to think out side the box. witch helps me with my inventions. witch is just terrific!!! =)

Thanks for the top ten list! Recently I have felt quite maligned by others, unfortunately those closest to me, who at times I guess have had it with my over the top behavior in some areas. For example, working on a volunteer project with obsession for weeks at a time, at all hours. “Why are you getting this involved?” they might ask. Well, because I have the capacity to show great passion about something! It was nice to be reminded that there are reasons we with bipolar can be appreciated for the positives we can bring to the world (some grandiose thinking!)

I have fallen in love with someone with bipolar disorder and I have had a very hard time dealing with his inconsistant behavior. This list makes me realize all the reasons I do love him and encourages me to stick it out. Thank you!

My ex just served me papers for custody of our two children. The brunt of his argument is that my bipolar III negatively effects my parenting ability. Your list will help illuminate the great aspects of what is for me, a minor handicap. Thanks for the “other side”.

Having gone through numerous manias, I am founded in my belief that mania is extremely dangerous. Just one manic episode can ruin friendships, diminish job opportunities, strain family relations, and cause loads of shame, embarrassment, and doubt in your own sanity. Delusions are terrifying, not terrific. Bipolar mania does NOT spread happiness. Being happy is much different from being hypomanic. Reckless behavior that accompanies mania can harm not only yourself, but others as well. Driving while manic is just as dangerous as driving drunk. Mania has only been suffering for my friends, family, coworkers, and myself. Sure, the hypomanic creativity is wonderful, but the actual manias are hell. As a whole, I agree that bipolar people have a lot of courage, valuable life experience, strength, resilience, and unique insight. However, it is drastically import that these people, including myself, remain on medication that prevents mania from occuring altogether.

This is mainkly a crock. There is nothing inherently good, or positive about mental illness or instability. Those other good traits…they exist in people who do not have potentially devastating psychiatric and emotional problems. Bipolar disorder makes people paranoid, delusional, emotionally brittle, weak, untrustable and miserable. It shatters their self-image (or perhaps their bipolar state is a productr of a weak self-concept to begin with). They are routinely hurtful to those closest to them, and never stop accusing, or feeling persecuted. It’s like psychosis lite. Even among high-functioning individuals, the effects of bipolar disorder are hell on their loved ones…not to mention the bipolars themselves. They need so much support, and can offer so little in return. It’s very sad. Although that’s life. I believe people get better, and I’ve seen real improvement in someone very close to me-after she quit her meds. But at the core, after years of being close to her, I still believe she is subtly, though fundamentally paranoid, and mildly delusional about her relationships. There is a mild thought disorder going on there. And the emotional volatility, coupled with child-like weakness (peppered liberally with a tendency to pitch fits over trivial matters-these have the effect of making the loved one (spouse, lover, etc.) feel like a punching bag. You always lose. I think that her healing is ongoing, and she will one day substantially outgrow her problems, but I may not be around to see it, because it’s hell.

I have bipolar and agree with every one of these points… Exuberantly!

Hi, thank you so much for taking the time to write down the positives of this disorder. I’m currently 21 and a dynamic student, diagnosed a year ago with BPD. I’m having trouble on what path to take, what passion(s) to pursue. After reading this I feel like I can start loving who I am and live more richly. Thank you.

I’d agree with most of your “terrific things” — though some may be more wishful thinking than fact — but the reality is that once you’re diagnosed as being bipolar, you’re often prescribed multiple medications. And often times those medications can really stifle your creativity, energy, “courage” and other “terrific things”. So even though the depressive/manic episodes may be milder and less frequent, some bipolars must sacrifice the best parts of being bipolar in order to be considered “normal”.

I must admit I am a lot of those things…however when a person lives in hypomania eventually they crash. For decades I did more before work than most people did all day. I never stopped. I was a multi-tasker never wasting a moment. Environmental factors play a huge role in your life. The company one keeps is important. Still there are dark days when no one can reach me. And yes…I used to like to shop shop shop. I like nice things. Who doesn’t? I was also very generous. I am no longer hypomanic due to the medication I was put on after I finally crashed. I wish I was. There are other factors that play into my lack of hypomania I care not to mention. As I said environment plays a big role. Anyway… THIS DESCRIBES ME IN A NUTSHELL! NO pun intended. It’s what I have not what I am. Genetics gave it to me and I have learned to live with it.

My husband went to his psychologist today and the PhD said that I am exhibiting signs of my bipolarness when I do projects like erecting a heavy-duty clothesline that will last for years, making my own solar powered water heater and researching plans to construct a wind generator. I use no electricity to dry my clothes or heat my water - which saves a lot of money. Once I get the wind generator going (installed by a licensed electrician of course - I’m not that crazy) I’ll be saving even more money. So if having the initiative to try things other people don’t is a sign of mental illness, I’m fine with that. A PhD can call me a raving lunatic if he wants to, I’m saving money. I bet he still pays for his hot water (who’s the crazy one?). My husband and I are both bipolar and so is our daughter. We are all well medicated and our life is good. There will always be people who will say negative things about us just because they think they can. It doesn’t make them right. Be creative. Be innovative. Be bipolar positive.

I love the positives of BP. Though the negatives do suck, it is the positives that at least I must stick with during times of drawl and depression.
Thanks for the list and blessings from me to all you other BP people out there - keep on the up and up now matter how hard it can be.

Thanks Amanda and everybody else who participated in this conversation. I once told some people close to me that I think in the end God will forgive all of us. - by the way there is a living GOD called the ALMIGHTY and well naturally several other small GODS.
They said i was Crazy, took me to a physch and had me tranquilised with Chloropromazine. - because they say,that was a delusion of grandiose I thought I was God.
A better physchiatrist has now after 10 years came up with an accurate diagnosis - I am Bipolar and now just like Amanda I am trying to harness the free energy from the sun to use as electricity instead of burning coal - primitive practice and pollutive. Call that innovation. For example I think if I sit down and read a little bit today I can with the help of Amanda solve the credit crunch issue currently threatening the world. email me directly on sindisobhebhee@yahoo.ca - I am currently limiting my creativity with Sodium Valproate, - On discharge from the lunatics ward, i have personally cut down the dosage to 50 mg instead of the mind altering 400mg. I prefer not to fidgit with the mind especially a bipolar one because this is the best disease there ever was. Amen.

thanks alot you just set off like 50 episodes from crazy bi-polars who are arguing over the validity of this article

**pops meds**

I agree with all of you on some level but I must say that I love having bipolar. Because of this I get to be interesting. I am very creative, stoked to be alive (lol some days) and very passionate. Most people don’t get to experince even one of these as intensly as I do and I go through these emotions at least once a month… it’s not so bad.I know we’ll be just fine when we learn to love the ride. Then again maybe I should read this when I’m heading into that downward spiral. It’s very strange for me to think that I don’t control my emotions. Infact just the opposite.

Honestly, I have been dealing with bipolar disorder for about 5 years. It has ruined MANY relationships, opportunities, and pretty much everything that has mattered most to me. On a “good” day…I feel I can do ANYTHING. I am postitive and ready to go…then the next day I can barely get out of bed…which is very difficult when you are in an intense program and need to graduate. I never knew i had it in highscool and it wasnt until I graduated that I found out and it really explained my whole life. I hate being bipolar…and although, I admit to being very creative and also intelligent on subjects I know nothing about…I’d take being normal over this ANY DAY. I would like to just LIVE MY DARN LIFE!!! Wake up….and do everything i set out to do…not want to crawl in bed and sleep for days!

I recently found out I am bipolar. I too have to admit i wasn’t too happy hearing it…but once I got informed about the illness it did explain a lot of my strange behavior. I always understood I was depressed and I knew it always came and gone…I also knew I had anger issues. I knew the ways I was acting but I never thought they had a connection. I never thought of putting it all together and naming it (which turns out to be that very thing, Bipolar). I always thought, its just me, thats how and who I am…but now that I know what I have, I know I can control my triggers and emotions better. I dont take any meds I just observe everything around me and try my best to not give into my moods or triggers. I do have to admit I like being bipolar, it makes me who I am and does make me a very interesting person. Im the most creative person in my whole family. I love to figure things out and put pieces together. I love to draw, paint, and stare at things and know theres gotta be more. Im a photographer, I love to take pictures and edit them, making graphic designs, making people look like models and my work look like that of a magazine. So, for the most part its a blessing to “different” because no one understands why your sooooo good and pssionate to everything you do. But its also a burden when you want to sleep all day and your family and friends want to hang out and do things that you simply cant. All in all, it works out because you cant get to the top without being at the bottom. if you would like to talk or have anything to say just email me i’d me more than happy to hear from you. pearls098@yahoo.com

My brother, both my sisters and father all have bipolar disorder, and I’ve honestly never really understood it before, but this actually helped

I don’t believe that Bipolar Disorder or Schizoprenia people are extra-ordinary talent. It is just propaganda. My spouse recently diognosed as a Bipolar. Her one brother has Schizoprenia, which is the cousine of Bipolar. Her another brother has also Bipolar. Before you get married to any Bipolar, be very very careful. This bipolar illness you will pass to your Kids.It is a Inherited illness. You should not take any kids if you have Bipolar . Any comments?

You must think of the positives of Bipolar if you wish to lead a happy life. And there are many. You must be like Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln and overcome your depression. To some degree thinking that you must overcome this silly thing will get you from one bad day to the next good day. Dealing with struggle makes other struggle easier to deal with. That may be why we have so many leaders who struggle with depression.

it is not those who seek to lead a happy and full filling life that are stuck in constant despair. For even those in despair can know that the light will return. All those who see that bipolar is no more than a mosquito that needs to be squashed will realize that that you must think positively- train your self to do so. It is only those who give up, who fail to try, that will be left behind. and i say this as someone who has been through hell and returned time and time again knowing that nothing can keep me from leading the life I deserve. A wise man once said “If your going through hell, keep going”. His name was Winston Churchill and he struggled with his depression, and he helped defeat Nazi Germany and save western civilization.

Being bipolar is hell. I have been on current meds for around a year. The meds make me really tired; however, I am much more stable. My mind is sharper. I am playing really good tennis now that my meds are dialed in - much better than before the meds. But my creative side, especially my painting, has really dropped.

John_w
Take the meds with caution and knowledge that they do make the mind blunt especially affectimg your creativity. Try to reach a good balance that you can happily and productively live on.

I hate what Bipolar Disorder has done to my life over the past five years and the fact that It controlles my life.
In the space of five years I have lost everything i once loved ,the great relationship i shared with my family, I have lost all my friends, all my hobbies and my life is made impossible at uni as I am all over the place and just dont care which results in me being unable to get module work in on time.
on the good days I feel like i am able to take on the world and need little sleep but then the next day i can barely get out of bed and have no energy and become increasingly depressed and suicidal.
I hate that anyone thinks that there are upsides to this illness because all it does is ruin peoples lives!!!!!!

First of all, I would like to call out “kundu” and yes i do have a comment for you i think what you said is total BS and you should really re-think what you write on these message boards. You don’t think that people with bp should reproduce? Well i do have bp and i think that having children is a blessing to ANYONE mentally ill or not. So for the record screw off you ASS! To all the rest whether you are suffering form this illness or not, I would say live your life and deal with the struggles the best you can. It is not a very bad thing living with this illness you just have to know how to deal with it. One thing I would say not to do is sit on here and blog about how terrible your life is when you should instead be out there being proactive and leading a healthy normal life. *nuff said