Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Bipolar Disorder: A Stark Contrast



            Bipolar disorder is defined as “a condition in which people go back and forth between periods of a very good or irritable mood and depression,” according to the National Institute of Health’s A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia. As described in James Fallon’s book The Psychopath Inside: a neuroscientist’s personal journey into the dark side of the brain, these mood swings can be quite abrupt and occur with extremely little to no provocation. In the book, Fallon describes the dichotomy between both the depressed and hypomanic aspects of bipolar disease. The hypomanic phase displays symptoms such as insomnia, reckless behavior, elevated mood, and hyperactivity; in contrast, individuals in the depressed phase experience sadness, fatigue, low self-esteem, and hopelessness. Various degrees of bipolar disease exist, and unfortunately the higher degrees of the disease can cripple even the most well-established individuals.
            Dr. Perry Baird was a Harvard-trained physician and very well-reputed in his field. Unfortunately, Dr. Baird was also diagnosed with a severe form of bipolar disease which ended up ruining his career and personal life. The article in The New York Times indicated that Dr. Baird’s behavior throughout his lifetime followed the common pattern of many people with the disease. In his youth, Dr. Baird was always buzzing with energy and very lively. His charisma was infectious and even as a doctor he barely slept or lacked energy. However, at the age of 29 he was diagnosed with psychosis, a psychological disease associated with losing touch of reality. After this point, Dr. Baird’s life began spiraling out of control. Though he did experience short periods of stability and achieved some success in the medical field, his mental state deteriorated more and more as time went on. He began experiencing delusions and exhibited violent behavior to his loved ones. Eventually Dr. Baird had his medical license revoked and was hospitalized due to his erratic behavior. Though various psychiatric treatments such as straitjackets, shock treatments, and even frontal lobotomies were administered, Dr. Baird remained as he was and eventually passed away in 1959.
            James Fallon, the author of The Psychopath Inside, describes the process by which he discovered he had bipolar disease. Fortunately, his degree of the disease was not as severe as was Dr. Baird’s version. Dr. Baird fell into bipolar I category, as this type of the disease is more severe than bipolar II and can exacerbate behaviors that extremely damage relationships held with other people. Bipolar II is less severe than bipolar I and is a more accurate classification of Fallon’s disease. Fallon’s early behavior differed from that of Dr. Baird as Fallon experienced episodes of dread, whereas Dr. Baird was more hyperactive and energetic. As he aged, more symptoms similar to Dr. Baird’s developed, such as insomnia and bursts of energy. As an adult, Fallon would drive to Las Vegas with some friends and spend weekends at a time excessively drinking and gambling. These sporadic adventures caused rifts in his familial relationships as well as relationships held with his friends. Currently, Fallon’s bipolar disease has not affected him as severely as it has in the past and he has gone on to become quite successful in life.
            Bipolar disease is a crippling psychological disease that can affect a wide variety of people. In the cases of Dr. Baird and James Fallon, both individuals led successful lives at some point during their lifetimes. It just goes to show that even individuals who are considered disabled can positively contribute to modern society.
Fallon, J. (2014). The psychopath inside: a neuroscientist’s personal journey into the dark side of the brain. Penguin Group.

Zuger, A. (2015). Picking up a memoir of madness. Article. The New York Times. Retrieved February 24th, 2015.                 


            

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