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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