I didn't see Dateline, but I heard a brief NPR interview with Jane Pauley. I, too, am happy to see Bipolar Disorder talked about more--but my impression from that interview is that Jane presents an airbrushed version of what can be an agonizing disease. I've been a therapist for 30 years, and bipolar illness wasn't talked about (even in hospitals, except in the most severe cases) until a few years ago. My daughter was diagnosed at age 20, after 5 years of chasing different diagnostic opinions and experts who pegged her learning disabilities, ADD, adolescent rebellion, and a host of other maladies. I was given a host of explanations for her behavior--and then, a few years later, I was diagnosed also, after decades of unexplained insomnia, anxiety, depression, etc., for which I sought treatment of every description. It's a tricky disease--nothing to be trivialized or airbrushed--but it challenges us to seek meaning in the midst of suffering, to know that we aren't invincible, no matter how educated or sophisticated we may be--and, above all, to learn to love ourselves and our family members, and, often, to find new meanings of love. I've found lots of wisdom in Kay Redfield Jamison's work on bipolar disorder (she also is a mental health professional who has struggled with the disease all her life). For information about bipolar and other mental health issues, I invite you to my web site. Daphnewww.daphnestevens.com (author, Watercolor Bedroom: Creating a Soulful Midlife)

Hi Daphne, welcome to BWS! That was my initial reaction as well, that Jane Pauley "trivialized" the disease.

You are very brave to open up with us.

I've tried to access your website but it's not working. I did check out your book on Amazon.

I'm never happy to hear that anyone suffers in any way, but I am always comforted to know that there are so many others out there that have some sort of mental illness.

As I've said before, I have OCD and I have to say one of the biggest aggravations I experience since I've started to tell people about it is this:

"Oh, I have OCD, too. I keep my house clean and I can't stand it when things are messy."

I want to gently pluck all the hairs out of their heads because they just don't get it. They think my disorder is a cake walk rather than what it truly is.

What I tell them is this...

When you are afraid God will drown your cat because you don't turn the light switch off the right way, talk to me.

I've known several Bi-Polar individuals and I can say that it's a terrible, terrible thing. I suggest any of you that are interested in finding out more about the disorder read, "Call Me Anna", by Patty Duke. She is Bi-Polar and her book will give you an up close and personal look at what it is and what it does. It's an excellent read... but it's sort of an old book by now so you may have trouble locating it.

If anyone is interested, here are some great books to help you understand Bipolar Disorder. All of these books can be found on Amazon.com

Kay Redfield Jamison, "An Unquiet Mind."

William Styron, "Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness."

David J. Miklowitz "The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide."

"A Brilliant Madness: Living With Manic-Depressive Illness" by Patty Duke

It's important to note that what is now called Bipolar Disorder was long known as Manic Depression. Manic Depressive and Bipolar are synonyms -- Bipolar is just the preferred medical terminology now. That might explain why a lot of you are confused or have never heard of this before.

Welcome Maggie from New York City. We have another Maggie who posts regularly.

Thanks for pointing this out.

Ladies, Maggie is from a younger generation. Not a boomer , but we're happy to have her!

Maggie, I remember the first time I heard the term manic depressive. I had graduated from high school and one of my friends was diagnosed and hospitalized. Everyone was in the dark about this disease, didn't understand it, didn't know what it was, and needed and still need to be eduacated about it.

I also remember a friend being diagnosed with anorexia. She almost died at Hopkins. Again, we'd never heard of it.

Think of the education youth get these days. It's come a long way, but when it comes to mental illness, we have a long way to go.

Glad you're here.

I sometimes think my husband has some form of mental illness but he doesn't think anything is wrong so that's that. I do what I can to cope (or not.)