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Joy and Despair

The Good and The Bad

By Serina MattesonPublished 3 years ago 4 min read
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Have you ever met someone before, for example, in the grocer store and by the end of your chance encounter you are left bewildered and weary of this unknown stranger? For instance, a situation may unfold like something like the following:

A middle-aged woman suddenly approaches you and asked, "What do you like on your blackberry cobbler, whip cream or vanilla ice cream? You hesitate because she appears more like an expensive call girl and not appropriately dressed for grocery shopping. Trying not to gawk at her gallus attire, she is wearing five-inch black stiletto heels and a plumbless red sequins dress displaying her double D cleavage. Her makeup is a mixture of fluorescent green eyeshadow and ruby rogue with shimmering gold glitter. Her nose is pierced along with her top lip. Her hair is dyed a soft baby pink. She ask again, "So which do you prefer, whip cream or vanilla ice cream? All you can do is utter, "Uh, uh, I.."

She cuts you off once again. "You know, you are right. Chocolate is way better. Thanks. Hi, I'm Hannah. Who are you? Where you from?"

Once again you try to form a coherent, "I'm Stella. I'm fro.."

Before you can finish she jumps in mid-sentence, interrupting, "Hey, I cooking out tonight at my house, Stella. You did say your name is Stella? That's a pretty name. Anyways, you can bring a date. It's going to be a party so you can bring someone. The more the merrier. It's going to be wild. You know what I mean? And I just love your earrings. I lost the earrings my mother gave me. God rest her soul. So, you coming. Here, I have a per but no paper. Give me your hand. I'm going to write my address on your palm so don't wash it off, ok?

This may seem like an exaggerated scenario but it is not. This is an example of someone who is bipolar experiencing a manic episode. My reference is Hannah is a real person and Hannah is me. I was diagnosed as bipolar in 1999.

Did you know that bipolar disorder is a mood disorder caused by many different factors? One is from a chemical imbalance in the brain. Everyone has shifts in their moods. However, for comparison, when someone who is not bipolar is happy a bipolar person is sinfully euphoric. When an unaffected person is sad a bipolar person is woefully morose. Their heart weeps uncontrollably. And there are periods of in between episodes.

Did you know that there are good qualities that come from being bipolar? They usually occur during the manic phase.

People who are manic have an abundance of energy. It's infectious energy accompanied with grandiose ideas. They can go for two or three days without sleep and suffer no ill effects. If I could figure out how to bottle this physical energy and sell it, I would be an obnoxiously wealthy person.

Did you know that bipolar can be very productive? With increased energy and extra hours in the day from not sleeping, they have more time to spend on the multitude of ideas that are constantly flowing through their minds. Ludwig Van Beethoven was bipolar and would produce countless works at one time when manic. Isaac Newton was a complex, manic genius who was bipolar and managed to create calculus, explain gravity, and build a telescope.

During mania, bipolars are full of self-confidence and are risk-takers. Convinced there is nothing they cannot do or accomplish. When I'm manic I paint, I write, but mostly I research social justice and then I get angry. That is because there is a lot of injustice in this world and I can't write like Sylvia Plath or paint like Van Gogh. Did you know Ted Turner is bipolar and a perfect example of a risk-taker? He is a famous entrepreneur and there is no bigger risk than that of being an entrepreneur.

Did you know most people who are manic are charming and unreserved? They are often the center of attention. People seem to be drawn to them. Their always the life of the party.

Generally, they are high achievers, leaders with above-average intelligence. This category doesn't include me, unfortunately. Did you know a good example of real leadership is Theodore Roosevelt who was also bipolar. He was also the youngest president when he took office of the presidency at age. He was re-elected in 1904. He completed the building of the Panama Canal, ended the Russo-Japanese War, and won a Nobel Peace Prize. General George S, Patton was known as one of the finest military minds in history. He graduated from West Point, competed in the Olympics, was a master swordsman, fought in Mexico in 1915, fought in World War 1, and engineered the Allied victory over Nazi Germany in World War 2.

Did you know that there is a link between bipolar disorder and creativity? The painter Vincent Van Gogh was bipolar. You have writers Sylvia Plath, Virginia Wolf. and Edgar Allen Poe was all bipolar. Singers Kurt Cobian and Amy Winehouse suffered from bipolar disorder also. Comedian Robin William and Russell Brand are both bipolar. And the list goes on and on.

There is the bad that seems to dominate this illness though. I can sum it up in a short paragraph. Did you know most of Society believes that anyone with a mental illness is violent when in reality they are more likely to be victims of violence? Did you know the largest mental health facility in the U.S. is the Cook County Jail in Chicago? Most of the mentally ill have been arrested for NONVIOLENT crimes or crimes of survival like theft for food to eat or trespassing because they needed a place to sleep. What's wrong with this picture?

humanity
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About the Creator

Serina Matteson

I am just a country girl living in the south. I had a great childhood but cannot say the same for adulthood. I love to write, draw, and paint. However, I do none of those well enough to support myself much less be known for them.

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