When Scott was an adolescent, he was punished for his acting out. He got into fights, took his mom’s car without asking, and drank alcohol (often to excess). Then, there were periods when he would withdraw and more or less disappear. His parents attributed his low moods to the punishment that followed his other troubling behaviors. These same misunderstandings followed him into young adulthood when the punishment for his outbursts and impulsivity became more severe with arrests, destroyed relationships, and difficulty keeping a job.
It wasn’t until many years later than Scott finally saw a doctor about his depression. Before long, the psychiatrist was able to determine that Scott’s life was complicated by much more than just depression. The behaviors that he was so often punished for were actually provoked by manic episodes that would have benefited from appropriate treatment long ago. Scott had weathered the ups and downs of bipolar disorder for much of his life, but he was shamed and judged when he needed to be cared for and empowered.
While the prevalence of bipolar in men versus bipolar in women is relatively equal, there are some differences in how the disorder shows up, how the cycling occurs, and the relationship to treatment. But, whether male or female, people with bipolar disorder need greater compassion and understanding as they navigate the complicated, difficult-to-control terrain of their lives. Hence, it’s important to promote treatment across the board because their lives really can get better with dedicated care.
