Have a disorder? Build a web site: Bipolar Disorder

[This feature was first published in early 1997 when About.com (then known as The Mining Company) had just begun.  Personal websites come and go.  I leave some of the dead links in these articles a bit longer than most in case they become active again.]

Welcome to part four of the series on consumer sites in mental health. In past articles we discussed the stigma surrounding mental disorders, and we explored sites covering Depression, Eating Disorders, and Dissociative Disorders. There seems to be less stigma among the wired computer-literate generation than in the general population. Much of the web is autobiographical, and many people's biography includes a diagnosis. These sites are conceived to help others. There is information to help fellow consumers/patients, information for friends and family members, and information for the general public.

In this series the best of these sites are featured on About.com. As always, you will have the assistance of your guide as we explore the sites, but you will also be free to explore them yourself.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder is also known as Manic Depression. Persons with this disorder have intense mood swings which are much more extreme than the moods that most of us have. These moods commonly last for weeks or months, although sometimes the cycle is shorter. Deep depression can alternate with exuberance and unrealistic self-confidence. The manic stage is often experienced as pleasurable, but people sometimes spend money that they don't have, or make plans that they can't carry out. Medications (such as lithium carbonate) are usually an important of treatment for this disorder. Psychotherapy can be helpful, but it is usually an adjunct to medications.

Bipolar Disorder: The artist formerly known as Manic Depression (offline temporarily?) is a site developed by Juli, a person with bipolar disorder and a survivor of ECT (electroconvulsive therapy). The focus is on the relationship between bipolar disorder and creativity. There are also sections on ECT and on ethical issues in mental health treatment.

Joy Ikelman's Cybersite: Bipolar Disorder is a very personal site. Joy revealed her struggles in segments such as this:
I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1992, after a lifetime of struggling with depression and mania. According to the DSM-IV, I am Bipolar 1, Rapid Cycling. I also have a seasonal aspect to my illness; every summer I cycle into mixed states from about mid-June through the end of August.
Her site includes documented listings of famous people who have/had bipolar disorder.

Moodswing.org (now offline) was home of the Bipolar Disorder Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) file. This file alone is worth a visit to the site. Print it out and refer to it often if you have any questions about this disorder. The site itself appeared to be primarily the work of Barry Campbell, although no single person takes full credit. The site's creators stated: "we're all volunteers with one form or another of Bipolar Disorder. :-)."

Pendulum Resources is a polished site developed by Doug Barlow. It is the official site for Pendulum, an email discussion list established in 1993. The support page lists a myriad of online and real world support resources. There is lots of information here.

Visit any of these sites to get information on bipolar disorder, and to get a feel for the people who are affected. What is the link between mental disorders and creativity? Visit these sites and see the evidence firsthand.

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