Bipolar Disorder

As I mentioned before (Days of Magic, October 3), this blog tries to eschew anything that is highly personal in nature but I would like to return one last time to the subject of depression to which I referred in passing in that post.
As luck would have it, I am in the process of translating an article about bipolar disorder and it was with a strange feeling of relief, as much as anything else, that I discovered that I correspond exactly to what is known as Type II bipolar disorder. This is where the manic episodes are not so acute as to constitute a danger to oneself and an embarrassment to others, while the depressive episodes are not so incapacitating as to stop me from working.

Actually, "discovered" is putting it a bit strongly, as I have been pretty conscious of my state, which is a fairly common one, for the past 25 years or so. But it was refreshing and oddly comforting to see it confirmed in such detail.

Well, I won't return to the matter again, but just to say: that's me - proudly carrying on the Hessey tradition for bipolar disorders! And to add: I can joke about it now, but of course it's no laughing matter most of the time for those afflicted with this dreaded disease, or for those unsung heroes who have to live with us.

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