Bipolar Disorder

As a child, Steve Thompson displayed outsized reactions to ordinary events and intense mood swings. By age 12, doctors diagnosed him with bipolar disorder. The idea that he had a chronic mental illness - one typically marked in adulthood by manic periods followed by depression - frightened him. "It's something you think you'll have your entire life," said Thompson, a 23-year-old student at Massasoit Community College in Brockton. But over the past year, with the help of his longtime psychiatrist, he has weaned himself off mood-altering medication.

Dementia is a major health concern of our aging population. The safe, effective treatment of dementia's behavioral complications challenges those who care for the cognitively impaired. The front-page articles " A rampant prescription, a hidden peril " (April 29) and "Finding alternatives to potent sedatives" (April 30) informed the public of the hazards of using antipsychotic drugs in nursing homes without providing the balance necessary for understanding this issue. As geriatric psychiatrists, we support the view that behavioral interventions are foremost in...

Dementia is a major health concern of our aging population. The safe, effective treatment of dementia's behavioral complications challenges those who care for the cognitively impaired. The front-page articles " A rampant prescription, a hidden peril " (April 29) and "Finding alternatives to potent sedatives" (April 30) informed the public of the hazards of using antipsychotic drugs in nursing homes without providing the balance necessary for understanding this issue. As geriatric psychiatrists, we support the view that behavioral interventions are foremost in...

As a child, Steve Thompson displayed outsized reactions to ordinary events and intense mood swings. By age 12, doctors diagnosed him with bipolar disorder. The idea that he had a chronic mental illness - one typically marked in adulthood by manic periods followed by depression - frightened him. "It's something you think you'll have your entire life," said Thompson, a 23-year-old student at Massasoit Community College in Brockton. But over the past year, with the help of his longtime psychiatrist, he has weaned himself off mood-altering medication.

As a child, Steve Thompson displayed outsized reactions to ordinary events and intense mood swings. By age 12, doctors diagnosed him with bipolar disorder. The idea that he had a chronic mental illness - one typically marked in adulthood by manic periods followed by depression - frightened him. "It's something you think you'll have your entire life," said Thompson, a 23-year-old student at Massasoit Community College in Brockton. But over the past year, with the help of his longtime psychiatrist, he has weaned himself off mood-altering medication.

Q: When should you suspect that depression is really bipolar disorder? A: Depression is, by definition, a state of abnormally low mood. Typical symptoms include low energy, sleep problems, and loss of interest in formerly pleasurable activities. Bruce Cohen, former president and psychiatrist in chief at McLean Hospital, says there are many kinds of depression, and "in some ways each depression is a little different. " Bipolar disorder, sometimes called manic depressive illness, is characterized by extreme shifts in mood and energy levels.

Karen Hart did not sleep for two weeks, except for the occasional nap. She barely ate, because going without food made her feel "superhuman. " Hart, then a junior at MIT, was juggling course work with a heavy load of activities; she was an actor, a set designer, and technical director for the school musical. She had no problem doing it all. "I would be lonely because I felt that everyone else could reach the same level as me, this level of transcending humanity . . . [but]

NEW YORK - When Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey began writing the musical "Next to Normal" back in 1998, they were in a rebellious state of mind. As a fledgling young team at the prestigious BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop in New York, Kitt and Yorkey needed to create a 10-minute musical for their final assignment and hoped to raise eyebrows by tackling an unorthodox subject. Inspired by a "Dateline NBC" segment that Yorkey had seen, their concept centered on a woman struggling with bipolar disorder and undergoing electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

In the midst of a turbulent relationship with someone suffering from bipolar disorder, Sherri Wolfgang's artwork saved her soul. Waves of anger, sadness and stifling depression would wash over her as she poured her heart out through her paintbrush, creating a series of art that depicted her pain as she watched a loved one succumb to the ravages of bipolar disorder. "It was my way of dealing with it … to push it out," Wolfgang said. "There was a lot of heartbreak. I was purging through my drawing.

"Next to Normal" makes a demand on audiences that few musicals dare to make: It asks you to look at an open wound for two-plus hours. By the end of SpeakEasy Stage Company's powerfully moving production, you're glad you accepted the challenge. No clinical detachment is possible for the family at the center of "Next to Normal," which won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for drama. Their wound is a psychological one, and it is raw, deep, painful, and all-pervasive. Diana, the mother, played with compelling force by Kerry A. Dowling, is battling bipolar...

As a child, Steve Thompson displayed outsized reactions to ordinary events and intense mood swings. By age 12, doctors diagnosed him with bipolar disorder. The idea that he had a chronic mental illness - one typically marked in adulthood by manic periods followed by depression - frightened him. "It's something you think you'll have your entire life," said Thompson, a 23-year-old student at Massasoit Community College in Brockton. But over the past year, with the help of his longtime psychiatrist, he has weaned himself off mood-altering medication.

Karen Hart did not sleep for two weeks, except for the occasional nap. She barely ate, because going without food made her feel "superhuman. " Hart, then a junior at MIT, was juggling course work with a heavy load of activities; she was an actor, a set designer, and technical director for the school musical. She had no problem doing it all. "I would be lonely because I felt that everyone else could reach the same level as me, this level of transcending humanity . . . [but]

U.K. drug maker AstraZeneca PLC announced Thursday that its chief executive David Brennan is to retire as the company reported at 44 percent drop in first-quarter net profit. Brennan said that he was stepping down ahead of Thursday's annual general meeting, where he would have faced a challenge from a group of shareholders urging a change in company strategy. For the three months ending March 31, AstraZeneca said net profit was $1.64 billion compared to $2.9 billion a year earlier.

Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson broke down in tears Monday while testifying at the trial of the man accused of killing her mother, brother, and 7-year-old nephew in a jealous rage four years ago. Hudson was the first witness called after prosecutors and attorneys for William Balfour finished their opening statements. Her voice broke as she described her reaction when her sister, Julia Hudson, told her she was going to marry Balfour. "None of us wanted her to marry him," she said.

In the midst of a turbulent relationship with someone suffering from bipolar disorder, Sherri Wolfgang's artwork saved her soul. Waves of anger, sadness and stifling depression would wash over her as she poured her heart out through her paintbrush, creating a series of art that depicted her pain as she watched a loved one succumb to the ravages of bipolar disorder. "It was my way of dealing with it … to push it out," Wolfgang said. "There was a lot of heartbreak. I was purging through my drawing.

ST. LOUIS - A St. Louis-area woman suspected of fatally shooting her three daughters and herself suffered from depression and bipolar disorder, according to her family. Even though Christine Adewunmi was depressed, she was a devoted mother whose children were "the number-one priority in her life," her family said in a statement released Monday. "Christine was battling depression. Family, friends, and professionals were supporting her recovery and stood by her side as she coped with the debilitating disease.

MIAMI - A college student committed suicide by taking a drug overdose in front of a live webcam as some computer users egged him on, others tried to talk him out of it, and another messaged OMG in horror when it became clear it was no joke. Some watchers contacted the website to notify police, but by the time officers entered Abraham Biggs's home - a scene also captured on the Internet - it was too late. Biggs, a 19-year-old Broward College student who suffered from what his family said was bipolar disorder, or manic depression, lay dead on his bed in his...

CHICAGO - Children born to older fathers face a greater chance of developing bipolar disorder, according to one of the largest studies linking mental illness with advanced paternal age. Previous research has connected schizophrenia and autism with older fathers, and a Danish study published last year added bipolar disorder to the list. The new study led by researchers at Sweden's Karolinska Institute strengthens the evidence. The leading theory is that older men's sperm may be more likely to develop mutations.

The trial of a Brockton woman charged with fatally stabbing a retired schoolteacher in her Bridgewater condominium has been scheduled to start May 21. Eunice Field, who walked into the Brockton police station covered in blood, is charged with the August 2010 slaying of Lorraine Wachsman, a 62-year-old retired Randolph teacher. Authorities have said Wachsman was a substance-abuse recovery mentor for Field's former girlfriend, and Field blamed Wachsman for driving the couple apart. The Enterprise of Brockton reported that Field's attorney told a judge his client was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and...

The trial of a Brockton woman charged with fatally stabbing a retired school teacher in her Bridgewater condominium has been scheduled for May. Eunice Field, who walked into the Brockton police station after the slaying covered in blood, is charged with the August 2010 slaying of Lorraine Wachsman, a 62-year-old retired Randolph school teacher. Authorities have said Wachsman was a substance-abuse recovery mentor for Field's ex-girlfriend and Field blamed Wachsman for driving the couple apart.