Detour: My Bipolar Road Trip in 4-D
by Lizzie Simon, 2002 When she first sees the ad on the subway, it seems perfect: a business woman with the caption
For People With Mental Illness, Treatment is Working. Herself a business woman whose bipolar is controlled by lithium, Lizzie identifies with the similiar ads cropping up. Inspired by the ads and incensed by the reaction of an alternative paper, Lizzie sets out to find young, successful, medicated bipolar people like herself. The very first person Lizzie meets is Nick, a very wealthy bipolar drug addict who is out of control. Nick and Lizzie fall in love. Fortunately for the plot, Lizzie has to leave Nick behind to set out and find succesful bipolar people elsewhere. To her chagrin, finding succesful bipolar people is hard. Most of the mental health professionals Lizzie asks for references don't know anyone who is holding together as well as Lizzie herself. The few that Lizzie does find have persevered, but are still struggling, not necessarily with their illness but with the stigma and the broken trusts that their manic episodes have left them with.
Why Lizzie wants to interview only young people is not clear, as one of her stated goals for the book is to set roles models/guides for young people with bipolar, and older people would be more likely to have that experience. They might also be able to mentor Lizzie herslef.
Question: One of the people interviewed says that, since her medicine makes bipolar managable, she enjoys having bipolar. That is, medicine allows her to enjoy bipolar without letting bipolar mess up her life. Are most bad things such that alteration or reduction could make them good?
Happy reading.
