Help Writing a Bi-Polar Character

[ImaRavenclaw]

Hey all! I'm currently writing a story for a challenge and I thought some more inclusivity in my stories would be nice. I was wondering if anyone has had any experiences themselves or with family/friends being bi-polar that they were willing to share.

 

Also, I was wondering if anyone who knows more about this mental illness than I do could give me a quick wave, if anyone is willing to let me send small snippets of my story to them (anything containing details about the disorder) and just read them over to make sure they're accurate/non-stereotypical and that they're inoffensive and such.

 

And last but not least if you know of anything I should ABSOLUTELY TOTALLY 100% avoid.

 

Thanks!

[abhorsen.]

I definitely do! Is there anything in particular you're looking for?

[ImaRavenclaw]

Just the above, but I'm interested in hearing anything since I've heard the same points in articles and such, which could be all there is but I'm sure it spans way more than the typical

two-types of bi-polar, manic episodes/depressive episodes/mixed episodes, manic is super scary and impulsive you feel on top of the world, depressive you lack motivation and are lethargic, and mixed are most dangerous because you have the tendencies of manic but the lows of depression, etc.

 

Mostly I'm looking for the last two points. Anything you're willing to share is awesome though, since I'd like to write more bi-polar characters in the future if this one turns out okay.

 

I'm just really nervous about things being inaccurate or offensive.

[abhorsen.]

So there's bipolar I, bipolar II, and cyclothymia - the latter isn't technically bipolar disorder, but it's basically a more chronic but less extreme form of bipolar disorder - you hit less severe highs and lows, but the swings are much more common. They can all be pretty awful and disabling; bipolar II is often written off as less severe, but the clinical distinction is really all about how the mania manifests - depressive episodes can be very similar, and while hypomania doesn't interfere with basic functioning in the same acute way that mania does, it can still really impact a person's life over the long-term.

 

That's the jargon, though - not the experience.

 

Depression is just... like, a black pit of nothingness. You can have an incredibly hard time with the most minor things, like putting something in the mail or returning a phone call or doing basic chores or going outside. Sometimes depression is overt sadness, but it can often just be apathy and boredom.

 

Mixed episodes are incredibly dangerous. It's often, like... you absolutely loathe yourself, and you also have all this energy racing through you so you want to do something, and ultimately that ends up... leading to places that aren't good.

 

Some things to think about:

 

There are a number of behaviors that are much more common among people who have bipolar disorder than they are in the general population. Two of the most significant are substance abuse and self-injury. Not everyone who has bipolar disorder self-injures or abuses substances by any means, but it's a dimension to think about.

 

There are also conditions with a very high rate of comorbidity with bipolar disorder, including ADHD and anxiety disorders, and anxiety in particular is really common among people with bipolar disorder, even if it doesn't qualify for an actual diagnosis of an anxiety disorder.

 

I highly recommend Kay Redfield Jamison's An Unquiet Mind for a look at how this is lived. In terms of depression and ADHD, Hyperbole and a Half[/u] by Alli Brosh has some really useful (and funny!) bits.

 

You can also definitely send stuff my way if you want me to look it over before you post. <3

[ImaRavenclaw]

Thanks so much Branwen! I'll be sending stuff your way when I'm done.

 

I'm also leaving this here: (15+ but that's just this article, I don't know about the others) http://legit-writing-tips.tumblr.com/post/114201870985/writing-bipolar-characters  for anyone else who needs tips, because this helped me a lot.

[abhorsen.]

^ Along the same lines that article talks about, I think anyone writing about a bipolar character should be really careful that they don't end up conflating bipolar disorder with borderline personality disorder - it's easy to do, but they're distinct conditions with very different treatment plans.