Around Bipolarity

Bipolar disorder is ranked among the 10 most disabling conditions. Unipolar mania is less well known. It would be distinguished by more psychiatric family history and by an earlier age of onset. Borderline personality disorders are part of the bipolar spectrum. Suicide attempts and self-mutilation are frequent. Bipolar disorder is still diagnosed too late. However, the existence of prodromal symptoms is often described. The interest of these symptoms is to allow the detection of bipolar disease at an early stage. More than 75% of patients had at least one defined comorbidity, generally anxiety disorders or substance abuse. Eating disorders were also common. The weight of this comorbidity is important in terms of diagnostic delay, prognosis and therapeutic management. Popular links between creativity, the highest form of human achievement, and insanity have been made since antiquity. A high rate of bipolarity among celebrities, geniuses or researchers has been reported; Schumann, Dickens, Churchil would be among them.