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M y close friend was diagnosed with bipolar disorder a couple of years ago.

She had always been a convivial, confident person. During her graduation, she
started having difficulty in sleeping. Since then, every month, there would be
one episode where she would be able to sleep for 48 hours at a stretch,
surprisingly for no reason. She thought this was probably the way her sleep

pattern was.

During her post-graduation, because of many issues with her family, friends

and education, she went into depression. During her treatment for the same,
she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She wasn‘t concerned about what it
is called or what it implies. She just wanted to go back to the previous stage of
being a normal person… with no unnecessary anxiety. She thought it would get
treated after completing her medicine course. But after getting treated for a

good two years, she still struggles to sleep.

I learnt after doing an internet search that people with bipolar disorder go

through cycles of depression and mania. It seems to me that most people with
bipolar disorder are born with it and have to live with it forever.
-Sonali

M y mother-in-law is also suffering from bipolar mood disorder since the last

eight years. She is taking treatment from the best hospitals but she is still not
well. On some days, she behaves very excitedly and the very next day, she is
dull. We, as a family, are tense and we don‘t know what to do. Every day, I feel
so helpless.
-Alpa

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