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By Suzanne Whittingham
Reporter to the “Got News Network” 

The face of mental illness is everywhere - both in our present reality and in the annals of history. Thankfully, the historical reality of placing the bulk of mentally ill persons into asylums has long passed. Unfortunately, the present reality of many who have a mental illness can still be wrought with difficulties and shades of discrimination. Perhaps it is one of the last frontiers for humankind to conquer. We understand the reality of outer space better than the inner one of the intricacies of mind. 

My grandmother, Bessie Boy, worked as a nurse in the asylum in Verdun Quebec just outside of Montreal in the early 1920's. With her pin straight wit, she often commented how those inside the insane asylum were really no different to those outside. We are only beginning to catch up to her in our assessment of those who have mental illness. Often, sadly, mental illness has to strike close to home before our perception can alter dramatically. This was the case with Jill Bolte-Taylor who set about to map many of the neurological brain functions associated with normal brains vs. those with schizophrenia. She was motivated to understand the intricacies of brain function better after her brother was diagnosed with this illness. 

In my own case, it was the life-long suffering of my own father to mental illness that brought the reality of mental illness very close to home. His illness took on the form of depression early in his life. In hindsight, I have often wondered if the man simply suffered from some of the after effects of flying during the second world war. He was a sensitive soul. In an odd twist of fate, at the end of his life, the depression miraculously disappeared and was replaced with what we, as a family, perceived as a welcome transformation. Our delight was short-lived, though. My father had been misdiagnosed with depression, when he actually suffered from Bipolar Mood Disorder. We were all in for quite the emotional ride... 

People who are Bipolar swing between the extremes of depression and bouts of mania. Both are simply biochemical imbalances that affect mood and behavior. Most know the signs and symptoms of depression- the lethargy, the sleeping, the despair and feelings of helplessness.  Mania is the exact opposite. For some reason, the brain is firing up neurologically at such a high rate that endorphins are pumped into the body. This creates behaviors that are hallmarks of mania. 

Overnight, my father became a blur of activity and constant uncontrollable rapid speech. Where previously he walked with a cane in great arthritic pain, he now had the strength of a bull and could bound up and down stairs like an athlete. He no longer needed much sleep, perhaps 2 hours a night. He would call people at all hours and engage them in conversation that had little connection to reality. He spent money on everything and anything with the hope of getting rich quickly. We were told he had all of the classic symptoms of mania. My mother, dear soul, sought to understand her spouse's bizarre behavior. They would both attend sessions for families of and people who were Bipolar. These support groups helped my mother understand this illness much better and shed layers of fear. Sufferers would rise and proclaim their illness, much like in Alcoholic Anonymous meetings, where they say, “Hello, my name is Johnny, and I'm Manic Depressive.” Alas, though, my father never got the hint. He was there at the meetings only to humor my mother. It was very difficult to get him to understand that these wonderful endorphins that were making him feel super-human were not a good thing. This is especially true when a person has suffered from depression for all of their lives. I believe that if my father could have bottled and sold those endorphins, he would have indeed become a rich man. 

The mysteries of mind continue to intrigue and plague us all. I am grateful for brain scientists like Jill Bolte-Taylor who are expanding our awareness into uncharted territory. Perhaps with future insights into the complex functioning of our brains, we will come to a better understanding of these perplexing mysteries. We will, in all likelihood, know that we are there when we can proclaim, like my grandmother Bessie, that “Those with mental illness are no different from the rest of humanity.”

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• |2010-02-27 10:52:47 helenkumquat  - the matter of the mind
  Suzanne, thank you for this thoughtful and insightful piece. I think people struggling with mental illness are often misunderstood and judged unfairly, making an already-difficult life even harder. For people who don't live with mental illness it's so easy to judge: 'look at him--he must be on drugs' or 'how disraceful--staggering around drunk in public' and 'get over it--it's all in your head.'
  
  Thank you, Suzanne; we look forward to further stories from you.
  
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