Kay Redfield Jamison

Certainly, some people would say environmental factors. But the genetic propensity has to be there. So I think that if you look, once people reach the age of risk, which in bipolar illness was about 18 or so, then things we know are very likely to precipitate the onset of mania are sleep deprivation. And substance abuse, particularly alcohol, marijuana.

This is really unfortunate for college kids because they're right at the age of risk. And when they go off to college, they stay up all night. They leave their work to the last moments. And parties and using alcohol for the first time are bad. increasing their alcohol level.

This is really unfortunate for college kids because they're right at the age of risk. And when they go off to college, they stay up all night. They leave their work to the last moments. And parties and using alcohol for the first time are bad. increasing their alcohol level.

This is really unfortunate for college kids because they're right at the age of risk. And when they go off to college, they stay up all night. They leave their work to the last moments. And parties and using alcohol for the first time are bad. increasing their alcohol level.

There are all sorts of combinations. Oddly enough, the major, the gold standard of treatment for bipolar disorder, which remains lithium, one of the best predictors of lithium outcome is whether your mania comes first, followed by depression or the other way around. So people who have manic periods first tend to be more responsive, respond better to lithium.

There are all sorts of combinations. Oddly enough, the major, the gold standard of treatment for bipolar disorder, which remains lithium, one of the best predictors of lithium outcome is whether your mania comes first, followed by depression or the other way around. So people who have manic periods first tend to be more responsive, respond better to lithium.

There are all sorts of combinations. Oddly enough, the major, the gold standard of treatment for bipolar disorder, which remains lithium, one of the best predictors of lithium outcome is whether your mania comes first, followed by depression or the other way around. So people who have manic periods first tend to be more responsive, respond better to lithium.

I don't think anyone really knows. It's just that we know that at the heart of bipolar illness is the tendency to fluctuate, to often be seasonal, to come and go. And lithium, above all else, affects that rhythmic pattern.

I don't think anyone really knows. It's just that we know that at the heart of bipolar illness is the tendency to fluctuate, to often be seasonal, to come and go. And lithium, above all else, affects that rhythmic pattern.

I don't think anyone really knows. It's just that we know that at the heart of bipolar illness is the tendency to fluctuate, to often be seasonal, to come and go. And lithium, above all else, affects that rhythmic pattern.

You know, it's like any field, I think, in medicine. If you get a wrong diagnosis, you're going to get likely the wrong treatment. And it not only can not do anything to remedy the situation, but it can make people worse. For example, antidepressants, however effective and important they are for major depression and anxiety and other things, in

You know, it's like any field, I think, in medicine. If you get a wrong diagnosis, you're going to get likely the wrong treatment. And it not only can not do anything to remedy the situation, but it can make people worse. For example, antidepressants, however effective and important they are for major depression and anxiety and other things, in

You know, it's like any field, I think, in medicine. If you get a wrong diagnosis, you're going to get likely the wrong treatment. And it not only can not do anything to remedy the situation, but it can make people worse. For example, antidepressants, however effective and important they are for major depression and anxiety and other things, in

can in many people with bipolar illness make people worse. So you've got to get it right. It's not enough to diagnose depression. You've got to know whether that depression is in the context of somebody who has bipolar illness or in the context of someone who has depression alone.

can in many people with bipolar illness make people worse. So you've got to get it right. It's not enough to diagnose depression. You've got to know whether that depression is in the context of somebody who has bipolar illness or in the context of someone who has depression alone.

can in many people with bipolar illness make people worse. So you've got to get it right. It's not enough to diagnose depression. You've got to know whether that depression is in the context of somebody who has bipolar illness or in the context of someone who has depression alone.

So there are two major clinical problems in treating bipolar illness. One is to get people to acknowledge or recognize that they have something that needs and can be treated. That's one thing. The other thing is once they're in treatment, to keep them in treatment because people tend to quit, particularly younger people.

So there are two major clinical problems in treating bipolar illness. One is to get people to acknowledge or recognize that they have something that needs and can be treated. That's one thing. The other thing is once they're in treatment, to keep them in treatment because people tend to quit, particularly younger people.

So there are two major clinical problems in treating bipolar illness. One is to get people to acknowledge or recognize that they have something that needs and can be treated. That's one thing. The other thing is once they're in treatment, to keep them in treatment because people tend to quit, particularly younger people.

And it will tend to get worse over time if it's left untreated and much harder to treat. When I'm teaching residents at Johns Hopkins, I always emphasize that's the art and science of treating mood disorders. It's just they're complicated. There are huge feelings involved and denial and hopelessness. So the very thing that you need to get better, which is your brain, is making you hopeless.