Do you think any important historical figure would have achieved anything in life if they were bipolar?

I have heard there were many, so were people who had epilepsy, and other disorders. I would think have down period and the high would be bad.

I never can get to happy, then I have a seizure. The only thing some people get high on is the medication some doctors give.

I wish I could have a good high normal high, everything I am happy and felling good I have a seizure. No low, no highs, got to be the same way, even if yaw don't think so.

I wish I was normal too, but I find that weed helps a lot

This list only goes up to D. Please rethink your position. You are way off.

[link to en.wikipedia.org]



A[edit]
Sherman Alexie, Native American poet, writer, and filmmaker[1]
Rigoberto Alpizar, fatally shot by United States federal air marshals after exclaiming that he had a bomb on board a plane.[2]
Sophie Anderton, British model.[3]
Adam Ant, British musician.[4]
Emilie Autumn, American musician.[5]
B[edit]
Maria Bamford, American comedian.[6]
Andy Behrman, author of the book Electroboy: A Memoir of Mania.[7][8]
Max Bemis, frontman of the band Say Anything, spoke about his diagnosis in an interview with Spin magazine in 2006.[9]
Maurice Benard, actor. He has discussed his diagnosis with Oprah Winfrey, and has since become active in promoting bipolar awareness.[10]
Mary Kay Bergman, voice actress[11]
Ludwig Boltzmann, physicist and mathematician. He "suffered from an alternation of depressed moods with elevated, expansive or irritable moods."[12]
Adrian Borland, British musician.[13]
Russell Brand, comedian and actor. "In a low-key admission at the end of the book, he says he was finally diagnosed with bipolar disorder – manic depression – after he kicked the drugs for good in 2002 which goes some way to explaining his almost superhuman indifference to the chaos and catastrophe that almost lead [sic] him to obscurity."[14]
Andrea Breth, German stage-director.[15]
Jeremy Brett, actor.[16]
Katherine Brooks, director/writer/filmmaker. "I don’t believe Bipolar holds me back as a person or a filmmaker. I actually believe it makes everything I do have more meaning, passion, and purpose. I’m thankful to be this way … thankful to be born Bipolar."[17]
Brotha Lynch Hung, American rapper. He has discussed his diagnosis in various songs and interviews.[18]
Chris Brown, pop and R&B singer. Diagnosis was revealed through court documents.[19]
Frank Bruno, boxer; was hospitalized for a short period and as of 2005 is on lithium.[20][21][22]
Barney Bubbles, graphic designer.[23][24]
George Gordon, Lord Byron, English poet, writer, and adventurer.[25][26]
C[edit]
Alastair Campbell, press advisor.[27][28]
Georg Cantor, mathematician. Cantor's recurring bouts of depression from 1884 to the end of his life were once blamed on the hostile attitude of many of his contemporaries,[29] but these bouts can now be seen as probable manifestations of bipolar disorder.[30]
Quincy Carter, American football player.[31]
Dick Cavett, television journalist. "CAVETT: Both in hypomanic, which I have had, and incidentally, one has to admit many patients say I am cured now, I am fine. But I must say I miss those hypomanic states. They are better off where they are."[32]
Eason Chan, Chinese popular music singer.[33]
Iris Chang, historian and journalist for the San Francisco Chronicle.[34]
John Clare, poet.[35][36]
Kurt Cobain, musician. His cousin, Beverly Cobain, a "registered nurse (…) [with] experience as a mental health professional" and author of a book, When Nothing Matters Anymore: A Survival Guide for Depressed Teens ISBN 1-57542-036-8, stated in an interview: "Kurt was diagnosed at a young age with Attention Deficit Disorder [ADD], then later with bipolar disorder; (…) As Kurt undoubtedly knew, bipolar illness can be very difficult to manage, and the correct diagnosis is crucial. Unfortunately for Kurt, compliance with the appropriate treatment is also a critical factor."[37]
Neil Cole, former Australian Labor party politician. "Associate Professor Cole was the first politician in Australia or overseas to admit to having a mental illness, namely bipolar mood disorder."[38]
Rosemary Clooney, singer and actress.[39]
Patricia Cornwell, American crime writer.[40][41]
Robert S. Corrington, theologist. In his book Riding the Windhorse: Manic-Depressive Disorder and the Quest for Wholeness[42] he gives a personal account of his own struggles with the condition.
Michael Costa, former Australian Labor party politician and Treasurer of NSW. "Mr Costa said a number of state parliamentary colleagues approached him about their mental health problems after he publicly revealed his battle with bipolar disorder in 2001."[43]
Vincent Crane, keyboard player of Atomic Rooster.[44]
D[edit]
Disco D, record producer and composer. On returning to the United States from his 2005 Australian trek, Shayman went public about his struggle with bipolar disorder.[45]
DMX (rapper), has spoken openly about his manic depression.[46]
Mike Doughty, musician. First described himself diagnosed as bipolar in 2007 on his blog.[47]
Charmaine Dragun, former Australian journalist/newsreader. Misdiagnosed with depression. Inquest concluded she had bipolar II disorder.[48]
Richard Dreyfuss, actor, BBC Documentary.[49]
Patty Duke, actress.[50]

If you read what the nurse says about Kurt Cobain, compliance with the treatment is crucial, they didnt have treatment back then, plus Kurt Cobain killed himself, the others could be bipolar II

I have bipolar 1. I got it from paxil. When I'm manic I produce. I've written 3 books which have been published.

Don't get too hard on yourself or pity yourself. You can be productive if you want to. You may not be productive through all the phases but you CAN easily be productive during some of the time. You just need to keep your wits about you even when you are manic.

Much luck. It's not fun to be bipolar but don't give up.

Sorry for saying productive too many times but that word seems to fit the best.