Yeah...Beth, in my experience people often substitute the term "crazy" with "bipolar". That is a good point you bring up. I've been in that situation a few times. Someone describes abnormal behavior then says in a hushed voice "he/she has bipolar". Really? Are you sure? How do you know? Do they have a psychiatrist? Have you talked to the psychiatrist?...etc...etc...I think I've shared this, but once I told a guy I have bipolar (in a dive bar, big mistake), and he looked at me in horror and said "don't kill me." He was absolutely serious. He was an Afghanistan vet and moved away from me very quickly! Another time I told a girlfriend and she said "I can't take care of you, I don't know what you might do to me." I said, " I didn't ask you to take care of me and I'm not going to do anything to you!" Well, that was her breakup line.


Sometimes "crazy" and "bipolar" are used to mean the same thing by people who don't know any better.