New tv show, a bipolar MD ....

New TV show about a medical doctor who is bipolar - NeuroTalk Support Groups

I have not seen this, yet it sounds interesting to me anyway.
The post comes from another forum I've been with for some years.
The article is interesting.

http://www.zap2it.com/blogs/abcs_the...s_head-2014-01

Vanessa Redgrave plays the good doctor's psychiatrist, and we know she does not play anything that is 'junk'.

I watched the first episode. It was actually a little triggering because it seems to glorify the mania so much I actually thought about skipping my meds. I was going to try to write a blog about television portrayals of bipolar. I found it interesting that both Black Box and Homeland use jazz music to portray madness.

I just set up a series recording for it this morning. I am interested to see how its portrayed in this show.

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Thanks for reporting in with your personal response to the show.
Yes, the use of jazz to portray madness, how cliche, unfortunately.
I guess there is little else sans lyrics that they could have gone with.

Take care, TheatreKid.

Hi moremi,

Will be interested to hear your response to the show. I wish that I could sit down, relax, and watch tv. I cannot. It's frustrating.

Thanks again. Keep us posted.

I definitely will let you know and I do hope you can find a way to relax yourself. Try to make yourself take a hot bath with only candle light and drink some camomile tea and focus on breathing. Sometimes it helps me. Takes me out of the hustle of my hypo states.

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after watching 10 minutes, I think I'm bipolar II, instead of my diagnosed I.

I totally related to her manic episode, all except for how short it was. I think that's what scared me. Not that I frequently give award speeches with the delusion that everyone is hanging on my every word (well I do believe everyone is hanging on my every word when I'm manic), but the hypersexuality, the sheer confidence and the feeling like she was just the absolute queen? Yup. The idea that music exists solely for you to experience in a completely bodily way? heck yeah.

*trigger*
The balcony thing scared me because I've had the fantasy of jumping off a balcony before, not to actually fly though, just to hurt myself.
*end trigger*

I watched the first half twice and the second half once... I don't remember how it ends, but I might rewatch it and chime in again tomorrow.

How interesting what we can learn from these programs, e.g. jesusplay catching that you may be misdiagnosed (as I) in that we do not fit the 'typical' BP I behaviors, wild swings from highs to lows, etc. Just yesterday got with a new doc who agrees, and starting a taper off lithium. Yay.

Anyone know if there's anywhere on line to watch the first episode or if it is being shown again? I missed it. I've been reading reviews though, and it's getting a lot of criticism for unrealistic portrayal of bipolar. I haven't seen it, so i can't comment, but the reviews don't make it sound very good.

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I thought the same thing when I was watching the show. But then, bipolar is a spectrum disorder, and your BP 1 or my BP 1 could be someone else's BP 2, and vice-versa. It's all relative.

The only reason I'm BP 1 is that I've had a couple of full-blown manic episodes with psychosis. I was BP NOS before that, and I'm a rapid cycler which is more in keeping with BP 2. These are all just labels anyway, and if our pdocs are good, they treat our symptoms rather than our diagnosis.

But that Dr. Black character, now SHE'S got problems! I found that there was quite a bit of cognitive dissonance in the way she was portrayed as a world-class neuroscientist who's so crazy and irresponsible she's not even allowed to see her own daughter. And that scene where she flushed her meds and almost immediately became full-on manic.....that just doesn't happen IRL. I wonder if the producers consulted any real bipolar patients when they were planning the show?

Still, I'm glad to see something that brings mental illness out of the closet. I hope the show survives long enough to find its voice. The critics have been pretty negative about it so far.

You can watch it online at ABC, but it required their app, and then it wanted me to sign in to cable provider, to get permission to watch ...?? Beyond me.
I deleted the ABC app and figured there's another way. Let us know if you get a better online hookup to view.

I'm unsurprised by the negative reviews and criticisms. Controversial matter, the fascinating human psyche and in all it's manifestations.

http://forums.psychcentral.com/books...black-box.html

I saw it on demand, I have to say that I have not been manic in 9 months and I do miss it. It's unrealistic that after missing a dose one goes full blown manic.

I don't think it will survive 13 episodes but it will be interesting to watch.

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Wasn't impressed .. It almost gives Bipolar a bad name. I will watch a few more episodes to see if it gets better than her tossing her meds and going straight manic hopping on balconies and screwing everyone she sees.

I'm honestly not sure what viewers expect from a fictionalized TV show? It's not, after all, a documentary.

Yes, Sister Rags, so right. It is the nature of the beast that is broadcast television to sensationalize. It's that wow factor, the shock and awe that tv has deemed we as Americans somehow cannot get enough of, so they hype it up. Know what I'm saying?
I don't agree with it, and that's why I weeded tv out of my life pretty much. (Except for House and Grays Anatomy last year. And PBS.). But this seems worth a go. We shall see.

I hope it gets gritty.

How about a brutally realistic and accurate depiction written by a creative writer who personally lives with Bipolar Disorder? There are many hundreds of us who would be very happy to be paid to write about a subject we feel so passionate about.

This is true, but this isn't like writing a book either though. To get something on TV it has to be something they think people would want to watch. In other words it has to have an entertainment factor to it or it's just a documentary. I don't know that anyone (aside from people who have been through it) would be able to connect with a show like what you're describing, sadly (because I'd watch the crap out of it).

TV is TV, it's not a movie, it's not a book. Although bipolar was never mentioned in the film, I think the movie "Sylvia" gives a brilliant portrayal of bipolar disorder.

I think the show was ok. She reminds me a lot of myself.

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I've only watched the first 2 minutes of yesterday's episode and I already think it's a little sensationalist.

Yeah...I have a love/hate feeling about Catherine, the main character. She's intriguing, but annoying to the point of nails-on-a-chalkboard annoying. I'm still having a really hard time believing that she's a neurologist. She seems too infantile to be able to hold such a position.

The scene in which Catherine buys pot was ABSURD. I mean, it's 2014...people don't buy pot off some skeezy-looking creepo on a street corner...it looked more like she was scoring heroin, for pete's sake.

I dunno....I had higher hopes for the show last week than I do having watched the 2nd show. It's too bad, because a show like that could have some powerful potential. I think the third episode will be the make it or break it for me.

Yeah, Catherine just seems so juvenile, that bothers me too. I fight against that sort of "emotionally immature" bipolar stereotype and it sucks that TV is propagating it.