[tipper1492]

A short list she has in back of her book. I guess I'd rate the book 6 to 8. Marya has extreme swings, and often not on medications, and instead perhaps on heavy alcohol, cocaine, and many others.

FACTS:
Year the Surgeon General gave his first report on mental illness: 1999

Life expectancy of an adult with serious mental illness: 25 years shorter than that of a person without.

Bipolar patients whose suicide attempts have been lethal: 15-20% (This is the highest suicide rate of any psychiatric disorder, and more than 20 times higher than the rate of suicide in the general population. About half of all suicides in the U.S. can be attributed to bipolar.)

Year theterm manic-depressive insanity was first used in medical texts: 1896

Year the term bipolar was first used: 1980

Year the first medication (lithium) was discovered to have an effect on manic patients: 1948

Year the first medication designed specifically to treat bipolar was developed: still waiting.

Average age of onset: 23

Average age of correct diagnosis: 40

Average number of years from the onset of symptoms before a bipolar person or his/her family seeks treatment: 10

Number of bipolar sufferers who have been misdiagnosed at lease once: 70-75%

Bipolar people who are not receiving treatment at any given time: approximately 50%.

Bipolar patients taking mood stabilizers who go off their medications because of side effects, the desire for manic energy, or impaired insight: 50%

Number-one risk factor for relapse into a bipolar: going off meds.

Odds that a person with bipolar I will also struggle with substance abuse: 60:40

Odds that a person with bipolar II will: 50:50

Rate of alcoholism in bipolar men: three times higher than in the general population.

Rate of alcoholism in bipolar women: seven times higher than in the general population.

First-marriage divorce rates for people with bipolar disorder: twice as high as that of people with any other psychiatric disorder, three and a half times higher than the rate of divorce in the general population.

Annual direct and indirect cost of bipolar in America: $45 billion.

Bipolar and schizophrenic people who have no health insurance: 50% (The diagnosis of mental illness makes if far more difficult to get, and keep insurance, and most insurance plans offer only limited coverage for mental health services and medications.

Primary cause of a lack of effective treatments: insufficient research funds.

Medications MARYA list as being her current medications: LAMICTAL, TEGRETOL, GEODON, WELLBUTRIN, TRAZODONE, ATIVAN, and a number of supplements that are thought to support mood stability, including a high dose of fish oil and a strong vitamin B-complex.

Marya lists habits that help her: a structured schedule, including daily mood charts, keeping a journal, yoga (I'm serious she says) cardiovascular exercise, meditations, baths, massage, going out of my house and interacting with another human being at least once a day, long periods of sunshine, and during the winter, my light box. Also seeing my doctor and therapist frequently, seeing my family and friends several times a week, and, critically staying sober.

Her cost at time of book:
Weekly cost of my meds around $300, 1/3 of which is out of pocket.
My side effects last week: double vision until 2 P.M., dizziness, poor balance, headaches, nausea, digestive problems, low blood sugar, anxiety, shaking hands.

Weekly cost of therapy: $217, out of pocket.

Cost of psychiatric visits: $300 per session (at least two a month, sometimes more) only partially covered by my three forms of insurance.

Clost of my last hospitalization: $45,000 covered by insurance; $10,000 paid out of pocket. ***************Granted her books have made money.

Thanks for that. I enjoyed the facts, interesting. I have to check it out.

[Angry1541]

Very cool info!

[Wander]

Madness is such a beautifully written memoir that describes the experiences of life with BP1 and Substance Use Disorder. She really has a gift of being able to bring the reader into her world. The info at the back that you listed is also very interesting. I feel lucky to be in a country with a health system that is nowhere near as expensive. I feel for those who cannot afford the treatment they so desperately need.