[mugwort2]

This info is from psychologist John Gartner Written in 2015.
From childhood to the present day, and read aloud to each one of them the narrative description of hypomanic temperament. All one hundred of them agreed—enthusiastically in most cases—that it described Bill Clinton. Clinton also requires little sleep and is brimming with energy. When he first ran for Congress, he regularly campaigned for 36 hours at a time without sleeping, and required rotating shifts of drivers; he wore out the soles of three pairs of shoes. George Stephanopoulos recalled that Clinton called him with “fifty ideas a day.” In what seemed like an attempt to “change the world overnight,” the youngest governor in Arkansas history submitted 150 bills to the legislature on its opening day, a packet so thick legislators complained they couldn’t lift it, much less read it.

Clinton also evidences classic hypomanic pressured speech pattern, to a degree so extreme I have never seen the likes of it before. At a three-hour dinner in Africa, seated at a table with a dozen members of the travelling press corps in 2007, I heard him speak off the cuff for three hours, without interruption. “Why didn’t any of you ask him a single question?” I asked a veteran reporter from a national publication. “I was having trouble just keeping up with him,” he confessed. Of course, Clinton is off the charts in his charisma, and his erotic electromagnetism always made him the center of attention in any room. But with these assets came his downfall—the inability to contain his sexual impulses."
What do you think. I'd appreciate if you wouldn't get into politics unless you truly believe its relevant. I am referring to Bill Clinton as a person and not as a politician Thanks.

Are there reports of corresponding depressive episodes? Is it possible to have actual pathological hypomania full-time all your life without ever paying for it with depression? Embodying "the narrative description of a hypomanic temperament" is not the same as being hypomanic. Does anyone else agree?

[Standup2me]

It would explain the risky sexual behaviour

[Wild Coyote]

The attributes described also describe 75% of the maternal side of my family.
They seem to live with unipolar hypomania. It's exhausting to be around them for very long. One uncle is very much like Clinton, extremely successful in every endeavor with a long history of personal indiscretions.

My psychiatrist says it's very possible for people to live with unipolar hypomania (and/or mania), without depression. While this puts them somewhere on the spectrum, they do not live with bipolar illness.


WC

[Yoda]

I cannot say whether Clinton may or may not have bipolar/hypomania as Number 1. I am not a doctor and Number 2. I only know what I read about him via the internet.

Personally though I experienced hypomanic like behaviors + throughout most of my life between high school and middle age. It was only when I was in my mid-forties that I experienced significant depression (excluding postpartum depression).

[BastetsMuse]

I find this fascinating. My sister met Clinton and was overwhelmed with his sexiness and charisma.... and she is a level headed lady.

[mossanimal]

I've also read that Theodore Roosevelt lived with 'uni-polar hypomania'. There is certainly a link between success and this trait. But.. as mentioned above.. in the absence of depression it doesn't seem like it would be 'bipolar disorder'. However... what if this constant state of hypomania leads to considerable problems in life? If everything is a wreck around you despite your current obsession, job, etc... and you can't control it .. then???

[bioChE]

Originally Posted by mossanimal

I've also read that Theodore Roosevelt lived with 'uni-polar hypomania'. There is certainly a link between success and this trait. But.. as mentioned above.. in the absence of depression it doesn't seem like it would be 'bipolar disorder'. However... what if this constant state of hypomania leads to considerable problems in life? If everything is a wreck around you despite your current obsession, job, etc... and you can't control it .. then???

That's part of the definition of hypomania, at least as it was described to me by one psychiatrist. The hypo state can be characterized by doing very well in one or two areas of life, while leaving the others to go badly.

[Wild Coyote]

Originally Posted by bioChE

That's part of the definition of hypomania, at least as it was described to me by one psychiatrist. The hypo state can be characterized by doing very well in one or two areas of life, while leaving the others to go badly.

This is true for some; however, others sometimes find ways to make it work well.

I have seen people learn to harness/direct the unipolar hypomanic energy, learn to manage all aspects of their lives (esp as they age) and do extremely well in all areas of life. There are many examples of this in my family.

As my uncle has aged, he became a very successful real estate broker (owns and operates the business), and is a commercial building contractor, owns/manages a successful plumbing and heating business, he owns/manages 85 rental units, he has a successful marriage, wins awards for the antique cars and hot rods he restores, and just cut his 3rd CD as a singer/musician. And more.

He works with a personal trainer.

Nothing in his life is neglected or subpar, or problematic.

He's a very intelligent man. He has figured out how to make it all work, in partnering with his wife.


WC

[mossanimal]

Yes.. this is the point of some of the published works of Jamieson and Fieve (his Bipolar II book). My uncle was extremely successful and has many of BPII attributes.. My dad has become a wreck with the disorder (especially since he never knew he had it). I was on the same path until I figured it out...

Originally Posted by Wild Coyote

This is true for some; however, others sometimes find ways to make it work well.

I have seen people learn to harness/direct the unipolar hypomanic energy, learn to manage all aspects of their lives (esp as they age) and do extremely well in all areas of life. There are many examples of this in my family.

As my uncle has aged, he became a very successful real estate broker (owns and operates the business), and is a commercial building contractor, owns/manages a successful plumbing and heating business, he owns/manages 85 rental units, he has a successful marriage, wins awards for the antique cars and hot rods he restores, and just cut his 3rd CD as a singer/musician. And more.

He works with a personal trainer.

Nothing in his life is neglected or subpar, or problematic.

He's a very intelligent man. He has figured out how to make it all work, in partnering with his wife.


WC

Save

[mossanimal]

Originally Posted by bioChE

That's part of the definition of hypomania, at least as it was described to me by one psychiatrist. The hypo state can be characterized by doing very well in one or two areas of life, while leaving the others to go badly.

This reminds me of the psychologist I was working with when I was being treated as ADHD/unipolar depression. He didn't think I've ever exhibited true 'mania' because of my history... but then I learned about BPII through other sources and realized that he wasn't considering this.. or thinking of my behavior as hypomanic. After being diagnosed by the psychiatrists.. I saw him one more time and realized that he simply didn't know very much about BPII.

[BipolaRNurse]

I think Bill Clinton could be described as having a "hyperthymic" temperament, meaning he naturally has a lot of energy, charisma, and drive. This isn't pathological, it's completely normal for him (and a lot of other people). There is no corresponding depression, thus he couldn't be called bipolar.

[mugwort2]

Thanks everyone for your quite interesting responses. I learned a lot on hypomania. Ronald Fieve MD one of the founders of Lithium wrote that Clinton fit the clinical description of hypomania. To be exact the doctor called the diagnosis Bipolar2B B standing for beneficial Okay that's a matter of opinion. That being said he wrote the hypomania diagnosis by definition incuded episodes of depression. This was for everyone with the disorder and not just Bill Clinton. Now the question is do you agree with Ronald Fieve in this being a true variant of BP.
At any rate on my last note on the topic. True story. One of my sister's woman friends met Mr. Clinton They talked about politics but he never saw her face The entire time he kept staring at her good sized breasts. My sister can vouch for this. Seriously.

[~Christina]

Why do so many people think everyone is this or that ? Depressed ? Manic? OCD?

People are people and there doesn't have to be a mental illness to explain away some actions.

Was Bill hypo ? Who knows? Maybe he just liked cheating on his wife and probably always has been.

Sorry ... I just get tired of every action someone makes being slung under a microscope to decide what MI label to slap on it.

Jmho

[xRavenx]

Originally Posted by Wild Coyote

The attributes described also describe 75% of the maternal side of my family.
They seem to live with unipolar hypomania. It's exhausting to be around them for very long. One uncle is very much like Clinton, extremely successful in every endeavor with a long history of personal indiscretions.

My psychiatrist says it's very possible for people to live with unipolar hypomania (and/or mania), without depression. While this puts them somewhere on the spectrum, they do not live with bipolar illness.


WC

Very interesting, because I have a lot of family members the same way....where they do not seem to ever meet full criteria for depression, but they seem chronically hypomanic. I even have a few relates who seem to be full-blown manic at times, but they do not get depressive episodes. I always wondered what they would be diagnosed with, unless maybe some of them do have occasional depressions, but it's not as apparent.

[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by BipolaRNurse

I think Bill Clinton could be described as having a "hyperthymic" temperament, meaning he naturally has a lot of energy, charisma, and drive. This isn't pathological, it's completely normal for him (and a lot of other people). There is no corresponding depression, thus he couldn't be called bipolar.

Good post ^^^

[bizi]

Originally Posted by ~Christina

Why do so many people think everyone is this or that ? Depressed ? Manic? OCD?

People are people and there doesn't have to be a mental illness to explain away some actions.

Was Bill hypo ? Who knows? Maybe he just liked cheating on his wife and probably always has been.

Sorry ... I just get tired of every action someone makes being slung under a microscope to decide what MI label to slap on it.

Jmho

I agree!
bizi

[venusss]

Originally Posted by ~Christina

Why do so many people think everyone is this or that ? Depressed ? Manic? OCD?

People are people and there doesn't have to be a mental illness to explain away some actions.

Was Bill hypo ? Who knows? Maybe he just liked cheating on his wife and probably always has been.

Sorry ... I just get tired of every action someone makes being slung under a microscope to decide what MI label to slap on it.

Jmho

Pretty much this.

Also, you need to realize that politicians need to have certain traits... they cannot be blandy bland "what would people think" never-thinking-out-of-the-box type. They would not get anywhere. They would not get things done.

Being brilliant or over the top is not mental illness. Well yet. Maybe they will vote it in for the next DSM. Who knows.

All I know Bill Clinton save Kosovo from another genocide breaking out in the region, by daring to do an armed intervention there. He has a boulevard in Prishtinë. Are you gonna slap diagnostic label on that too?

[bioChE]

Originally Posted by venusss

Pretty much this.

Also, you need to realize that politicians need to have certain traits... they cannot be blandy bland "what would people think" never-thinking-out-of-the-box type. They would not get anywhere. They would not get things done.

Being brilliant or over the top is not mental illness. Well yet. Maybe they will vote it in for the next DSM. Who knows.

All I know Bill Clinton save Kosovo from another genocide breaking out in the region, by daring to do an armed intervention there. He has a boulevard in Prishtinë. Are you gonna slap diagnostic label on that too?

I'm with you guys. The Goldwater Rule applies to psychiatrists who have an MD and specialized training in psychological issues. Armchair quarterbacking things like this is not only unwarranted, but it stands the chance of cheapening a diagnosis that is sorely needed for some of us.

I get the same dread when people use the word "crazy" to describe someone. I know it's a part of our lexicon and normal to use in most circumstances in which it is. That being said, I know personally and intimately what it is to actually _be_ and _act_ crazy, and it's nothing close to what it's usually applied to as a label.