World Bipolar Day is observed on March 30 every year, on the birthday of Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh — one of the most influential artists in the history of Western art. His creativity was paralleled with his mental illness and he was posthumously diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder dramatically affects the mood and may result in episodes of depression and elation, which can affect one’s health, productivity, and relationships. World Bipolar Day educates and promotes the spread of information on bipolar disorder through international collaborative efforts.
HISTORY OF WORLD BIPOLAR DAY
World Bipolar Day is an initiative by the International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) who partnered with the International Bipolar Foundation (IBPF) and the Asian Network of Bipolar Disorders (ANBD).
Bipolar disorder isn’t a modern issue, and its diagnosis dates back to ancient Greece. The earliest mention of the mental disorder can be found in the medical literature of the physician Hippocrates, who has often been referred to as “the father of medicine.” He documented his findings on two polar opposite moods — what is known now as depression and mania.
The modern conceptual understanding of bipolar disorder occurred in the 19th century. Independent descriptions of bipolar disorder were presented to the Académie de Médecine in Paris in 1854 by French neurologist Jules Baillarger and French psychiatrist Jean-Pierre Falret. The term ‘bipolar disorder’ had not been coined yet, so Baillarger referred to the illness as ‘folie à double forme,’ meaning dual-form insanity, and Falret called it ‘folie circulaire,’ meaning circular insanity.
In 1999, the International Bipolar Foundation (IBPF) was founded, and has since been researching bipolar disorders and helping people who are suffering from it. Bipolar disorders are more common than we think. Extreme mood swings go unnoticed or are dismissed as temperamental issues, while the inflicted person is actually going through waves of mania or depression. People with this mental illness lead disrupted lives, as the disorder impacts one’s ability to function. Fortunately, medication and extensive counseling can help with the treatment.
Living with bipolar disorder is not easy but, in the words of Van Gogh himself, “The beginning is perhaps more difficult than anything else, but keep heart, it will turn out all right.”
Credit: National Today
