Being somewhat of a country music fan, I felt duty-bound to watch Showtime’s six-part miniseries about George Jones and Tammy Wynette.  The series has wrapped up, but I couldn’t make it past the beginning of part II. Part II opens with a flash forward to Tammy being strapped in for shock therapy. Nope. Stop. Not gonna watch. Click to another channel.  I can watch bodies get blown up and dismembered on Omaha Beach in Saving Private Ryan. I’m not a fan of slasher movies, but I can sit through them. I have to look away when the dog gets shot in Big Jake and other westerns. But ele ..read more

The fans who love Phil Mickelson will get to see him at the Masters this spring. Augusta National has announced it will allow those who are qualified to compete, regardless of  Tour status. Phil, who's been kicked off the PGA Tour, is a three-time past champion who is automatically qualified. It just wasn't the same at last year's Masters without Phil (only one name required — like Tiger) as he was taking a leave from the professional game, perhaps to be treated for a condition such as bipolar disorder. Pro golfers tend to be technical. Phil Mickelson has always been creative. Actually ..read more

There is a joke that if you play a country record backwards, you get your house back, your truck back, your dog back, and your girl back. But you can’t bring Hank Williams’s life back. Or Keith Whitley’s. Or Mindy McCready’s. Or Naomi Judd’s. All of these country stars were taken from us way too soon, although the most recent death, Judd’s occurred at age 76.  Naomi Judd suffered from bipolar disorder. Naomi Judd grew up in humble circumstances in Ashland, Kentucky. She gave birth to her daughter and later singing partner, Wynonna, at age 18. She raised Wynonna and younger daughter ..read more

Tom Selleck’s favorite episode of Blue Bloods so far is “The Job” (Season 2, Episode 12). Among the various story lines (each main character always has one) is Commissioner Frank Reagan’s hesitant and relatively weak-hearted attempt at therapy. He slips out of the office, avoids his detail and makes a secret visit to the therapist. He doesn’t want to be recognized. In fact, on the elevator, he tries to assure a young woman that she doesn’t recognize him.  Frank: Oh, I think it stinks. Therapist: Being a public figure?  I would think you're used to being recognized. Frank: I don't th ..read more

It’s important to acknowledge that the vast majority of people with mental illnesses are not violent. That’s because the impression people get from the news stories about mass shootings might be otherwise.  That being said, “red flag” laws can protect some people from themselves and protect other people. There are 19 states that have some version of the law. In my state, firearm removals are called Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs). An ERPO is granted when police, family members, coworkers, or neighbors successfully petition a state court to have police remove firearms from the poss ..read more

If you didn’t know, we just closed out Mental Illness Awareness Month (May). The theme was “Back to Basics,” which stresses fundamental knowledge about mental illness. For sufferers of bipolar and other disorders, every month is mental illness month, and every month is another survived — if they’re lucky. You might not have been aware of this month, which means it failed at its purpose of raising your awareness. It was, after all, Foster Care Awareness Month. It was also Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness Month, Maternal Mental Health Month, and National Teen Self-Esteem Month.&nb ..read more

Hit and run medicine. The term is often used to describe a surgeon who performs several surgeries in a day. An example would be an eye doctor doing dozens of cataract operations a day. But our overcrowded and overburdened system also treats psychiatric patients like an assembly line.   Psychiatric malpractice is tough to prove.  Failing to monitor medications properly is malpractice, but it’s not as obvious as a plastic surgeon horribly disfiguring a patient.  Many psychiatric patients don’t have the wherewithal or the resources to sue. Lawyers will take on the plastic surg ..read more

For all the talk of those with bipolar disorder having shorter lives, Churchill lived to age 90.  And that despite being overweight and drinking and smoking to excess.  Those with bipolar disorder are known for their tremendous output.  Churchill wrote an astonishing 73 volumes of books as well as numerous articles and speeches.  He wrote all of his speeches.  He wouldn’t consider having a speechwriter or a ghostwriter. During bursts of tremendous energy he would work from the early morning hours late into the night. He had to write prolifically.  He was notoriou ..read more

“Beethoven churned out masterpieces with all the frenzy of a cokehead.” Joe Oliveto Ludwig van Beethoven was a German classical composer of the early 1800s. He was born in 1770 and developed his talents early, but he produced most of  his great works after 1800.  Beethoven’s upbringing was difficult. His father was an unsuccessful musician and abusive alcoholic. His mother suffered from depression. At a young age, Beethoven had to support his family with his music.  Musicologists largely agree that Beethoven had bipolar disorder. He had periods of colossal productivity. So ..read more

The sun set on Ernest Hemingway’s life and career at the relatively young age of 61. Clearly he had bipolar disorder. And famously so. But he would not have wanted to be the poster boy for bipolar disorder that Vincent Van Gogh has seemingly been. Hemingway probably would have agreed with Alec Baldwin’s character on NBC’s hit series 30 Rock: “I believe that when you have a problem, you talk it over with  your priest, or your tailor, or the mute elevator porter at your men's club. Then you take that problem and you crush it with  your mind vice.”  Hemingway’s macho swagger and hi ..read more