Being bipolar.

Philippa Perry, a psychotherapist, is interested in the experience of being with bipolar disorder. Perry believes that there is a strong environmental cause behind bipolar. Over the course of six months, three different patients have agreed to discuss their medical history with Perry (in consultation with their psyhiatrists and social workers). The first patient is Paul who is 55 and is in the middle of a manic episode. Using archive footage, it is explained how our understanding of what was once called manic depression has now been expanded into bipolar disorder type 1 and 2; Paul has the first type and Sian a 43 year old housewife, type 2. Ashley is also type 2 bipolar but unusually he can swing from high to low in one day. Dr Joanna Moncrieff, UCL, challenges the orthodox view that bipolar is caused by a chemical balance in the brain, a view which has not been evidenced and says that the drugs are working due to their supressive impact. Paul's past yields some clues to his behaviour; Sian believes her bipolar is genetic. Although there is a strong familial link with bipolar, there is no bipolar gene; various genetic factors can make someone more sensitive to environmental factors. Ashley it turns out may be on the autistic spectrum. Sian tries psychotherapy to make sense of her life and manage her feelings. Perry talks to Paul about his life.