In recognition of Mental Illness Awareness week, the Racine Public Library and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) are hosting a presentation on "The Biology of Bipolar Disorder". The program is scheduled for Thursday, October 7 from 6:30-7:30 pm at the library, 75 Seventh St. The program is free and open to all; registration is requested. Call 262.636.9245, visit the library in person to complete a registration form, or register online at racinelibrary.info.
The program is presented by Mary Wilson, a representative of NAMI, and will describe the biology of bipolar disorder from her own perspective through her own experience of diagnosis, treatment, and 12 years in recovery.
Bipolar disorder, or manic depression, is a medical illness that causes extreme shifts in mood, energy, and functioning. These changes may be subtle or dramatic and typically vary greatly over the course of a person's life as well as among individuals. Over 10 million people in America have bipolar disorder, and the illness affects men and women equally. Bipolar disorder is a chronic and generally life-long condition with recurring episodes of mania and depression that can last from days to months that often begin in adolescence or early adulthood, and occasionally even in children. Most people generally require some sort of lifelong treatment. While medication is one key element in successful treatment of bipolar disorder, psychotherapy, support, and education about the illness are also essential components of the treatment process.
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