World Bipolar Day is celebrated annually on March 30, which is the birthday of Vincent van Gogh, one of the most influential artists in Western art. His mental illness paralleled his creativity, and he was diagnosed posthumously with bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder can cause episodes of melancholy and elation, which can negatively impact a person’s health, productivity, and relationships. Through international collaborative efforts, World Bipolar Day educates and advocates the dissemination of information about bipolar disorder.
The background of World Bipolar Day
World Bipolar Day is a collaboration between the International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD), the International Bipolar Foundation (IBPF), and the Asian Network for Bipolar Disorders. (ANBD).
The diagnosis of bipolar disorder dates back to ancient Greece. Hippocrates, often referred to as the “father of medicine,” documented his observations on two polar opposite emotions — what are now known as depression and mania — in his medical writings.
In the nineteenth century, the modern conceptual understanding of bipolar disorder emerged.
In 1854, Jules Baillarger, a French neurologist, and Jean-Pierre Falret, a French psychiatrist, presented separate descriptions of bipolar disorder to the Académie de Médecine in Paris. Baillarger referred to the ailment as ‘folie à double forme,’ which translates to dual-form insanity, and Falret referred to it as ‘folie circulaire,’ which translates to circular insanity.
Since its founding in 1999, the International Bipolar Foundation (IBPF) has conducted research on bipolar disorders and assisted those who suffer from them. Bipolar disorders are more prevalent than commonly believed. Extreme mood fluctuations go unnoticed or are dismissed as temperamental issues, despite the fact that the affected individual is actually experiencing mania or depression. This mental illness disrupts the lives of those who suffer from it, as it impairs their ability to function. Fortunately, medication and intensive psychotherapy can aid in the treatment.
Living with bipolar disorder is difficult, but, in the words of Vincent van Gogh, “The beginning is perhaps more difficult than anything else, but have faith, everything will work out.”
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5 FACTS ABOUT BIPOLAR DISORDER THAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW
Bipolar disorder is incapacitating and impedes success in every aspect of life, including work, relationships, and even mundane activities such as taking a shower or sleeping, etc.
Spasms, migraines, and metabolic disorders are physical manifestations of bipolar disorder, in addition to its cerebral effects.
Similar to fingerprints, no two bipolar disorders are identical; diagnosis varies greatly, which makes defining the illness and prescribing treatment for it even more challenging.
Demi Lovato, Mary Lambert, Kanye West, and Richard Dreyfuss are famous individuals who are battling bipolar disorder.
A research team from the University of Michigan conducted a two-decade-long study on bipolar disorder and discovered that it cannot be attributed to a single cause, as it is primarily the result of a combination of biological and environmental factors.
WORLD BIPOLAR DAY DATES
Year | Date | Day |
---|---|---|
2023 | March 30 | Thursday |
2024 | March 30 | Saturday |
2025 | March 30 | Sunday |
2026 | March 30 | Monday |
2027 | March 30 | Tuesday |