LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Patty Duke: Bipolar Disorder
built 214 days ago
Desperately seeking advice and someone who could help her son, Pat sent an e-mail to Oscar® winner Patty Duke, who has been traveling the country helping people affected by bipolar disorder since she was diagnosed more than 25 years ago. To Pat's surprise, she received an e-mail response from Patty's husband Michael and The Oprah Show arranged a face-to-face meeting. Patty and Michael flew in to meet with Pat, Autumn and Chris.
Source:
Patty has spent two decades traveling the country addressing issues of mental health. Now, in an effort to reach more people, she has launched a Web site www.PattyDuke.net with a blog to provide education, information, and empathy to people who have bipolar disorder and their families. Part of what’s available is "someone that Americans think they know," she says. Patty even responds to emails personally, although at press time she had a backlog. In the near future, the online center will offer education materials and seminars.
Source:
In 1982, after she and John Astin had separated, Patty was finally diagnosed as having bipolar disorder. She said receiving the diagnosis was a huge relief - that she never heard two better words than "manic depressive." Lithium became her savior.
Source:
There are the things - the mania and the creativity - that people who have bipolar disorder are afraid to give up, Patty says, noting comically, "Now all my conversations are one-sided." Then, she adds, "You give up some of the more dramatic experiences of mania, but to me it’s been a fabulous trade-off."
Source:
MORE ABOUT
Bipolar Disorder