manic depression is a geek and artist's disease (Score 1)

Sorry, i couldn't read all 10,336 posts on this subject, but here's my own personal take on it: 2 years ago i dated a manic depressive geek, who broke up with me and broke my heart, but that's another story. i am a musician/geek apprentice and have had experience with the manic depressive beast myself. Someone said it's not cool to be mentally ill. The problem is, it IS cool, it's seductive, it's dangerous, and it provides a convenient escape from reality. That being said: it has been shown via scientific studies that artists of all types are prone to the disease. Programmers can be considered artists, if they are creative. So it's the price we pay for our type of creativity. If only the mania could be harnessed so that we could control it at will: I have never been more creative than when I'm manic. Unfortunately the depression can last for months, even years, and if the mania doesn't kill you, the depression will. I am in therapy to keep myself alive.