Being bipolar on the internet

Mandla et al (2017) have analysed internet blogs by self-identified bipolar sufferers. They found that most bloggers regard bipolar as consisting of extreme and fluctuating emotions. It encompasses a wide variety of problems and has fluid boundaries with normality. It often fulfils a moral function, in that it is conceived as an autonomous entity, which acts as a repository for disliked or disapproved aspects of the self and provides an explanation for bad behaviour or failure. It's become increasingly popular as a self-diagnosis (Chan & Sireling, 2010).

Bipolar has become so broad and inclusive that it has little in common with the original, narrower concept that was aligned with the diagnosis of "manic-depression" (eg. see previous post). There needs to be wider discussion about these issues.