"Twenty-five years ago, I was in a car accident that broke my jaw and caused injury to the right frontal lobe of my brain. At the time, the focus was on the visible damage-the fracture, the swelling, and the immediate physical trauma. The deeper injury, the one inside my skull, went unnoticed. Comprehensive scans were not done, neurological exams were limited, and the possibility of a frontal-lobe injury was never raised."
"Bipolar disorder comes with its own defense system. Denial. When you're manic, you don't think you're sick. You think everyone else is overreacting. You feel like you're seeing the world more clearly than ever, when in reality you're losing your grip entirely. The scariest thing about this disorder is how persuasive it is when it tells you: You don't need help. It makes you blind, but convinced you have insight. You feel powerful, certain, and unstoppable."
A car accident 25 years ago caused a broken jaw and a right frontal-lobe brain injury that went undetected because scans and neurological exams were limited. The frontal-lobe injury was not properly diagnosed until 2023, contributing to a bipolar type‑1 diagnosis and prolonged mismanagement. Bipolar mania produces denial, a false sense of clarity, and resistance to help, leading to loss of reality and harmful behavior toward loved ones. The disorder shortens life expectancy by 10–15 years and increases all-cause mortality two- to threefold, comparable to other severe chronic diseases when untreated.
Read at Pitchfork
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