@Sam Raffield How is he a polymath? His career is as a comedian, as well as acting and writing of course. A polymath would be if he was, say, also an accomplished architect and economist or something. Just because he's intelligent or "gives off the vibe of a polymath" isn't what polymath means.
@Sam Raffield I don't think just being smart what makes someone a polymath. Would you say Stephen Hawking is a polymath then? I've never heard him described as one, despite the fact that he was one of the most intelligent people in the world. Polymath generally means someone who is highly qualified in a particularly wide range of disciplines. If you look up famous polymaths- Leonardo, Benjamin Franklin, al-Biruni, Francis Bacon- they're all particularly known for the fact that they made contributions to an unusually wide number of different academic or artistic fields. As much as I like Stephen Fry, the fact that he's well-spoken and generally knowledgeable doesn't really fit the definition of the word, according to the way it's always been used.
@Sam Raffield Well you just said in your last comment that just being intelligent makes someone a polymath, so that's what I was responding to. Glad we can agree on that now. I mean "comedy to drama to filmmaking" isn't a particularly wide range. Half of comedians are also actors, most prominent actors have also written films. By that standard Steve Carell is a polymath. Again my point here isn't to demean him, it's just not what the meaning of the word polymath is. Being an actor who also does comedy and writes films is relatively typical.
@Sam Raffield But again it's a range that's not particularly notable. Most great actors end up doing some directing or filmmaking, it's within the same field. I don't see how he's unusual in his range really. Is Steve Carell a polymath? He's been hugely successful as a comedian, as well as an actor in both comedy and drama and in directing and producing.
I love that Stephen describes it like weather inside your head, that's so beautiful. It reminds me of Charles Dicken's Bleak house and the character of John Jarndyce. He always did strike me as the kind of fellow which might have bipolar. One of the things I remember most about that character was when he used to say 'the wind is in the East today', meaning he was in a bad mood. Yes, I am very taken with the idea of inclement weather as an allegory for mood disorders. Why would I expect any less from somebody like Stephen Fry?
Coke sucks. Snifff!!! I feel great!!!... (3 minutes later) let's do more!! Coke should be called "Diminishing Returns". Feels good at first but then you're doing your 20th line of the hour and your heart is about to explode. Ugggh!!! Horrendous drug imo.
@@SS-et4kz Only stupid self-centred arseholes take cocaine. There's a trail of blood all the way from Columbia so that wankers like you can get high for twenty minutes.
ikr, then there’s me with a couple of my friends huddled up in the school bathroom sharing a partly bloody dollar bill cause we spent all out money on blow but we didn’t give a fuck
I love Stephen. Watching his documentary, The Secret Life of a Manic Depressive, was a revelation to me. For a long time, I thought that I was "just a fucked-up person"; that the whole world was as it should be and I am a defective puzzle piece. I hope to one day meet Stephen and thank him for making the film. Thank you, Mr. Fry.
i have a house full of junk right now that i bought in a mania that im kicking myself in the ass for now and im broke....but soon im gonna love that shit again and get some new shit too..... its the cycle that sucks and you can see it happening but u cant control it
Well sir.... You aren't alone. Just try to find the why of if you want to get better... Why you want to get better. What is better. When you find the why... It's like a strong pole. So when you feel down or have urges... You can stick to that why. Its like a pole you hold on to in a bad storm
"When it rains, it rains". God I love this guy! Such wise analogies, I'll definitely use this to explain mental illness next time someone says to "just think positive! :)"
I am so grateful and relieved to come upon this!. For one, I have a great admiration Steven Fry, and also it is the first time that I have heard such elocuent clear and guild removing words about manic depression. Thank you ever so much for posting this
Wow. I've been living with depression for a while, but his description of cyclothymia sounds pretty accurate for me. Perhaps I need to go talk with my doctor and get re-evaluated.
It's the conflict of making yourself feel freaked out or everyone around you feel freaked out, which is really better? The teeth-grinding on-edge impulsive mania side or the horribly suicidal lazy depressive side. Both have their perks but only in comparison to the other
How great it is to hear someone in the ublic spotlight be so open and honest about his personal challenges...I have much respect for this man. Famous or not. Thanks for sharing Stephen.
It's vitally important to be completely honest with an employer at the medical interview. I had two hospitalisations for very extreme depression including being treated with a course of ECT when nothing else worked. I went on to go back to University and finish my degree and have now worked for the same Fortune 100 company for about 12 years. I've had 3 depressive episodes during my time working there and my employer has been very supportive and worked with me to get through each one.
For my family, they enjoy the manic phase... Im fun to be around, Ive got all these good ideas, I feel good, I call them to talk and have all these good things to say, I have all these wonderful experiences. But in my depressive moods Im absolutely terrible, suicidal, irritated, angry, I cant function. They have no idea what to do or what to say.
dsahgkg I love my manic phase too. Most bipolar people like us love it. It’s a natural high. But also hate the apologies which are many times in order after those episodes. Also why we tend to get off our medicine so often.
D.Meyod I'm off my meds now because of a recent manic phase which was highly spiritual/religious. Then came the inevitable crash/levelling off and I'm like "uh oh...what have I done?"
Every thing he just described feels like my life exactly! No one else has ever been able to put it into words so accurately before. Another reason I think Stephen is just brilliant.
I saw Stephen Fry at the airport in Wellington earlier this year. I wish I went and approached him and thanks him for his doco, watching that really meant alot to me.
I also have manic depression, and I agree. It can be a crippling thing sometimes, but on the other hand if you get lucky and have a real high at an opportune time, it can also work for you.
Stephen is a beautiful honest empathetic guy ...& This world needs people like him ....he's not artificial or superficial but is weathered by what life has dealed out to him .
After hearing so many people talk about how mental health carries a stigma and how it is never anyone's fault that they suffer from mental illness, I have to say that this might be the first time I am truly convinced of this hypothesis. Especially when he gets into the weather part.
I’m so envious of people who are bipolar and can still be normal. Everyone thinks I’m normal except that I cannot hold a job, my wife left me and I avoid confrontation. Thank heavens for my children. Bipolar sucks.
I have Bi-polar disorder I have also been diagnosed with major depression and honestly it is the most maddening thing in the world because no one understands my mind. But when i listen to Stephen Fry my mind calms down and i feel like he understands
I used to say,how am I so depressed when I have a beautiful little boy considering I had always wanted to be a mummy. I was diagnosed with emotional instability disorder around 3 years ago,but have just found out that it is in fact cyclothymia coupled with autism. The unfortunate thing with this disorder is how often it is undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Stephen Fry is one of my favourite people,I'm so glad he has talked about a bit of his experience with this disorder 😊
You know I may be bipolar, we all have highs and lows though so I hope it's just depression. Regardless I am confident I can make the life I want for myself without turning to these drugs that do more harm than good. Meditation and deep breathes and focused intention can go a long way.
For certain people you are right, ever try to meditate or use deep breathes on a panic attack so intense it starts to effect you physically, both my arms went numb and completely useless, started to hyper ventilate, heart rate around 130 at rest, I completely freaked out, and this happens to me several times a week if I do not take my medication(less frequent with), I have tried your methods, then went to booze, then the doctor gave me xanax, which I do not understand how people get high on this though(I get told by people I am lucky and ask me to sell them some, I tell them to fuck off naturally.), I have been high, xanax just. . .prevents my panic attacks, no high period. I do hope one day I can learn to cope without meds, until then I prefer being called a "pill popper" than having constant panic attacks.
Yes, i'm also of the opinion that psychedelic substances have great potential (sorted out my once-crippling anxiety completely, basically gives you new perspective on your life) and given that they are safe (the well-studied ones at least) and are only a few-time thing (definitely not everyday like like what pharmaceutical companies push)
Psychedelics really aren't a good thing for bipolar disorder, as a good trip can turn catastrophically bad in a split second due to the over release of mood related hormones by the brain. I'm talking from experience.
So well stated, sir. I've always loved your TV appearances in Bones as the psychologist. Never expected to see the real side of you. You describe it so accurately.
It is phenomenally strange hearing Stephen Fry describing his drug use, with all the glory of a proper British accent of a gentleman scholar. "So for many years really I never went out without at least four or five grams of cocaine powder on my person. And I would ingest it intra-nasally, as was the fashion, through the use of some sort of straw or rolled up currency note."
Thanks to Stephen Fry for speaking about his personal experience of manic depression. He is helping to break the stigma. I love this guy and his cathedral brain. And funny too. He normalizes an illness which terrifies people. Bless him.
My mother doesn't accept me because she simply doesn't understand me she moans if I'm depressed and hates when I'm overly happy.. Nice to feel understood
Depression without suicide is still very dangerous. Suicide is only the most violent end. I have a person with depression in my family. Their give up attitude is contagious, dragging their whole household down.
@PalulukanMakto Also, you should look into efficacy studies on anti-depressants. They are rarely statistically significantly better than placebo. But they carry way more side effects than placebo. Also they're very addictive (I've seen first hand what happens when people try to get off them, not a fun experience at all).
I am glad that Steven said that it is a MOOD disorder and not that one is crazy. There are such misconceptions. I have it, I believe as so much of what he said describes ME. but...I think that many that have it are creative.
Genuine question: I have treatment resistant unipolar depression. I’ve always wondered with bi polar sufferers is once a patient is in a manic phase of the disease, does that mean that a drop into a horrific depressive is inevitable/unstoppable? (Apologies for stating that question so ineloquently)
Yass! Think they can solve the problems of the world. Just an example, when I was younger I tried to figure out how feelings are and how they are products of primary feelings. Wtf was I thinking?
That is a very good point! Drugs, especially strong mood stabilizers, anti-depressants and anti-psychotics, should be a last resort. Every other possibility (apart from ect and other serious treatments) should be tried first. Therapy and other options should be explored first, and if medication is needed the milder ones should be tried first in tandem with therapy.
He records it anyway. I remember a quote where he talks about filming QI and being all hunky dory on the outside and on the inside thinking "I want to fucking die." Quite startling and sad.
everytime i hear steven fry talk it reminds me of my brother he teaches me everything and they can be compared to each other as they talk to you in the sameish way .........TBH don;t tell my older bro i prefer fry's lectures his voice seems more carn't find the words
I would listen to Stephen Fry talk about nearly anything for a nearly unlimited period of time. He is so intelligent, eloquent and amiable that it's hard not to be drawn in.
I also have depression with those thoughts but am now taking an SRI drug. Honestly its the best thing i ever did in my life. I feel so much better and confident and happier. Its helped my relationships and my work life. I would give medication a try if you ever feel like things get too much.
really glad that someone as iconic as Stephen Fry has opened up about such a Taboo topic such as bipolarity. I just hope that people begin to understand that it is real ; and people who have it can be ones you don't expect. We are kind you know! :)
He didn't say there was. He said that Stephen makes it /sound/ so. It is possible for words to make things seem not as they are, and it is also possible to be moved by words without being persuaded by them.
Appreciate it, Sabeanie, immensely. I learned to maintain only because I wasn't aware there was anything to maintain. Lol Nowadays, I do as you do and let it be what it is. It sucks, but the more people come out the less stigma, the more understanding.
I'm bipolar, as is my father. And we, unfortunately, were misdiagnosed for decades between the two of us because doctors saw the depression... and failed to see the manias. My father is hypomanic and simply appears positive, energetic, and creative. I am somewhat hypermanic and become aggressive, irritable, impulsive, and develop extremely poor judgment. Bipolar is serious, and bipolar is often mis- or undiagnosed. I applaud anyone who brings attention to it in a meaningful, direct way.
He basically described my highs and then the horrific crash that happens afterwards. The longer the high the longer the crash. I'm not diagnosed because I've never bothered to get myself diagnosed but I'm feeling like I must have bipolar. For me it's unaffordable amounts of cannabis that keep the horrible feelings at bay.
Brilliant video. I wish he was my doctor. For years I have had an attraction to Mr Fry (Not in that way, I am straight) There is just something very soothing about him and his intelligence makes me feel that I am going to be alright. Thanks !
Stephen Fry's very eloquent about his condition, as he is with everything else, some of the aspects of his bipolarity sound almost Lewis Carrollesque. Having a disorder myself, anxiety, I can sympathize with some of the troubling "weather patterns". It's useful to talk about it.
He's right that the up or manic state is usually worse for people to deal with than the down/depressed state. When I was manic people I met would often think I was arrogant or loved my own voice. Sometimes, it would work in small doses and I'd come off as the life of the party and I'd pick up girls at the club but in a normal environment it wore people out.
I love how he reflects back to to his days of coping with BPD with the use of narcotics and alcohol goes "I can't believe how I was able do all that, how extraordinary." I do the same reflect reaction 😂 hes amazing
Thanks to Stephen I found out that probably one of my good friends is bipolar. This helps me soo much to handle this situation. Being open and vulnerable is a wonderful thing, love Stephen for sharing these
If someone is in a manic or depressive mood are their moods within that episode on a spectrum. If someone is bipolar and depressed could the right turn of events turn a genuine smile from them? If they are manic can the right turn of events make them less manic at least for a while?
Just awesome. Not sure If i have Bi-Polar but I often say my mind "Is a chaos of the mind" And yes I thought that before I even Read or saw the Virgina Wolf statement. It gets so bad for me I have to talk myself out of situations by actually talking to myself. People i work with think I am crazy or nuts. I see It as me not being In jail for A simple slip of thought. Also beer helps me sleep and level my mood so I can sleep, however I been having horrid dreams.
the most useful thing my psychiatrist said to me is when I'm depressed not to panic but wait until it passes, very much like Fry described it, much like the weather.
Not sure if you're too interested, but this is something that may fit what you mentioned - Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD (there's a very in depth wiki page on this), this is something that you might want to read into, if you want anymore information I'm sure I could try to help out :)
The DSM isn't taken very seriously in the psychiatric community. Psychology is about treating different thoughts and behaviours that hinder an individual's ability to function in day to day life. When you walk in to a councilor's office they will in fact diagnose you according to the DSM; however, that diagnosis is simply there so insurance companies will cover your therapy. I've never met a therapist that employs the DSM as some sort of bible, and most loathe it.
Calling Stephen Fry a "Comedian" is absurdly understating his career
It's like calling hitler a vegetarian... It's true, but it's hardly the whole story.
@Sam Raffield How is he a polymath? His career is as a comedian, as well as acting and writing of course. A polymath would be if he was, say, also an accomplished architect and economist or something. Just because he's intelligent or "gives off the vibe of a polymath" isn't what polymath means.
@Sam Raffield I don't think just being smart what makes someone a polymath. Would you say Stephen Hawking is a polymath then? I've never heard him described as one, despite the fact that he was one of the most intelligent people in the world. Polymath generally means someone who is highly qualified in a particularly wide range of disciplines.
If you look up famous polymaths- Leonardo, Benjamin Franklin, al-Biruni, Francis Bacon- they're all particularly known for the fact that they made contributions to an unusually wide number of different academic or artistic fields. As much as I like Stephen Fry, the fact that he's well-spoken and generally knowledgeable doesn't really fit the definition of the word, according to the way it's always been used.
@Sam Raffield Well you just said in your last comment that just being intelligent makes someone a polymath, so that's what I was responding to. Glad we can agree on that now.
I mean "comedy to drama to filmmaking" isn't a particularly wide range. Half of comedians are also actors, most prominent actors have also written films. By that standard Steve Carell is a polymath.
Again my point here isn't to demean him, it's just not what the meaning of the word polymath is. Being an actor who also does comedy and writes films is relatively typical.
@Sam Raffield But again it's a range that's not particularly notable. Most great actors end up doing some directing or filmmaking, it's within the same field. I don't see how he's unusual in his range really. Is Steve Carell a polymath? He's been hugely successful as a comedian, as well as an actor in both comedy and drama and in directing and producing.
I love that Stephen describes it like weather inside your head, that's so beautiful. It reminds me of Charles Dicken's Bleak house and the character of John Jarndyce. He always did strike me as the kind of fellow which might have bipolar. One of the things I remember most about that character was when he used to say 'the wind is in the East today', meaning he was in a bad mood. Yes, I am very taken with the idea of inclement weather as an allegory for mood disorders. Why would I expect any less from somebody like Stephen Fry?
Many people in death are named the Great for no good reason at all. Why not do it right for a change?
Stephen the Great.
RzzRBladez I'm with you!
RzzRBladez yeap! I'm with you, too!
+akshade93 yessss
Aren't you getting a bit ahead of yourself?
Uhhhh did he die???
he makes coke sound so British and classy
Coke sucks. Snifff!!! I feel great!!!...
(3 minutes later) let's do more!! Coke should be called "Diminishing Returns". Feels good at first but then you're doing your 20th line of the hour and your heart is about to explode. Ugggh!!! Horrendous drug imo.
@@SS-et4kz Only stupid self-centred arseholes take cocaine. There's a trail of blood all the way from Columbia so that wankers like you can get high for twenty minutes.
ikr, then there’s me with a couple of my friends huddled up in the school bathroom sharing a partly bloody dollar bill cause we spent all out money on blow but we didn’t give a fuck
@@andrewmartin6445
So you do not use cocaine?
But you are still acting like a stupid self-centered arsehole.
It is classy it's a posh dinner party drug.
Only Stephen Fry can talk about doing cocaine and still sound classy as fuck.
My Mother respects no one more than Stephen, and when she found out I did Coke once, she called me a loser. I will show her this.
The key is to say "cocaine powder"
@@woden5132 it's been 7 years. If you are still out there, how did it go?
“...on my person”
@@ingridaholmes He didn’t survive. She started doing coke with her son copiously.
I love the way he describes it. He's spot on. I can relate a lot despite being only chronically depressed.
It made me cry when he started talking about looking outside for medication. It's so true and so sad and so confusing for everyone else
Cameron Churchill yeah I knew exactly what he meant sadly
I love Stephen. Watching his documentary, The Secret Life of a Manic Depressive, was a revelation to me. For a long time, I thought that I was "just a fucked-up person"; that the whole world was as it should be and I am a defective puzzle piece. I hope to one day meet Stephen and thank him for making the film. Thank you, Mr. Fry.
I love that he calls it "cocaine powder."
That could be what Sherlock Holmes called it.
i have a house full of junk right now that i bought in a mania that im kicking myself in the ass for now and im broke....but soon im gonna love that shit again and get some new shit too..... its the cycle that sucks and you can see it happening but u cant control it
Well sir.... You aren't alone.
Just try to find the why of if you want to get better... Why you want to get better. What is better.
When you find the why... It's like a strong pole. So when you feel down or have urges... You can stick to that why.
Its like a pole you hold on to in a bad storm
"When it rains, it rains". God I love this guy! Such wise analogies, I'll definitely use this to explain mental illness next time someone says to "just think positive! :)"
I wish I had known about Stephen Fry when I was depressed; he is a wonderful example of a human being
His analogy of moods to weather is amazing!! Love love love it because it is so incredibly true!
I myself suffer from Cyclothimia and Stephen here has described my condition better than i ever could, go stephen
I am so grateful and relieved to come upon this!. For one, I have a great admiration Steven Fry, and also it is the first time that I have heard such elocuent clear and guild removing words about manic depression. Thank you ever so much for posting this
respect this man for just being open and out there , it encourages me at least for the moment wile we do struggle at times, ill keep it short
The comparison he did with the mood and weather is spot on. Mine actually changes drastically with the weather, e.g. depressed in autumn and winter.
Thank you ❤
Wow. I've been living with depression for a while, but his description of cyclothymia sounds pretty accurate for me. Perhaps I need to go talk with my doctor and get re-evaluated.
I'm so glad he said the depression was more manageable. For me the mania is the worse.
It's the conflict of making yourself feel freaked out or everyone around you feel freaked out, which is really better? The teeth-grinding on-edge impulsive mania side or the horribly suicidal lazy depressive side. Both have their perks but only in comparison to the other
How great it is to hear someone in the ublic spotlight be so open and honest about his personal challenges...I have much respect for this man. Famous or not. Thanks for sharing Stephen.
Wonderful bloke. Speaks very honestly, with a great deal of common sense. The more i see of him in interviews, the more i admire him.
Such a lovely, warm, kind and sensitive man.
It's vitally important to be completely honest with an employer at the medical interview. I had two hospitalisations for very extreme depression including being treated with a course of ECT when nothing else worked.
I went on to go back to University and finish my degree and have now worked for the same Fortune 100 company for about 12 years. I've had 3 depressive episodes during my time working there and my employer has been very supportive and worked with me to get through each one.
For my family, they enjoy the manic phase... Im fun to be around, Ive got all these good ideas, I feel good, I call them to talk and have all these good things to say, I have all these wonderful experiences. But in my depressive moods Im absolutely terrible, suicidal, irritated, angry, I cant function. They have no idea what to do or what to say.
i personally love the manic phase. It's the ultimate drug, the feeling to me is so much better than any kind of drug can offer.
Who wouldn't want to wake up some days to find himself extra smart and energetic?
dsahgkg I love my manic phase too. Most bipolar people like us love it. It’s a natural high. But also hate the apologies which are many times in order after those episodes. Also why we tend to get off our medicine so often.
D.Meyod I'm off my meds now because of a recent manic phase which was highly spiritual/religious. Then came the inevitable crash/levelling off and I'm like "uh oh...what have I done?"
I enjoy hypomania. But I have psychotic manic episodes and it's very disorienting and scary. It's not fun.
I hate it
He is just an incredibly charming man :)
I haven't heard/seen anyone describe what I go through more accurately! Just another side of this man's brilliance :)
I'd be a millionaire if I could put my life into words
john wadsworth 60% of bipolars are writers
I have bipolar 2 disorder, and watching this really helps when I am depressed, he really is an idol of mine
I myself suffer from cyclotyhmia and when im feeling like crap i watch this and it reminds me, im i have an illness and its not my fault
Glad to know I am not the only one suffering with these mood swings.
Not at all man, you're not alone
Me too...
Every thing he just described feels like my life exactly! No one else has ever been able to put it into words so accurately before. Another reason I think Stephen is just brilliant.
I saw Stephen Fry at the airport in Wellington earlier this year. I wish I went and approached him and thanks him for his doco, watching that really meant alot to me.
Suddenly have a lot more respect for this guy.
I myself suffer from cyclothimia and the points he is making are so real
ive started a cyclothymia support group on facebook if people want to join. its called cyclothymia support
I also have manic depression, and I agree. It can be a crippling thing sometimes, but on the other hand if you get lucky and have a real high at an opportune time, it can also work for you.
Stephen Fry is one of my favorite people. Great comedian, an intellectual powerhouse, and a really genuine nice guy.
Stephen is a beautiful honest empathetic guy ...& This world needs people like him ....he's not artificial or superficial but is weathered by what life has dealed out to him .
After hearing so many people talk about how mental health carries a stigma and how it is never anyone's fault that they suffer from mental illness, I have to say that this might be the first time I am truly convinced of this hypothesis. Especially when he gets into the weather part.
Are you really that thick?
Thank you for telling me. It's really hard to find the details of what goes on with bipolar moods as many accounts talk more about the bigger picture.
Stephen Fry: "An Uppy-Downy, Mood-Swingy Kind of Guy"
Henry Stradford
I’m so envious of people who are bipolar and can still be normal. Everyone thinks I’m normal except that I cannot hold a job, my wife left me and I avoid confrontation. Thank heavens for my children. Bipolar sucks.
I have Bi-polar disorder I have also been diagnosed with major depression and honestly it is the most maddening thing in the world because no one understands my mind. But when i listen to Stephen Fry my mind calms down and i feel like he understands
I used to say,how am I so depressed when I have a beautiful little boy considering I had always wanted to be a mummy. I was diagnosed with emotional instability disorder around 3 years ago,but have just found out that it is in fact cyclothymia coupled with autism. The unfortunate thing with this disorder is how often it is undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Stephen Fry is one of my favourite people,I'm so glad he has talked about a bit of his experience with this disorder 😊
Bless this man for his eloquent candor
You know I may be bipolar, we all have highs and lows though so I hope it's just depression. Regardless I am confident I can make the life I want for myself without turning to these drugs that do more harm than good. Meditation and deep breathes and focused intention can go a long way.
For certain people you are right, ever try to meditate or use deep breathes on a panic attack so intense it starts to effect you physically, both my arms went numb and completely useless, started to hyper ventilate, heart rate around 130 at rest, I completely freaked out, and this happens to me several times a week if I do not take my medication(less frequent with), I have tried your methods, then went to booze, then the doctor gave me xanax, which I do not understand how people get high on this though(I get told by people I am lucky and ask me to sell them some, I tell them to fuck off naturally.), I have been high, xanax just. . .prevents my panic attacks, no high period. I do hope one day I can learn to cope without meds, until then I prefer being called a "pill popper" than having constant panic attacks.
I didnt know him before and kind of stumbled over this video, but god that guy is so intelligent and seems to be such a nice person. Wow.
Yes, i'm also of the opinion that psychedelic substances have great potential (sorted out my once-crippling anxiety completely, basically gives you new perspective on your life) and given that they are safe (the well-studied ones at least) and are only a few-time thing (definitely not everyday like like what pharmaceutical companies push)
Psychedelics really aren't a good thing for bipolar disorder, as a good trip can turn catastrophically bad in a split second due to the over release of mood related hormones by the brain.
I'm talking from experience.
Life is beautiful! Another day above the dirt, is another beautiful day.
So well stated, sir. I've always loved your TV appearances in Bones as the psychologist. Never expected to see the real side of you. You describe it so accurately.
It is phenomenally strange hearing Stephen Fry describing his drug use, with all the glory of a proper British accent of a gentleman scholar.
"So for many years really I never went out without at least four or five grams of cocaine powder on my person. And I would ingest it intra-nasally, as was the fashion, through the use of some sort of straw or rolled up currency note."
Thanks to Stephen Fry for speaking about his personal experience of manic depression. He is helping to break the stigma. I love this guy and his cathedral brain. And funny too. He normalizes an illness which terrifies people. Bless him.
My mother doesn't accept me because she simply doesn't understand me she moans if I'm depressed and hates when I'm overly happy.. Nice to feel understood
What a relief for people who are experiencing these symptons. How brave of him to open up and I am sure he has helped many people. Well done to him.
Thank you for explaining this in a way I can remember for my exam. I enjoyed your humour too.
Depression without suicide is still very dangerous. Suicide is only the most violent end. I have a person with depression in my family. Their give up attitude is contagious, dragging their whole household down.
@PalulukanMakto Also, you should look into efficacy studies on anti-depressants. They are rarely statistically significantly better than placebo. But they carry way more side effects than placebo. Also they're very addictive (I've seen first hand what happens when people try to get off them, not a fun experience at all).
Oh he's really famous! He's in V for Vendetta, and was a psychologist in Bones for a while. He's got a talk show thing on BBC too, I think.
This man is an absolute treasure. An inspiration
Damn this helped me as a bipolar man
Is this one of the actors from V for vendetta?
Yes!
I am glad that Steven said that it is a MOOD disorder and not that one is crazy. There are such misconceptions. I have it, I believe as so much of what he said describes ME. but...I think that many that have it are creative.
He's such a kind guy.
1:26 encapsulates a few conversations I've had with ppl about being depressed.
What an admirable, extraordinary person you are, Stephen!
ive found a comfort in what you have been saying i suffer from depression
Genuine question: I have treatment resistant unipolar depression. I’ve always wondered with bi polar sufferers is once a patient is in a manic phase of the disease, does that mean that a drop into a horrific depressive is inevitable/unstoppable? (Apologies for stating that question so ineloquently)
Yass! Think they can solve the problems of the world. Just an example, when I was younger I tried to figure out how feelings are and how they are products of primary feelings. Wtf was I thinking?
That is a very good point! Drugs, especially strong mood stabilizers, anti-depressants and anti-psychotics, should be a last resort. Every other possibility (apart from ect and other serious treatments) should be tried first. Therapy and other options should be explored first, and if medication is needed the milder ones should be tried first in tandem with therapy.
He records it anyway. I remember a quote where he talks about filming QI and being all hunky dory on the outside and on the inside thinking "I want to fucking die." Quite startling and sad.
everytime i hear steven fry talk it reminds me of my brother he teaches me everything and they can be compared to each other as they talk to you in the sameish way .........TBH don;t tell my older bro i prefer fry's lectures his voice seems more carn't find the words
I would listen to Stephen Fry talk about nearly anything for a nearly unlimited period of time. He is so intelligent, eloquent and amiable that it's hard not to be drawn in.
I also have depression with those thoughts but am now taking an SRI drug. Honestly its the best thing i ever did in my life. I feel so much better and confident and happier. Its helped my relationships and my work life. I would give medication a try if you ever feel like things get too much.
really glad that someone as iconic as Stephen Fry has opened up about such a Taboo topic such as bipolarity. I just hope that people begin to understand that it is real ; and people who have it can be ones you don't expect. We are kind you know! :)
I suffered from depression for five years it's hard but u some how learn to manage it and put on a brave face eveyday
He didn't say there was. He said that Stephen makes it /sound/ so.
It is possible for words to make things seem not as they are, and it is also possible to be moved by words without being persuaded by them.
Appreciate it, Sabeanie, immensely. I learned to maintain only because I wasn't aware there was anything to maintain. Lol
Nowadays, I do as you do and let it be what it is. It sucks, but the more people come out the less stigma, the more understanding.
I'm bipolar, as is my father. And we, unfortunately, were misdiagnosed for decades between the two of us because doctors saw the depression... and failed to see the manias. My father is hypomanic and simply appears positive, energetic, and creative. I am somewhat hypermanic and become aggressive, irritable, impulsive, and develop extremely poor judgment.
Bipolar is serious, and bipolar is often mis- or undiagnosed. I applaud anyone who brings attention to it in a meaningful, direct way.
He basically described my highs and then the horrific crash that happens afterwards. The longer the high the longer the crash.
I'm not diagnosed because I've never bothered to get myself diagnosed but I'm feeling like I must have bipolar. For me it's unaffordable amounts of cannabis that keep the horrible feelings at bay.
Brilliant video. I wish he was my doctor. For years I have had an attraction to Mr Fry (Not in that way, I am straight)
There is just something very soothing about him and his intelligence makes me feel that I am going to be alright.
Thanks !
Stephen Fry's very eloquent about his condition, as he is with everything else, some of the aspects of his bipolarity sound almost Lewis Carrollesque. Having a disorder myself, anxiety, I can sympathize with some of the troubling "weather patterns". It's useful to talk about it.
He's right that the up or manic state is usually worse for people to deal with than the down/depressed state. When I was manic people I met would often think I was arrogant or loved my own voice. Sometimes, it would work in small doses and I'd come off as the life of the party and I'd pick up girls at the club but in a normal environment it wore people out.
And then when the depressive crash brings you down You start self-effacingly mulling over every stupid thing you did or said for two weeks
I love how he reflects back to to his days of coping with BPD with the use of narcotics and alcohol goes "I can't believe how I was able do all that, how extraordinary." I do the same reflect reaction 😂 hes amazing
Thanks to Stephen I found out that probably one of my good friends is bipolar. This helps me soo much to handle this situation. Being open and vulnerable is a wonderful thing, love Stephen for sharing these
Moods and depression = Weather, uncontrollable. Mmm makes sense, well put
Just used this to explain my condition to my girlfriends parents! so easy! plus the fact they adore Mr Fry!
As always, providing great enlightenment!
I'd have thought his depressions were rated too severely for cyclothymic disorder
I know right? I suggest you to watch "A bit of Fry and Laurie" and also, all the "QI" episodes :)
Stephen Fry is an absolute gift to humanity.
Nailed it on the head ..finally a way for people to understand in a very quick way
thank you so much.........
If someone is in a manic or depressive mood are their moods within that episode on a spectrum. If someone is bipolar and depressed could the right turn of events turn a genuine smile from them? If they are manic can the right turn of events make them less manic at least for a while?
Good honest talk.
Just awesome. Not sure If i have Bi-Polar but I often say my mind "Is a chaos of the mind" And yes I thought that before I even Read or saw the Virgina Wolf statement. It gets so bad for me I have to talk myself out of situations by actually talking to myself. People i work with think I am crazy or nuts. I see It as me not being In jail for A simple slip of thought. Also beer helps me sleep and level my mood so I can sleep, however I been having horrid dreams.
This man is absolutely brilliant and pure class.
the most useful thing my psychiatrist said to me is when I'm depressed not to panic but wait until it passes, very much like Fry described it, much like the weather.
Not sure if you're too interested, but this is something that may fit what you mentioned - Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD (there's a very in depth wiki page on this), this is something that you might want to read into, if you want anymore information I'm sure I could try to help out :)
The DSM isn't taken very seriously in the psychiatric community. Psychology is about treating different thoughts and behaviours that hinder an individual's ability to function in day to day life. When you walk in to a councilor's office they will in fact diagnose you according to the DSM; however, that diagnosis is simply there so insurance companies will cover your therapy. I've never met a therapist that employs the DSM as some sort of bible, and most loathe it.