I have bipolar disorder, which is a mental illness that causes periods of depression and mania.
I appreciate you sharing that with me. I realize it may affect how you live your life. I'm in social work and may have to deal with clients that may have that as part of their life, as well. Could you tell me more about it?
Sometimes when I am in my manic phases I feel abnormally energetic or irritable. 
That's great to know, so that I can have expectations and be able to react accordingly, and appropriately. What else would you feel comfortable sharing?
crying, a negative outlook on life, and poor eye contact with others. The risk of suicide among those with the illness is high at greater than 6 percent over 20 years, while self-harm occurs in 30–40 percent. Other mental health issues such as anxiety disorders and substance use disorder are commonly associated with bipolar disorder.
The causes are not clearly understood, but both environmental and genetic factors play a role. Many genes of small effect contribute to risk. Environmental risk factors include a history of childhood abuse and
of the slanderous nature of psychiatric labeling that affected her reputation and threatened her very existence in the world. She believed that her depression was due to grief and feeling broken. She said, "When you have been told that your mind is unsound, there is a kind of despair that takes over..." In "The Loony Bin Trip", Millett wrote that she dreaded her depressed periods:
Personal life Mental illness Views on mental illness.
Millett disputed diagnoses and labels like manic depression (bipolar disorder) and schizophrenia,