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WhaTHellsgoingonhere

(5,252 posts)
Fri Feb 5, 2016, 02:27 PM Feb 2016

The Johnny Manziel story is a perfect teaching opportunity for the country, but...

only those of you who read this post will learn a damn thing.

Johnny's bipolar, it's obvious! It's not obvious to just anyone, but it's obvious to anyone who has seen bipolar disorder and worked with people with bipolar disorder. It's such a clear cut case, Johnny's picture would be next to bipolar in the dictionary. But rather than seeking the expertise of a psychiatrist, because Americans are totally ignorant, all we see is one sports reporter asking another reporter to tell them the latest: "he's suicidal, his family took him to rehab but he left, he wasn't drinking."

It's time for the country to have a conversation about mental illness. It's ridiculous to witness how this story is being reported.

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The Johnny Manziel story is a perfect teaching opportunity for the country, but... (Original Post) WhaTHellsgoingonhere Feb 2016 OP
You have to wonder if his parents ever consulted anyone about this. joeybee12 Feb 2016 #1
I'm sure everyone within his circle is aware WhaTHellsgoingonhere Feb 2016 #2
Isn't it considered amazing this was kept private? Auggie Feb 2016 #3
Someone did some digging last week and found a note from the Browns WhaTHellsgoingonhere Feb 2016 #4
Yeah, but one would think he'd still be under a microscope of sorts at Texas A&M ... Auggie Feb 2016 #5
 

joeybee12

(56,177 posts)
1. You have to wonder if his parents ever consulted anyone about this.
Fri Feb 5, 2016, 02:54 PM
Feb 2016

He had issues in college, so it wouldn't be a stretch to say the same issues probably came up during high school when he was living at home.

 

WhaTHellsgoingonhere

(5,252 posts)
2. I'm sure everyone within his circle is aware
Fri Feb 5, 2016, 03:12 PM
Feb 2016

...but like I say, perfect teaching opportunity for an entire country who really needs a lesson. "Brat, waste of talent, drunk, party boy, never grew up, suicidal, domestic abuse, run away, piece of shit." Isn't this more stigmatizing than simply having an expert say, "he needs to seek treatment for what appears to be bipolar disorder"? We can crucify him for his behavior, but god forbid we say "bipolar." That's why we need to have this conversation.

Having said that...

I've said elsewhere, young people with bipolar disorder are famous for going in and out of hospitals and off their meds. There's an invincibility and grandiosity coupled with loss of perspective that accompanies mania. Johnny knows he blew, let's say, $12 million, but he doesn't care. Do you know why? Because he "knows" he's going to make $40 million!

Auggie

(31,025 posts)
3. Isn't it considered amazing this was kept private?
Fri Feb 5, 2016, 03:17 PM
Feb 2016
Maybe it's hidden in high school, but college? Texas A&M? National media???
 

WhaTHellsgoingonhere

(5,252 posts)
4. Someone did some digging last week and found a note from the Browns
Fri Feb 5, 2016, 03:41 PM
Feb 2016

It appears that Johnny may not have been diagnosed until he was with the Browns. Bipolar is a spectrum disorder (maybe you already know this, but others don't). In fact at the opposite end of the spectrum is Bipolar II, which is characterized by episodes of hypomania but mostly depression. Hypomania is low-grade mania. My guess is, he was just hypomanic in college. The fact that he never learned the playbook, just went out and improvised every play to me is a tell: inability to concentrate for a long period of time, similar to ADHD. But he didn't have a full "manic break" until he was with the Browns. Johnny's diagnosis is Bipolar I. It's characterized by hi-highs (full blown mania), and the lowest-lows (lower than people diagnosed with chronic depression). Johnny's going to crash, hard, go into a deep depression. That's when you can get a person with bipolar disorder. They've pretty much given up and stopped making their own (bad) decisions. Then they go on medication and -- remarkably, bipolar I is easy to treat -- begin to feel like a human again. Unfortunately, feeling human isn't feeling "normal," so it's "thanks for the help, doc, but I won't be needing this medication anymore" and we're off to the races, again. People with bipolar disorder are the population most at risk for suicide; it sounds like his family knows that. As I've said in another thread, the greatest artists, musicians, writers, and salesmen have bipolar I. They also self-medicate with drugs and alcohol and commit suicide. I don't think Johnny has experienced enough deep depressive episodes to get his shit together. This thing is still new to him, and for the most part, it's still "not that bad." We can only hope he one day realizes it's much worse than he ever knew and commits himself to recovery. The odds of that happening, given his fortune and fame... maybe less than 50%, which aren't bad odds for someone with bipolar disorder I in his position.

Auggie

(31,025 posts)
5. Yeah, but one would think he'd still be under a microscope of sorts at Texas A&M ...
Fri Feb 5, 2016, 05:52 PM
Feb 2016

and especially the NFL Combine -- enough so that even hints of mania might be visible. Then again I guess it's possible the Browns could be one, if not the only team, not to fully vet him until after the draft.

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