[danielf]

Originally Posted by Chris T

* Professionals tend to call it Bipolar Disorder these days, I confess before I started reading I didn't realise manic depression and bipolar disorder are the same thing.

Bipolar is a better name for the beast. If only because many lay people seem to think that manically depressed means extremely depressed. Bipolar is less ambiguous in that respect.

Originally Posted by superbiatch

There is good news with regard to treating the condition, so much so he could be leading as much a 'normal' life as the rest of us again in the future.

If it is 'bipolar' he is suffering from then my understanding is that some people on medication (litihum, usually) find the absence of the lows quite good, but they're less impressed with the absence of the highs. Basically, things become rather bland and boring (in their opinion).