World bipolar day 30th march

| "Self-Portrait'", Vincent Van Gogh, September 1889 Oil on canvas, Musée d'Orsay, Paris.

by Laura Goddard

The list of successful men in the world is a long one. Something some of them have in common is bipolar disorder.

Each year, the World Bipolar Day (WBD) aims at eliminating social stigma behind mental illness. It takes place on March 30th 2018, fittingly Vincent Van Gogh’s birthday.

The famous post-impressionist painter suffered this non-treatable disease, which was portrayed in his art- creating a singularity somewhat complicated to capture.

Mel Gibson, Frank Sinatra, Charles Dickens and Mike Tyson were diagnosed with Bipolar disorder, yet they are some of the most successful men we know.

The global prevalence of Bipolar disorder is estimated at 2% and is said to go as high as 5% by the World Health Organization. The event raises awareness on this condition affecting over 5.7 million Americans, as well as 1% to 2% of the UK population.

Without this illness, Vincent Van Gogh might never have become the misunderstood genius we see in him today.

Take part in local events, and be active!

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