It can be hard to tell the facts from fiction with this condition, due to the overuse of bipolar disorders in 'bad guy' characters in film and television. I hope that through this chapter, i can expel some myths and help you all learn a little bit about what it is like to live with this condition.

There are two types of Bipolar disorder. To start things off, here are two definitions that are going to come up a lot in this article... 

Mania- is a euphoric mood start that can lead to overactive and excitable behaviour, irritability, intense happiness, excess energy and a reduced need for sleep. A manic episode can include impulsive and risky behaviours, and at their most severe, psychosis (formally known as Manic Depression)

Hypomania- is when there is a persistent and strong elevated or irritable mood, but it doesn't have a significant impact on someone's ability to work or socialise. They are typically shorter than manic episodes, though this can mean that the person is having regular and more disruptive mood swings.

Bipolar 1 is when someone had had at least one manic or mixed episode. They can also sometimes occur with hypomania or major depression.

Bipolar 2 is when someone has at least one episode of hypomania and at least one episode of major depression. You will not find psychosis in this type of Bipolar.

Fluctuations in mood often undermine someone's identity and effect their self-confidence, which can lead to an isolated and often misunderstood lifestyle.

Though if you have Bipolar disorder, you certainly aren't alone. You join the ranks of some of the most creative minds ever to have existed, such as Ludwig van Beethoven, Charles Dickens, John Keats, Ernest Hemingway, Florence Nightingale, Vincent van Gogh, Marilyn Monroe and Virginia Woolf.

A few more modern names that you may recognise are Catherine Zeta-Jones, Frank Bruno, Alastair Campbell, Kurt Cobain, Ruby Wax and, most famously, Stephen Fry, whose work on mental health I would recommend listening to and reading, as he eloquently expresses what bipolar disorder is like to live with.

The 'tortured creative genius' and 'mad artist' is often a stereotype often found when referring to Bipolar disorder and is harmful when it comes to explaining to someone that you have Bipolar disorder, and perhaps are also creative and artistic.

Take the example of author Sylvia Plath and her struggle with mental health, which inspired her to write so well, but ultimately ended when she committed suicide when she was 30. Anyone who has been through mental health problems knows how hard it can be to read a book, struggling to read the words one page at a time, never-mind actually writing one. The intense distress that her acclaimed vivid writing must have caused her, to have the only 'out' being to end her life should not be forgotten. It is thought now that she had Bipolar 2 disorder. Mental illness is not a by-product of creativeness, nor does creativeness cause mental illness. It is not 'a price you pay' for being creative.

So how do you help alleviate the symptoms? Medication is always the first step, mood stabilisers and sedatives are given to help numb the body, so the highs and lows don't reach their levels as severely. CBT or cognitive behavioural therapy is also used, to help the person come to terms with the condition, recognise its impact on their lives and begin to accept and deal with how it affects them. Art therapy is also often used as another side treatment, to help the person release the feelings that they are unable to verbally express. It is often thought to be cathartic. Though like anything, one or more of these may not work, and doctors will have to find new medication, therapy approaches and support systems to help.

If you would like to learn more about this condition, i would recommend going to www.mind.org.uk a mental health charity website that has a lot of great information and support.

March 30th is Bipolar awareness day, so be sure to show your support then and spread the word- feel free to share this chapter with your friends and family on Facebook and twitter, everyone can read for free and without creating an account.