Article July 14, 2008 Issue

A SOUND MIND: HEALED OF DIAGNOSED BIPOLAR DISORDER

BY DOUG SYTSMA

Shortly before I became a serious student of Christian Science, I was medically diagnosed with bipolar disorder, commonly described as manic depression.

According to medical opinions, a chemical imbalance could make me feel angry, sad, or even happy, at the drop of a hat. My behavior was often wildly irrational, and I can remember frequently crying for days on end. I'd become enraged over the smallest things; yet, in moments of relative calm, bigger problems wouldn't faze me at all. They'd just wash over me, and my family and friends were left feeling puzzled about my response. Because I couldn't afford the cost of expensive medication, I was left with virtually no treatment options. Or so I thought.

When I began to see the effects of Christian Science treatment in other areas of my life, I began to realize that complete cure through prayer was possible. I decided that making concerted efforts to spiritualize my thoughts would be my choice to treat the condition.