THE HELL OF BIPOLAR DISORDER

‘Some days would be better, but that compulsion to self-destruct would always exist’

KANYE West’s recent meltdown has thrown the issue of bipolar disorder into the spotlight again. The rapper, whose chaotic rally to launch his campaign for the US presidency was followed by a flurry of bizarre tweets and wild accusations, has the condition, which is characterised by often out-of-control highs and deep, dark lows.

One woman who knows exactly what it’s like is Vivian Ho, a writer from San Francisco, who posted this essay in the wake of Kanye’s crisis.

“Every day I find myself fighting against my own instincts,” she says. “This is a message to my husband –