Bipolar and Behind the Wheel

This is a picture of my Honda civic after being side swiped at 70 mph. You may be wondering what bipolar has to do with the car accident, quite a bit actually. I was diagnosed with clinical depression at 13, it wasn't until I was 17 that I was properly diagnosed bipolar. During those four years in between I was on anti-depressants. Anti-depressants alone can cause mania, in people with bipolar. For four years I was out of control. I was reckless in everything I did, including my driving. I ran a yellow light at about 70mph and a truck (also running the light) turned into me. If I wasn't so out of control, I would have stopped at that light. I was always taking a risk, and living on the edge.

They told me that if I had not been wearing my seat belt, I would have died. I would have been thrown from the car at such a fast speed, death would have been imminent. My parents always made us wear our seat belts, (thanks mom and dad).

Maybe a minute after the accident happened my brother drove past and saw it. I believe it was fate that he happened on the scene. I have no recollection of the accident, I was in shock, but at least my brother was there for me. I can't imagine how it was seeing his sister so hurt. There was blood everywhere, and the jaws of life had to remove my mangled body from the car. My tibia was protruding through my skin and my arm was in an unnatural position. I had broken my tibia, my ankle, and my wrist all on the right side of my body. I had surgeries to fix my leg, I now have a bolt and pin in my leg. My arm was put in a cast.

Recovery was awful and terribly depressing, I fell behind in my school work. I was humiliated by how I looked. The accident was the catalyst for me dropping out of high school. I think it would have happened anyway due to the bipolar, but the accident sped it up a little.

I am lucky.... I have scathed death more then once. I also recovered fully. In addition I received 80,000 dollars from the man's insurance, when I turned 18. $80,000 + bipolar = big trouble. That is another blog all in its self. Moral of the story; don't get in a car with a person who is manic, and wear your seat belt.

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