LET'S TALK ABOUT…BIPOLAR DISORDER

It’s one of the commonest long-term conditions yet it’s shrouded in stigma and misunderstanding. Chris Marshall-Bell meets two riders boldly speaking out about their experience

- Chris Marshall-Bell

Looking back two decades, Rob Stephenson paints a picture of himself as a man cruising through life. He was 30 years old, the owner of a few London bars, with a handsome income and enjoying himself socially – at times “the complete life and soul of a party; an exhibitionist”. But there was another side to his character that was causing him increasing distress. The tall, well-built rider, who is now 49, describes to me how, at other times, he suffered from spells of deep depression.

After going “off the rails” during a high-spirited period, Stephenson entered another phase of depression and could take it no more. “I lost all hope and was overcome by a complete sense of futility,” says the Kent-based rider. “At that point, I wanted it all to be over – I wanted to end my life.” Having been previously diagnosed with depression, he sought help again and was finally correctly diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

It is likely that you know someone with bipolar, quite possibly one of your cycling group – though they may not disclose the fact, of course. The condition affects one in 50 people, making it one of the commonest long-term conditions; as many as one in 20 of us are on the bipolar spectrum. It is a mental health disorder that causes extreme mood swings, from emotional highs called mania or (milder) hypomania to deep, depressive lows. Bipolar disorder can develop at any age, though most commonly during teenage years, and its cause is thought to be around 70% genetic.

Mood swings