A horrific week-long odyssey ensued. Kristy's disease had completely consumed her with paranoia, acute anxiety and rage. Kristy covered the windows with sheets. She unplugged the telephones and screamed at her mother that food was "evil" and the devil was coming to get them. She attacked Mary with a knife and sliced deep gouges into her own arms.

Somehow able to break free from Kristy and dial 911 from her cell phone, Mary raced to the front door when the police arrived. It took two officers to restrain Kristy, who had fled to a rear bedroom and wrapped herself in sheets.

For several weeks, doctors at the local hospital tried different medications to stabilize Kristy. Finally, a regimen seemed to take effect. For the first time in a month, Kristy looked up at her mother from the hospital bed with a wan smile: "Hi, Mom."

Kristy has no memory of that final, nearly fatal, episode.

Treatment and Self-Awareness.
A combination of psychotherapy and medication is the typical prescription for people with bipolar disorder. Self-awareness is one key to remaining stable. But how does a person with bipolar disorder know whether a "blue mood" indicates a relapse?

"If I feel sad about something, or moody, I'll call my mother and tell her. It's a good idea to have a main support person to lean on in case you are beginning to cycle into depression," Kristy says. “I watch for the things that cause me stress, make sure I get enough rest and I'm always aware of my own emotions."

Vogel-Scalibia concurs. "It's important to find a trusted person to confide in and to realize that this is a medical illness—a chemical imbalance in the brain," she says. "You owe it to yourself to get treatment and to secure the help you need so you can lead a normal life."

Spreading Hope.
Today, Kristy has been stable and without symptoms for six years. Last fall she gave birth to a baby girl, Trinity, and her artwork graces galleries and museums nationwide.