An Interview with Meg Hutchinson about making Music and Bipolar Disorder

Meg Hutchinson on making Music and Bipolar Disorder. Mental Help Net (www.mentalhelp.net) presents the Wise Counsel Podcast (wisecounsel.mentalhelp.net), hosted by David Van Nuys, Ph.D. Dr. Van Nuys interviews accomplished singer-songwriter Meg Hutchinson about her music and her life with Bipolar Disorder. Ms. Hutchinson experienced her first substantial depression at age 19. While bipolar is normally associated with swings between depressive and manic mood episodes, Ms. Hutchinson experienced mostly depressive states until her late 20's in the aftermath of her beloved grandmother's death at which point she had her first experience of mania, then profound depression, then a mixed state, then depression again, this time severe enough that hospitalization was required. It was at this point that her condition was officially diagnosed. In the years before her diagnosis she was fairly secretive and defensive about her episodes, viewing them as par for the course for an artist, or due to some physical condition. It took some months for the meaning of the diagnosis to sink in, but when it did, she felt more at peace with herself, recognizing finally that her condition was not her fault, and that she was not a weak person for accepting treatment. She was helped to this understanding through therapy and a supportive network of family and friends. Today she recognizes the importance of carefully balancing her ambition and desire to take on many musical committments with the practical demands of maintaining her emotional balance.