I still think people just don't get it. If you've ever spent a little time with a bi-polar or mentally ill person you'd know that it isn't so cut n dry. From my experience with the issue they can be fine and taking meds but with any challenge in life they are easily set off. The right medications can take months to prescribe. The common refrain is that this doesn't absolve his behavior. Well it sure does explain it. I'd go so far as to guess he's high functioning. That just means he can work for a while. And severe insomnia. Isn't that the same thing Michael Jackson had? My point is it's a legit problem.

duccichucka said:

I'm a psychotherapist who treats adults living with various mental health issues, such as PTSD

and Bipolar II Disorder. I wouldn't wish PTSD on my worst enemy; when it is co-occuring with

Bipolar? - sheesh! I don't like Chris Brown's music but if this diagnosis is actually true, I feel

for the guy.

As a therapist, who is on the outside looking in, Bipolar II and PTSD do explain some of his

alleged misbehavior. Or, he has a personality disorder (antisocial personality, borderline,

histrionic, etc). Either way, he could benefit from a therapeutic intervention and counseling.

America, like what is indicated by the hostility in this thread, is woefully nescient of mental health

issues. And this is bad news because Columbine, Aurora, Virginia Tech, and Sandy Hook will

become pandemic if we don't start providing treatment to those who are mentally ill - even if we

don't like them as persons.

As for his "people are to blame for letting it go. . ." often times, I find that most of my patients'

family members know something is "wrong" with their loved one (who is undiagnosed and un-

treated) but don't know to go get that person mental health treatment. So maybe Chris Brown's

family members, handlers, friends, do know that something is "wrong" with him, and again, like

what I'm reading in this thread, don't know anything about mental health issues and do not know

how to begin offering him help. Living with someone who has Bipolar and PTSD is not fun; I

speak from a personal and professional position.

Now, is his team scrambling to find a permissible excuse for keeping Brown out of prison and

in deeper legal doodoo by offering up a therapeutic reason for his misbehavior? Maybe. Who

knows. The point is, is that those individuals living with that particular comorbidity (PTSD +

BPII D/O) do have behavioral issues as a result of a chemical imbalance and/or trauma.

So have a heart, you evil, cynical mutherfuckahs!

Be here all day if I was to discuss the shortcomings of the DSM V...I'm somewhat of a professional myself.

Do you really rate the DSM V as an authoritative source, considering homosexuality was in there up until 1973? I wonder if 'histrionic personality disorder' is still in there.

Chris Brown!...as everyone knows, other individuals who've 'committed' the same or worse but are of a lesser hue, get a pass...

The 'labels', Chris receives by the 'dominant' society...are infinitely worse than the diagnostic ones given above. None of them have to be accepted.

Providing an explanation, or partial explanation, for his awful behavior over the years is a start, but it's not an excuse for his behavior, and it doesn't mean I have to like him any more for it. Even Hitler was innocent at one point. It doesn't mean he's not to blame for being a monster.

NDRU said:

Providing an explanation, or partial explanation, for his awful behavior over the years is a start, but it's not an excuse for his behavior, and it doesn't mean I have to like him any more for it. Even Hitler was innocent at one point. It doesn't mean he's not to blame for being a monster.

lrn36 said:

I'm not a fan of Chris Brown in the slightest and I don't condone his behavior. But if he has been diagnosed with mental disorders by qualified physicians and I point my finger and laugh it off, then it makes me worse than him, because I have control over my thoughts.

Mental illness is nothing to joke about. A lot of times people don't even know why they are suffering. They can't even explain why they act the way they do. And self medicating through drugs and alcohol is their only answer. Sometimes they do harm to themselves, do harm to others, or become the victim of others. Education, diagnosis, and treatment are the answer not jokes.

[Edited 3/1/14 20:48pm]

Thank you for your compassionate, intelligent words...mentall illness is so misunderstood, and it's sad. Having Bipolar is a serious thing, and it on average takes decades off of the person's lifespan, let alone their quality of life. Yes, treatment is possible, but it's hard.

Chris is so far deep even this couldn't make me give a fuck. It's a sad situation, but man he's a horrible person.