Understanding Bipolar Disorder

Chris knows that his bipolar disorder is hurting his family. ""This disease has infected everything—social life, married life. Friendships are gone. I can't hold a job down," he says. "Living with bipolar—it's like a train wreck. It could be total chaos, or it could be smooth as ice, you know. It's terrible."

During his rage, Chris says that he has thrown a television down the stairs, punched holes in walls, broken expensive furniture and kicked in the fenders of his car after it got stuck in the mud. "I'm not allowed to be alone with my kids because they think I'm going to hurt them and I won't know it," Chris says.

Chris gives his family an emotional apology for his behavior. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to do the stuff I do. I want to change but I don't know how."