Continuing where The Dark Side of Innocence left off, Manic is is a harrowing account of a woman’s struggle with bipolar depression.
In this episodic memoir, Cheney explains how the disease helped her be an asset at her legal firm. During the hypomanic phase she could be charming and a fantastic entertainment lawyer. She could impress anyone and win any lawsuit.
The destruction happened during the manic phase in which she would talk incessantly and do incredibly risk things–fly kites in a thunderstorm, dance in a dangerous surf, or overdose on medicines.
For years Cheney did not understand her own disease. She only knew she was good at being an attorney and good at impressing people with her intellect and beauty. Only when she stumbles across a book in a Santa Fe bookstore that describes “mixed states” does she gain a fuller awareness.
In writing this book and accurately describing the fluctuating states of bipolar depression, Cheney does a great service.
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