The comments on bipolar disorder reveal a lack of knowledge about the effects of malfunctioning brain chemistry.
Persons with bipolar disorder can lead highly effective lives once they learn to deal with it.
Many of our most effective leaders have had the disease (Churchill comes to mind).
Perhaps you are familiar with this book, which came out several years ago?
http://www.amazon.com/Hypomanic-Edge-Between-Craziness-Success/dp/0743243447
The book made me ponder an interesting question, which others (Thomas Szasz, for example) have explored: is the diagnosis of mental disorder largely a normative judgement? Churchill didn’t engage in antisocial acts, and could channel his mental energy into acts that elevated the human condition. Is the low-functioning bipolar person (difficulty holding a job, damaged relationships, etc) merely someone with a poor strategy for managing their emotional states?
I don’t have an answer to the question.