BiPolar Werewolves and Manic Depressive Vampires

With the craze of Twilight’s Eclipse recent film release I am reminded of a theory that I associated with while I was still just coming to terms with my BPD diagnosis: The things we associate with Vampirism and Lycanthropy are in many ways like BiPolar Manic Depression.
Now I know what you may be thinking “What is this crazy girl thinking?” or “What is she talking about?” Well, I don’t mean BiPolar patients drink blood and change into hairy quadrupeds during the full moon—well some might, but I’m pretty sure it’s unrelated—but think about it, both Lycanthropy/Vampirism and BiPolar has their fair share of myths and variations.

What is a Werewolf? Someone who becomes another creature and has no power over these transformations, and when they awaken from this state they must live with what they have done as the other creature with their true self’s consciousness. As the poem from the 1941 Universal film goes;

“Even a man who is pure in heart
and says his prayers by night
may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms
and the autumn moon is bright.”

It doesn’t matter what kind of person it is, anyone is susceptible to be afflicted by lycanthropy the wicked and the just alike. Just like lycanthropy, many assume that people who have BiPolar must be violent, untrustworthy, or suffer from some type of substance abuse, but everyday, “normal” people; teachers, nurses, parents, honor-roll students, accountants, anyone can have BiPolar, not only messed up crazies living on the outskirts of society. The mood swings can feel almost like a painful transformation. You can feel calm, act “normal” then—without any control over it—you become manic, or aggressive, or depressed or go to some other emotional extreme, almost becoming someone else…something different. And when you come back to a stable state you are left with the knowledge of what things you may have done and feel ashamed or angry at yourself about it, I don’t think I’m the only one who gone through a point where they’ve felt like they’ve become someone—maybe even something, else and had to live with the repercussions that other self’s actions.

What is a Vampire? A creature that was once human with immense power, and is immune to almost every form of damage, except for a few small things; a crucifix, some holy water, sunlight, silver for some, which will cause them to crash and burn. How is this similar or different to BiPolar? When I’m on a manic high, I don’t just feel like, but I know that I am invincible, no one can overtake me. As said in Danny DeVito’s Matilda;

“I’m smart, you’re dumb; I’m big, you’re little, I’m right you’re wrong.”

Everyone who disagrees with you becomes you enemy, and each and every mistake you make is a mistake, a misunderstanding, or someone else’s fault, but I am never at fault…until I come down.
The very second I come down from that high, like a proverbial stake in the heart, I feel like I’ve been destroyed. I become a magnet for blame, now everything—and I do mean everything, is my fault; bad weather, the economy, a team not making it to the finals—you name it: My bad!

There are many similarities between lycanthropy and vampirism, and the feelings BiPolar patients experience going from high to low. We are invincible and productive, and then we become angered and lash out to everyone who tries to bring us back to the real world, all before we crash headfirst into a depression where we are just falling and tearing ourselves apart. No matter what remember, underneath the monster lies the man (or woman) who knows what is real and right, the monster only gets in the way of letting them surface. But, never be afraid to ask for help in finding them.