This is a comment by Sister of Bipolar Brother on the post “The Evil That Men Do—James Holmes, Aurora Colorado and Mental Illness“.
“What a good article! I am a sibling of someone diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. After experiencing a few manic episodes with my brother, I gained a knowledge about bipolar disorder that I do not think I could have ever believed or understood by simply reading about it. I do not fault others who make ‘uneducated or inexperienced’ conclusion that James Holmes was ‘evil.’ I mean this sincerely and not sarcastically. I would not have believed that people could act in ways so inconsistent with who they really were and had been their entire lives until I witnessed it first hand. During his manic phase I watched my brother do and say things so inconsistent with the person I knew for over 30 years. We are only 2 years apart and I spent a lot of time, during our childhood, hanging out with him and his friends.
“In the little information we have about James Holmes, I have wondered if, in fact, he is bipolar. A few things seems consistent with someone suffering bipolar disorder during a manic phase:
- Excessive spending — Guns, ammo, etc.
- Heightened sexuality — Creating an Adult Friend Finder Profile on July 6th looking for sexual encounters
- Potential paranoia — Full body armor (often commented on that it was in excessive of the amount worn by our soldiers in war), booby trapping apartment to destroy the evidence
- Sudden change in behavior — inconsistent with person everyone knew in his past
- Very Intelligent
“They are many more I am sure but I can say I DO NOT believe he is just ‘evil.’ I agree that just labeling him as evil is the easier thing to do. I also believe that it is hard to comprehend, unless you have experienced it, that someone can act in a way that is so inconsistent with who they are.
“I pray for all those involved that they get comfort and peace at some point, I cannot imagine the loss and terror that those affected are going through right now. I also pray for James and his family. I know how hard it is to be a family member of someone who is bipolar and on medication. It is so hard to sit back and watch someone you love make irrational choices that you cannot control. I worried that something bad would happen with my brother when he was manic. Thank God nothing ever did and he is now in acceptance and actively participating in staying medicated.
“It is a tough disease that is very often misunderstood or mistaken for something else, I pray for all of you who deal with this disorder, either personally or through a family or friend. Never give up trying to help yourself or your loved one–as hard as it maybe at times.”
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Photo credit: Flickr / Dean812
I live with bipolar disorder myself but I’m not certain if someone with bipolar can do such thing so structured and planned like he did. He must had good stability to plan and do the whole scheme. I’d like to say he’s more schizophrenic than bipolar, but I don’t wanna spoil shaky speculation though. Yet I’m curious just like many others.
I had the terrifying experience of my mother going through a manic episode. It lasted a couple of months and she did become a very different person. Inappropriate, paranoid, attacked me a couple of times, had grandiose plans etc. Also I am a psychotherapist myself, as a professional I think your observations are spot on. We are not diagnosing but noticing the behaviours of james holmes are consistent with what we have experienced. I don’t se anything wrong with saying that. Good luck to you and your family.
I agree, that Holmes is Bipolar. I have dealt with many family members who are Bipolar. The looks on his face are classic looks of people in a manic state or high. I would guess that he was doing uppers and is often high and strung out.
I would venture to say that something in his life also set up his rampage – probably a lover leaving him.
I will say one more thing though, it is extremely important to remember that as a neuroscience student JH studied exactly what he is now trying to claim……Having gone to Columbine this story hits a spot in my heart that really hurts. And honestly, sometimes, rather than speculating all kinds of theories and mental diagnoses, it is usually the simplest answer that is true: JH is a cold blooded killer who never found his niche in life and obsessed over his ‘false self’ identity because no one would ever play with him. If this goes to trial in a city… Read more »
As someone with bipolar I disorder, I can tell you that with a “goal” stuck in one’s brain during mania, extremely meticulous detail and control is possible….. it is just not always directed in a productive manner. That being said, I am curious to wait and see what medical professionals decide regarding JH…. but my bias is really, sadly, that he may be in psychosis due to Bipolar I surfacing. He is in the prime age, and many of these signs are ones not dissimilar to a manic episode. Unless you all are bipolar i’d doubt you know what it… Read more »
Your article is reckless and irresponsible. This person’s behavior does not resemble bipolar. He prepared for the shooting two months in advance. I am deeply concerned that the lawyers are overlooking the fact that Mr. Holmes was caught red-handed in the parking-lot and thus they could and should be urging a guilty plea. Instead it seems that it will be an insanity plea. Subsequently they’ll select a mental health diagnosis at random (bipolar or schizophrenia etc.) and people who ACTUALLY HAVE that disease will be poorly misrepresented adding to the stigma that already exists around mental health. Minimal information about… Read more »
Thanks for speaking out for JH and his family. Strange how people bow to the opinion of a psychiatrist or a family doc and are quick to criticize those of us experiencing who have lived with someone struggling with the hell of mental illness.
Thanks for your measured remarks!
Could not agree MORE. An amateur diagnosis is very dangerous. JH planned it all out over 2 mths, I have never seen a manic depressive able to control their impulses that well. TO HN who better to diagnose than those in the medical field…errrh!
You have no idea what you are talking about. If you think this mans behavior doesn’t mimic the behavior if a bi-polar individual than you have not experienced being around someone durring severe mania. I will tell you as soon as i saw the court pictures of holmes i knew right away that he had symptoms of a bi-polar individual. I expierienced this first hand with a very close friend. I understand the illness better than i would if someone had kusst told me about it ues thjs man did wrong but people around him should not have overlooked the… Read more »