September 15, 2023

Bipolar General: My Forever War with Mental Illness | Maj. Gen. Gregg Martin | EP 37 🎖️

41 minutes

A remarkable story of living with bipolar disorder: 36-year US Army retired combat veteran Maj. Gen. Gregg. F. Martin shares his experience of bipolar disorder after joining the army at 18, and how his symptoms remained hidden and undiagnosed despite alarming warning signs during multiple deployments and stages of his military career. Gregg Martin also details his route to recovery, bipolar disorder in his family, and his top strategies to live well with bipolar disorder. Hosted by Dr. Erin Michalak.

(00:00) Intro

(00:52) Joining the Army & Early Years

(06:51) The Iraq War & Paranoia

(11:22) Depression - "The Crash"

(13:27) "The Real Mania"

(16:45) How My Bipolar Symptoms Were Hidden

(19:31) My Diagnosis Was Exposed

(24:23) Rebuilding Relationships (Family & Friends)

(28:12) Two Sons Also Have Bipolar Disorder

(29:02) Reflecting on Misdiagnosis

(34:12) "You Will Pull Out of This"

(35:21) Message to Maggie (Wife)

(37:35) Daily Wellness Routine

(40:21) Bipolar General - The Book

Gregg F. Martin PhD, is a 36-year Army combat veteran, bipolar survivor and thriver, and retired two-star general. A former president of the National Defense University, he has lived most of his life on the Bipolar Spectrum, and is a qualified Airborne-Ranger-Engineer and strategist, who holds degrees from West Point and MIT. An author, speaker, and mental health advocate, he lives with his wife in Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Gregg's new book: “Bipolar General: My Forever War with Mental Illness”_ is available on Amazon (Hardcover/Kindle). The book is published by the US Naval Institute Press and endorsed by the Association of the US Army. For more information, visit https://generalgreggmartin.com

More on this episode: https://talkBD.live/bipolar-general

#talkBD Bipolar Disorder Podcast

talkBD gathers researchers, people with lived experience, healthcare providers, and top bipolar disorder experts from around the world to discuss and answer the most important questions about living with bipolar disorder.

Learn more about talkBD: ⁠⁠https://talkBD.live

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