Patty Duke did some lucid interviews and I think wrote a book probably a dozen years ago (at least). In very talented people, I wonder if it simply appears that they're "on" when the high hits, and is something viewed as a skill, not a disease.

A friend of mine, and her son, have dealt with it for years. She uses lithium very successfully, he tends to self-medicate and is in and out of trouble.

SRS