U.S. National Institutes of Health

Transcript of original artwork for Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me

errrt! errrt! errrt! rrrrt! rrrrt! rrrrt

[Top panel]

Added Celexa

What a fabulously huge relief! Ah!

An antidepressant—very risky for bipolars!

WORKED!

Had we LANDED on my EFFECTIVE COMBINATION of MEDS?

drum roll!

…NO.

My platelet had gotten too low from the Depakote.

[Patient talking] It’s okay. I’ll carry bandaids! I can deal with bruises!

[Doctor talking] Yes but a brain hemorrhage would be bad.

[Patient talking] Oh.

[Center panel]

Switched to Neurontin

This was psychopharmacology’s BIG HOPE for a while.

medicated yet manic

Rrrt! game show “wrong answer” buzzer

This is not prescribed much anymore.

[Bottom panel]

Added ZYPREXA

as needed

neuroleptic (anti-psychotic) + also very effective MOOD STABILIZER in a sledgehammer kind of way.

Thunk!

whew

BEWARE:

SIDE EFFECTS MAY INCLUDE…

EMPTY WALLET: It’s expensive!

WEIGHT GAIN: Brain is not sated after eating. Brain sez: Eat more!

If unmonitored, TARTIVE DYSKINESIA (TD): permanent tics that range from twitching hands to tongue thrusting. A sure way to look crazy, regardless of anything else.

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