Bipolar General: A Veteran’s War with Psychosis & Recovery with Gregg F. Martin
The Mark Divine Show
Mark Divine
4.8 • 1.7K Ratings
🗓️ 2 July 2024
⏱️ 73 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
General Gregg Martin's story in the Military with bipolar disorder illustrates how mental illness, while challenging, can be managed with proper understanding and treatment. Through medication, therapy, and lifestyle changes, Martin regained control over his mental health after years of undiagnosed hyperthymia and mania. Those with bipolar disorder can live fulfilling lives.
Gregg F. Martin, PhD, is a retired Major General of the US Army with a distinguished 36-year career. A West Point graduate with advanced degrees from MIT and war colleges, Martin held numerous high-ranking positions, including President of the National Defense University. He commanded troops in Iraq and served in various leadership roles throughout his career.
Diagnosed with bipolar disorder type 1 in 2014, Martin has since become an outspoken advocate for mental health awareness, particularly within the military community. He shares his experiences through his book "Bipolar General: My Forever War with Mental Illness" and public speaking engagements, working to reduce stigma and improve support for those facing mental health challenges.
Key Takeaways
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Understanding Bipolar Disorder: Martin explains bipolar disorder as a mood disorder characterized by cycles of mania and depression. He describes his experiences with both states, including periods of extreme productivity and creativity during mania, followed by debilitating depression.
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Crisis and Diagnosis: Martin's bipolar disorder fully manifested while he was president of the National Defense University, leading to erratic behavior and his eventual removal from the position. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder type 1 in 2014, at the age of 58.
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Recovery and Management: Martin's recovery involved finding the right medication, undergoing therapy, and adopting a healthy lifestyle. He emphasizes the importance of having a purpose, supportive relationships, and maintaining a structured routine.
- Mental Health in the Military: Through his book "Bipolar General" and public speaking, Martin works to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness, particularly in the military. He advocates for better understanding and support for those with mental health issues.
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Links for Gregg F. Martin
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | 36 years in the army. |
| 0:02.0 | Yes, that's incredible. |
| 0:03.7 | The reason I could get by with like no sleep |
| 0:06.4 | in so much energy and creativity and drive and enthusiasm |
| 0:10.8 | I discovered is that I had a condition called hyperthymia. By the time I was 58, I went into full-blown |
| 0:17.1 | mania, raging inferno, where I went basically into a state of madness. If you choose to get help, you can live a happy, healthy life, but the big deterrent is stigma. |
| 0:30.0 | So if someone's listening to this and they're really suffering or they know someone's suffering, |
| 0:35.4 | what should they do? The key to my recovery has been... |
| 0:39.1 | Greg, thanks so much for making the trek out here. Really, really appreciate it and it's great to see you. |
| 0:45.4 | Mark, thank you very much. It's great to be with you. Yeah. So, |
| 0:52.1 | 36 years in the army. |
| 0:55.0 | Yes, that's incredible. |
| 0:57.4 | That's about half of your life probably. |
| 0:59.5 | Right. |
| 1:00.4 | And plus that doesn't count the four years at West Point where you're actually an active duty soldier as well. |
| 1:06.5 | So it really is 40, but I only I don't count the you don't count the West Point. |
| 1:10.9 | Most of your peers probably would count that. Yeah. I mean it's counted in your retirement package and everything. Right. Yeah. |
| 1:16.6 | We have a lot to talk about like I'm excited to dig into your book. Bipolar general. |
| 1:26.8 | You have an esteemed career. Thank you for your service, sir. You're welcome. Incredible. It was exciting and I loved it. Yes, I checked it. |
| 1:31.7 | Well, most careers are, you know, like a heartbeat. |
| 1:35.0 | Right. |
| 1:36.0 | They got all sorts of ups and downs, so I imagine you got some stories to tell. |
... |
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