WHEN Craig Wilson of Redland Bay says he is willing to go to extremes to get his message out about Bipolar, he has trekking boots to prove it.
Craig, 49, will travel to the South Pole in November next year as part of the Bipolar Expedition, a marathon event involving patients, psychiatrists and community members trekking to both poles to gain maximum exposure about the condition known as Bipolar Disorder.
And for Craig, the expedition and its message can't come soon enough.
Bipolar Disorder, is a mood disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person's mood, energy and ability to function.
Different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through, the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder can be severe.
But there is good news: Bipolar Disorder can be treated, and people with this illness can lead full and productive lives.
Craig's is a typical Bipolar story involving depression, breakdowns and trying lots of different medication.
His diagnosis six years ago was the first step to appropriate medication and help.
"You go from euphoria to depression and ultimately thinking about suicide. I have sized up a few trees in my time. It's agony to live with it," Craig said.
"I went from having huge amounts of energy going ballistic trying to achieve to feeling I had been run over by a truck. When it hits you have no energy and you just want to curl in the foetal position.
"You want to run and hide and not face people. You have problems making decisions. It can hit you in five seconds flat," he said.
Craig said it took multiple Bipolar episodes before he was diagnosed six years ago.
"I'd feel flat and go to the doctor. I'd have a breakdown and get put on tablets. I'd rest and feel better. The medication went up from 50mg to 300mg and I realised it wasn't working," he said.
"The trick is to get put on the right stuff. I spent two weeks in Belmont Hospital while they changed my drug regime."
An ex-farmer, Craig said he had received huge support from his family who he said had been the "closest through the hardest times".
"I could be innocently walking across a paddock and I would feel the earth slip out from under me. It's like falling down a well and you look up and just see a glimmer of light - a glimmer of hope," he said.
"Half the population is on some sort of happy drug. Depression and mental illness is an enormous problem and carries its own societal stigma. People don't know how to treat you. They think of you as a weak character who should control their emotions," Craig said.
"It's an aberration of character and most people try to hide it. This is not shameful. You are stronger if you have the ability to talk about it and face it," he said.
And Craig said that this was what the expedition would facilitate through its fundraising and a planned documentary of the event.
"This is a snappy way of capturing attention. For me it is also an outstanding opportunity and a once in a lifetime experience," Craig said.
Craig has already held one fundraiser, hiring Mental as Anything to play at a Redland Bay dinner dance.
He has also spoken to Rotary groups and been interviewed by media. He said further events were planned.
"I just want to get the word out. The public is totally confused (about Bipolar)," he said.
Craig said he was working on keeping up his fitness levels to cope with the gruelling 100km marathon spanning 90 to 89 degrees at the Antarctic.
"It will be both a physical and mental challenge - a tough walk just like the condition."
More on Bipolar Disorder can be found at www.bipolarexpedition.org
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