Can I blame my behavior on bipolar disorder?

The answer is “sort of.” There’s not really a simple “yes” or “no” answer to this question. Because we are such complex creatures, the answer is going to be quite nuanced and complex. What I mean by this is that because we are more than just a body or more than just a soul, our actions tend to involve the whole of us. In other words, since we are body-soul creatures, our actions and behaviors are more often than not whole person, body-soul actions.

So can I blame my behavior on bipolar? On the one hand, yes. Bipolar is a very real bodily affliction—like schizophrenia, like OCD, like trauma and depression and anxiety. We are absolutely influenced by neurotransmitters and stress hormones, traumas, and any bodily capability or capacity that just doesn’t work the way it should. So yes, on the one hand, your bipolar disorder is absolutely complicit in your behavior.

And on the other hand, no. You or I can't just blame our behavior on bipolar. This is because we are also spiritual creatures at the very same time. And as spiritual creatures we must assign proper blame to our desires and our demands and our appetites and the tendencies of the heart. So as spiritual creatures, we live before the face of God, and we are accountable to that fact. We are more than just our biology. We have agency in our lives. Our choices are not an illusion. The decisions we make are real, and they are moral decisions. So no, on the other hand, bipolar is not to blame for our behavior.

Can I blame my behavior on bipolar? Yes and no. While it's not a neatly packaged explanation with a simple answer, a biblical conceptualization of how we work as embodied souls should bring with it both compassion and dignity and hope.

Regarding compassion, bipolar disorder is not an easy battle. It is not an insignificant obstacle to face and to live with. The very real impairment, limitation, and deficits connected to suffering like bipolar disorder need to push us towards compassion and understanding, both for ourselves and for others.

And then regarding hope and dignity, even though our body can and will misbehave and malfunction and even at times hijack us, the fact that we are also spiritual creatures that actively live before the one true God is truly dignifying and hope-giving. That means that despite what ails us or assails us, like bipolar, we are not hopelessly constrained.  Living and behaving in godly trust and obedience is possible.