Another brother was later diagnosed as hypomanic. Specialists told him that more suicides in his family were likely. But against all odds, that prognosis has turned out to be wonderfully wrong. The disease raging through the Stephan family is called bipolar affective disorder, formerly known as manic depression. A bipolar victim cycles between a high-energy manic phase and despairing depression.
Delusions occur in either phase.
For instance, one bipolar patient planted coins in the Alberta Legislature's gardens, believing that money trees would grow and help reduce taxes. Sometimes no drug helps. I couldn't work myself because of the stress, so we were also in financial difficulties. I pled and bled on my knees, praying to our heavenly Father for help. Usually, in his experience, divine help arrives in the form of other people.