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I saw the story on March 20, about Chris Brown not only being put in jail but now he spends 23 hours in solitary confinement. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder 2 months ago, and then placed in rehab. Reportedly in rehab he violated their rules and now is in jail, not only in jail, but in solitary confinement.

If Chris was placed in rehab because he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I question the severity of the violations as opposed to any other person who is receiving treatment in the same facility. Erratic behavior is expected from patients with bipolar disorder. To understand bipolar disorder, you know that people suffering with this have manic episodes that last a week and sometimes longer. During these episodes people are known to have an elevated mood, or a “high,” which includes feelings of “enlarged self-esteem” and uniqueness. They are known to overestimate how much they can do and the quality of their ideas. Their judgment becomes diminished and patients feel powerful over painful consequences. They have been known to feel “bulletproof” with little regret or concern for their actions. They may have many ideas and lots of energy to carry them out.

The diagnosis for Chris Brown is consistent with his erratic behavior in public. The expectation of him is greater than his ability to deliver to the public apparently. I am just totally saddened by the way the courts are treating him. Perhaps if he were not Chris Brown the pop star, they would be a little more empathetic and accepting of the fact that he is a patient and not a criminal. Unfortunately not everyone understands his condition before they make a judgment on him.

The sad piece is that just because he has done what he has done publicly, and because he is a pop star that draws a lot of attention, it seems that he is expected to use better judgment when he simply cannot based on his diagnosis. Placing him in solitary confinement could send him in to manic depression if he isn’t treated properly with his disorder. I wish people would understand that just because people are celebrities, and perhaps loved and embraced by millions of people because of their artistry does not mean that they are exempt from suffering from mental illness.

I was very happy to see on InstGram that Bishop William Murphy is dedicating prayer time specifically for Chris Brown. I’ll be with you on it Murph!