Ian Gallagher. Ian Gallagher is my favorite Gallagher because of his mental strength, his love of those around him, and his passions for everything he does. When Ian Gallagher says he going to do something, protect someone, or help a friend out, he does it, unless his bipolar disorder gets in the way.
Bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic depression, is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings that include emotional highs (mania or hypomania) and lows (depression). When a friend suffers from Bipolar disorder, you may notice them having their emotional highs and lows. During their emotional highs your friend may seem to have an irregular amount of energy, may do things sexually that could be seen as dangerous, take a shopping spree, and have an unusual amount of confidence. Ian Gallagher has had quite a few episodes of mania, one in which he took Mickey Milkovich and Svetlana’s child and tried to drive to Mexico with it, thinking only of the well being of the child. This is only one example of a mania, or emotional high, that Ian Gallagher has shown throughout the shows last seven seasons.
Ian also demonstrates the opposite end of Bipolar disorder – manic depression. During one episode in particular, Mickey calls Fiona saying that something’s wrong with Ian. Fiona, and gang, know right away what’s going on, because of their mother Monica. When they get to the Milkovich residence they find Ian curled up in a ball, under blankets, staring off into space, and trying to sleep. The looks on Fiona, Lip, and Deb’s faces said it all – they knew Ian must have Bipolar disorder, like their mom. There was no use in comforting Ian, or trying to get him out, they just reminded him that they were all there for him, and would give him the help he needed to get back on his feet.
Soon, Ian is able to get out of bed, and his family talks him into getting help. He ends up going to a therapist, and starts working toward trying to better himself. This involves therapy sessions, medication, and trying to better understand himself. When Monica tries to throw him off, telling him to be himself and screw medications, he suffers slight derailment, but finds his way back on track.
The difference between Monica and Ian shows the stark difference between those who receive help and those who don’t. Monica was on and off medication for Bipolar disorder her entire life, and she eventually chose to go without. Due to the severity of her disorder, this led her down a road of drugs, abandoning her children, and having more kids. Every time her and Frank did drugs together, she would get pregnant, and she would end up running away, unable to handle the responsibility of her children. This led to her eventual death due to a brain aneurysm, which she suspected was from a bad needle. While Monica always had good in her heart, she often was unable to showcase it because her Bipolar disorder wasn’t under control, leading to a family that hated her and resented her for everything she had done.
Ian was three when Monica left officially, and he knew very well the goods and bad that came from Bipolar Disorder. Ian himself wasn’t diagnosed until he was in his late teens, and struggled with trying to get help. The words of Monica always echoed in his head, her saying what’s wrong with being yourself, the medication doesn’t make you you, etc. While Monica did have a point, many psycho pharmaceuticals have side effects that can make a person not feel like themselves, Ian knew that he had to for himself, Mickey, and his family.
If you know someone with Bipolar disorder, it may be important to understand what’s going through their heads. They have no control over when their going to have an emotional low or an emotional high, and sometimes they can have triggers that cause the manic behavior. It’s important to give them a support system, and be there for them. Often, Ian wouldn’t have done the right thing if it weren’t for his family, boyfriend, and friends helping him along the way. Most importantly, always remember to be a friend, because you truly never know who’s hurting or suffering.
Ian