Neil Cole

• Cole has said that he was diagnosed with manic depression, now called bipolar disorder, in 1993 after years of recurrent illness. He publicly disclosed the diagnosis in 1995 while serving in the Victorian Parliament. [4][1]

• Cole has described severe depression while serving in parliament, including periods when he had little energy, slept excessively and sometimes went to his office only to fall asleep. [4]
• He has also described manic periods marked by very little sleep, racing thoughts, rapid speech, impulsive spending and giving money away. He has said that he becomes extremely anxious and rushed, interrupts people and becomes easily frustrated. [4]

• Cole was prescribed lithium after his diagnosis and has said that it substantially reduced his manic symptoms and extreme mood swings. He remained on lithium for about 30 years before stopping it because of kidney damage. [5][4]
• He has described depression as more difficult to treat and has said that he tried numerous medications before finding a regimen that worked better for him. [4]

• Cole has said that after years of difficulty treating his depression he eventually found medication that worked well for him and experienced a long period of relative stability. He has also learned to recognize warning signs of mood changes and has described running as helpful when his mood is low. [4]

• Cole has worked as a mental-health advocate and lived-experience worker since leaving Parliament, including serving on Australia's National Advisory Committee on Mental Health from 2008 to 2011. He has argued that reducing stigma requires better understanding of bipolar disorder and listening directly to people with lived experience. [4]
• He has also used theatre to explore mental illness, including through Alive at Williamstown Pier, which draws on his experience of psychiatric illness and treatment. [4]

“There was life before and there was life after Lithium.”

— Neil Cole [5]