Bipolar Churchill

I read in World War II magazine that Winston Churchill probably had Bipolar II disorder. It is well known that Churchill had bouts of depression. He called depression his 'Black Dog.' But now some historians speculate that he actually suffered from manic-depressive illness (which we call bipolar disorder).

Bipolar II disorder is a variant in which hypomanic episodes--periods of unusual energy, creativity, and goal-oriented activity--are often more frequent than depressions and do not result in breaks from reality associated with full-blown manic episodes.

Churchill was known for his unusual energy level. A typical working day began at 8 a.m. and continued until 2 a.m. or beyond. Perhaps it was this mental illness that helped save the world for freedom in World War II.