High jinx antics fit illness, says doctor
Troy Buswell's notorious high jinx behaviour fits in closely with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, according to a Perth psychiatrist.
Paul Skerritt, a past president of the Australian Medical Association in WA, said yesterday Mr Buswell's uninhibited ways and bullet-proof attitude were consistent with the classic "highs" seen in people with the mental illness.
He said with correct treatment that Mr Buswell "could become a new man".
Once known as manic depression, bipolar disorder affects one in 100 people and has a strong genetic basis.
Dr Skerritt said typically people with the condition felt bullet-proof but when they hit the "lows" they could be miserable.
Mr Buswell's diagnosis could explain his past behaviour that had been over the top, including the bra-snapping and chair-sniffing episodes.
"In the case of Troy Buswell, on the basis of reports about him, there also seems to be an issue with alcohol, and we know there is a significant risk of these issues in people with bipolar disorder, so they really have to be very careful about their drinking," Dr Skerritt said.
"We know they sometimes seek out alcohol to trigger off a 'high', so you would imagine that side of things would have to be an essential part of his treatment.
"But it seems his condition is now being recognised for what it is, rather than just the actions of a boozy larrikin, so it all fits together."
