Speculation: Could Ratliff be bipolar?

[CowboysPhan]

I'm certainly no expert on bipolar disorder, but after Jay's incident with Jerry, followed by his dui arrest, it got me thinking. Someone quoted Demarcus Ware as saying some days you get "good Jay" and some days you get "bad Jay." Ratliff has always been a solid, stand-up type guy during his career, now all of a sudden his behavior seems out of character, bordering on irrational at times. I'm reminded of a couple of other d-linemen we had a few years ago who were bipolar. Their names escape me right now. I think one was Underwood. When on their meds they were very good players. When off their meds they did lots of things that were self-destructive. Anyone have any insight?

[AMERICAS_FAN]

Maybe he has a hang nail too, I wonder.

[Ntegrase96]

Wasn't this thread locked earlier? Weird...

My sister is bipolar. I've seen it misdiagnosed several times before the doctors finally arrived at that conclusion.

I don't think it applies to Jay, but certainly could be possible.

[Zimmy Lives]

Originally Posted by CowboysPhan

I'm certainly no expert on bipolar disorder, but after Jay's incident with Jerry, followed by his dui arrest, it got me thinking. Someone quoted Demarcus Ware as saying some days you get "good Jay" and some days you get "bad Jay." Ratliff has always been a solid, stand-up type guy during his career, now all of a sudden his behavior seems out of character, bordering on irrational at times. I'm reminded of a couple of other d-linemen we had a few years ago who were bipolar. Their names escape me right now. I think one was Underwood. When on their meds they were very good players. When off their meds they did lots of things that were self-destructive. Anyone have any insight?

Alonzo Spellman, I think, is the other guy. He was a Bear and had issues in Chicago. He came to Dallas and did well until he went off his meds.

Mental illness is tough. A person with mental illness can be treated but the catch-22 is that they have to have the mental capacity to self-medicate if no one else is available to monitor them.

[InmanRoshi]

The guy has been here 8 seasons with a spotless record before this season. If he was bi poloar, something would have come up before now.

I'm going with Occam's Razor and going with he got mad at his idiot owner shooting off at the mouth when he had a legitimate injury and he made a bad personal decision that seems to be a league wide epidemic.

[Ntegrase96]

Originally Posted by InmanRoshi

The guy has been here 8 seasons with a spotless record before this season. If he was bi poloar, something would have come up before now.

I'm going with Occam's Razor and going with he got mad at his idiot owner shooting off at the mouth when he had a legitimate injury and he made a bad personal decision that seems to be a league wide epidemic.

This. I'll go even further and say we should probably be speculating what's going on in Rat's life at the moment.

[dwmyers]

There are folks who show cyclic behavior, but not so extreme that they are clinical.

Vince Lombardi is a classic example.

Bipolar disorder is a clinical condition, often treated with lithium.

My major professor's wife, when I was a grad student at Rice, had it. He'd disappear for weeks at a time when she'd go through her depressive phase, because she'd get suicidal. He loved her. He did what he had to do.

In maniac phase, she'd want to paint the whole house in a day.

Nice lady. The few times I met her she was as cordial as can be.

D-

[Zimmy Lives]

Originally Posted by InmanRoshi

The guy has been here 8 seasons with a spotless record before this season. If he was bi poloar, something would have come up before now.

I'm going with Occam's Razor and going with he got mad at his idiot owner shooting off at the mouth when he had a legitimate injury and he made a bad personal decision that seems to be a league wide epidemic.

Mental illness and its severity can come on at any stage in life. Most of the people I worked with that were on medication developed it after a major life-changing event or as they were approaching their 30s. One of them abandoned her new husband and baby and is now wandering the streets of Dallas, no one knows where she is or what happened to her.

[hra8700]

Wasn't this thread locked? I think it should be.

OP does not have a very good grasp of what bipolar disorder is, and absolutely nothing about ratliffs behavior suggests it.

Bipolar disorder is a condition where patients suffer typically long (months) periods of depression with occasional brief (weeks) periods of mania (which is not at all the same as rage). Mania is a sense of euphoria, patients often feel like they "can do anything", they don't sleep, stay up all night organizing things, speak frantically and no coherently, have psychotic dissociated thoughts.

It is not at all the same as a person who has "mood swings" or swings between different emotional states quickly. This is a personality characteristic and not a defined mental illness.

Bipolar disorder is also very over diagnosed in people suffering other psychiatric problems (particularly substance abuse) or who have personality disorders.

[AbeBeta]

Originally Posted by Zimmy Lives

Mental illness and its severity can come on at any stage in life. Most of the people I worked with that were on medication developed it after a major life-changing event or as they were approaching their 30s. One of them abandoned her new husband and baby and is now wandering the streets of Dallas, no one knows where she is or what happened to her.

While that is technically true, symptoms most commonly hit in the early 20s.

More importantly, Ratliff has done nothing to suggest he has a disorder. He's always been nasty. Every Dallas beat reporter is afraid of him.

What has he done? Argued with his boss and driven drunk. The guy has poor judgement. That isn't a mental illness.

[links18]

Ratliff supposedly cited his injury problems for his erratic behavior at the scene of the crash. Just speculation--but he could have a pain med and/or tranquilizer issue resulting from treatment for his injury. If he has been taking these meds, the effects of even a small amount of alcohol could be enhanced causing him to misjudge just how impaired he was. Once again, pure speculation, but its a reasonable explanation.

[RS12]

He is only here one more year tops, so.....

[theogt]

Seems an odd discussion topic.

[Zimmy Lives]

Originally Posted by AbeBeta

While that is technically true, symptoms most commonly hit in the early 20s.

More importantly, Ratliff has done nothing to suggest he has a disorder. He's always been nasty. Every Dallas beat reporter is afraid of him.

What has he done? Argued with his boss and driven drunk. The guy has poor judgement. That isn't a mental illness.

Thank you doctor for your professional medical opinion.

Now, since neither of us has a clue as to what the situation is, I am going to refrain from commenting on the matter any further.

[ninja]

He also got into a very heated argument with a reporter IIRC. Ratliff definitely has some issue with anger management. You could also see evidence of the "Good Jay" and "Bad Jay" at the police station this past arrest.

What sane person threatens to fight his 70-year old boss?

A) He isn't mentally stable IMO.
B) He is injury prone and his physical football health is declining.
C) He is paid way too much for his likely production.

Conclusion: Dump this high-maintenance, injury-prone, highly-paid player. Better for the team, and better for Ratliff in the long run. You CANNOT reward bad behavior like that. Let Ratliff realize his shortcomings and maybe get help. A fresh start in a new location would do wonders for all.