Seattle Artist Ellen Forney Finds Balance In New Graphic Memoir

When Ellen Forney was diagnosed with bipolar disorder 16 years ago, her first concern was for her creative future. The award-winning cartoonist prided herself on the artwork and stories she'd come up with during periods she described as manic. Right after her diagnosis, Forney was reluctant to try the drug treatments her psychiatrist prescribed for her. Would she lose her creative edge on lithium? But after a serious period of depression, Forney set out on the ongoing journey to achieve and maintain a state of mental balance.

Ellen Forney chronicles her experiences in her new graphic memoir "Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me." Forney describes it as the hardest work she's ever done. She hopes people struggling with their own mental balance will read her story and draw inspiration from it.

This interview originally aired on November 9, 2012.