Katy Sara Culling - Writer

Katy Sara then went to The University of Nottingham, where she studied Biochemistry and Nutrition. She did her (1st class) thesis on alcohol and metabolism, interested in the psychology of alcoholism. All this was done despite considerable illness including over 60 suicide attempts and purging-type anorexia – and yet more bullying. Her good work at Nottingham lead to an offer of a place at The University of Oxford, where she studied for a PhD (DPhil) in Clinical Medicine. At Oxford she was a full time member of Linacre College, a graduate only college. She took part in many cycling events for charity. In her final year she became so ill with bipolar disorder that she ended up in hospital (first as a day patient, then an inpatient, and eventually a sectioned (committed) inpatient). During those 2 years she attempted suicide over 300 times, dying twice, only to be revived. She finally, at the age of 28 got a diagnosis of bipolar disorder and the correct medication, and has been mostly fine ever since. She later wrote up her PhD thesis and published her results.

Now Katy Sara is mostly well and has become a writer, wanting to prevent others from suffering as she did. Her first, autobiographical book is called DARK CLOUDS GATHER, the ebook is available, as is the paperback - see here for various options. Her second book TOO GOOD FOR THIS WORLD is now out as a paperback, kindle and as an ebook.  They contain 14 true stories from people suffering from bipolar disorder or depression with a bonus 15th story in the paperback.

Katy Sara also spends her time working in medical research, and helping fellow survivors of bipolar disorder through the charitable organisation Equilibrium - The Bipolar Foundation, for whom she writes and edits, as well as managing the Bipolar Testimony Project. She tries to maintain her own good mental health. She is an advocate for all survivors of this illness, active on many bipolar and eating disorder forums, and believes that an "expert patient" system could be highly beneficial. She has a particular interest in improving diagnosis and treatment for mixed bipolar disorder states as this terrible form of bipolar disorder caused her significant, almost lethal problems and was not easily recognised. She has not ruled out the possibility of doing another PhD. Every day is a battle with illness that she wins, and she hopes that 443 suicide attempts will never reach 444.

Katy Sara is an website administrator for Stephen Fry, working on his website in particular the Secret Life of the Manic Depressive section. 

Katy Sara loves Green Day, is a big fan of P!NK, books (preferably memoirs) and films. She adores Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. When well enough she loves skiing and cycling. She is a big fan of stand up comedy, especially Eddie Izzard.  

Katy Sara is a manic depressive, psychiatric scientist, academic, existentialist, comic, humanitarian, philanthropist, depressive nihilist, pragmatist, ambivalent, non-conformist, suicidologist, survivor, poet and writer!