When I used the term “manic”, I was referring to her behavior particularly in the elevator. I thought I was clear that her behavior — and certainly anything she was personally experiencing — was likely due to her failure to take the proper recommended dosages of her medication. I did not mention anything about her roommates — or anyone else at the Cecil — reporting Elisa’s behavior as frightening. The words I used in conjunction with hotel staff relocating Elisa were “erratic” and “uncooperative”. At no time did I ever refer to Elisa or anyone else with bipolar as being anything that we should fear.
We do not know whether Elisa was experiencing paranoia. Some of her behavior in the elevator might indicate this, but we don’t really know. In my article I stated, “She thought someone might be following her. To hide from this person…” However, I would never presume to know the emotions associated with this proposed scenario. Elisa could well have been feeling playful, enjoying a game of hide-and-seek. Paranoia is only one of several emotions she might have been experiencing on the day she went missing.
Had Elisa been taking her prescribed medications in their proper dosages, I believe she would have gone on to lead a productive and happy life. I have no reason to suspect that she was misdiagnosed, but rather that she herself did not fully understand the nature of her disorder and her own responsibility to follow her doctors’ recommendations. My ‘true crime’ article simply documented my own progression from suspicious about the nature of her disappearance and death, to satisfied that we know what happened to this young woman. My comments toward the end of the article about “why nobody realized that she was tempting fate by traveling far from loved ones, and failing to take the proper medication” were to raise the issue of whether Elisa knew that she was deliberately taking chances with her mental and physical health by underdosing herself, and whether her family knew when she left Vancouver what kind of risks she was taking. I wondered if this was why their lawsuit against the Cecil was dismissed.
It is unfortunate that your personal experiences colored what you read from my piece. It sounds like you understand your condition well and have taken every precaution to ensure your future well-being. I wish you the very best.
