As part of their assignment to research mental illness, my students are reading about tortured artists. They write about euphoric bursts of energy followed by crippling depression.  Many of their papers include mention of dangerous drug abuse and tragic suicide.  Lizzie Simon may not be a household name, but she knows more than a little bit about the mental anguish  that afflicts people with bipolar disorder.   She suffers from the condition herself.  In her memoir Detour, she takes to the road to find others like her to share their experiences in a safe and meaningful way.    I’m hoping when my students read excerpts from Detour, they will be motivated to do the same.