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Catherine Zeta-Jones - not the only one experiencing bipolar
Posted Thursday 14 April 2011
Catherine Zeta-Jones today added her name to the increasing number of people who have felt able to speak out about their experience of mental distress. It creates quite a furore to do this when you are as famous as Zeta-Jones — the news became top twitter trend almost as soon as it was announced.
Her statement to the press said that she was receiving treatment for bi-polar disorder (formerly known as manic depression) after dealing with the stress of her husband’s throat cancer last year. We don’t know the details of her situation, but we do know that bipolar disorder is a severe and at times debilitating condition. Mind’s information on bipolar disorder gives information about the symptoms and impact bipolar disorder can have. There are several different types of bipolar disorder. Some people have very few bipolar disorder episodes, with years of stability in between them; others experience many more. Although some people may cope very well in between episodes, many still experience low-level symptoms in these relatively ‘stable’ periods which still impact on their daily lives.
I think it’s really good that high profile celebrities are helping to break down the stigma that surrounds mental health problems, but their access to private clinics and the pressures of fame can feel a million miles away from most people’s reality.
Siobhan O’Neill talked to Mind about what it is like to live with bipolar disorder, and helps to remove some of the more romantic notions that can be associated with this condition.
Hopefully as more and more people feel supported to talk about their own experiences of mental ill health, access to treatment and attitudes in society will continue to improve.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
Beth Murphy, Information Manager
15 Comments
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Beth. Thank you for an informative and balanced piece on Bipolar, paying homage to the many thousands of silent sufferers whose ordinary lives don't warrant headline catching stories. As I sit musing about my own situation, it becomes clear that whilst the we share the name of condition, our paths to recovery will possibly be very different. Do I feel that people with Bipolar being able to talk about it helps others? Without a shadow of a doubt and I stand (or rather slump) in awe of those brave souls who have found the courage to share their story with others. Alas sadly, I am not yet one of those people.
Until then, I will continue to silently support those who have, or who feel able to share. -
Rather glamorous, bipolar, isn't it. How many celebs are willing to speak out about BPD I wonder? Bit harder to admit to living in a psychiatric dustbin. Or maybe that only afflicts us mere mortals..?
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I just don't believe that this lady has bipolar. Not on the evidence of suffering stress because of her husbands illness. This may be a way of getting false sympathy, but the worse thing is it does nothing for the plight of those seeking diagnosis for this condition.
It seems money can buy you anything.
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I too was encouraged by her willingness to openly admit to suffering from BPD but a little amazed when it said she spent 5 days in hospital and is now better and ready to go back to work??? After 5 days treatment? That must be some treatment!
Quite misleading I would have thought as I believe recovery takes a lot longer than that. -
It's funny people should express this as it must be easier for celebs to get diagnosises overnight, as I've been suffering badly for 20 years and I still can't get taken seriously. I'm rather disgusted at the facilitation of mental health services.
Maybe you have to go to the celebrity private clinics to get answers? :op -
Making rambling over the top incoherent speeches is quite normal for celebrity actresses anyway so lets not look too mcuh into the 'mental illness' of the rich and famous. Contrary to beleif it does nothing for us 'mortals' who live in a different world from them and does nothing to reduce stigma
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I'm surprised that you say "we do know that bipolar disorder is a severe and at times debilitating condition", without qualifying this statement in any way. Has Mind now reverted to uncritical support for the medical model, meaning that people in difficult emotional states are classified as suffering from "mental illnesses" like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder? Many of us feel that these diagnostic categories are a pseudo-science and that it is much better to say that people are suffering from mental distress.
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I bet she ain't taking lithium. I'm sure 'treatment' is at the talking end, most of these celebrities who 'come out' with 'serious mental illnesses' rarely take antipsychotics or mood stabilisers [yet some witll advocate them]. They never get the crappy diagnoses like PD either.
They rarely experience the hard end of psychiatry with few exceptions, and don't face the grinding realities of fighting for support, worrying about welfare or housing. I'm not putting down the genuine distress of affluent people but as a late friend once said to me, 'it's so much easier to be sick with money and a home than without', and even though she had a private room and none of the worries many service users have she was acutely aware of the major differences.
The problem with these celebs who claim to have these diagnoses is that they can still make films and do a lot of work and so it's assumed that the more ordinary person should be able to do the same. What's forgotton is that the affluent celebrity have staff to do everything for them from chaffeurs to nannies, personal trainers, chefs, domestic staff.
Bipolar is very fashionable now, it's almost hip, and I'm quite sure that more ordinary people who struggle at the sink estate end don't find it remotely glamerous or 'essential to their creativity' as sometimes touted.
Then if she fronts a single TV documentary [or for merely 'coming out'] she will be showered with awards like many before her.
The real hero's and heroines are those who struggle on little and achieve without an entourage of paid staff.
Not only does it not help those of us a million miles away from them, I find it frankly insulting, especially when they start speaking for us, or only want to speak of the issues that are more fluffy. Can you see Fry, Wax, Zeta-Jones, Alistair Campbell, that chat show host, speaking on welfare or housing, or access to non-medical services? -
Well, I'm still waiting for a celebrity to speak up about their experiences of depot medication and a Community Treatment Order - hmm, it'll be a long time I think.
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While sympathising with Catherine Zeta-Jones and wishing her well in her recovery, I can't help agreeing with Mindreader above.
In the 70s, there was 'manic depression', which I was told I had.
This was not something you could be on the road to recovery from after five days in a clinic. After more or less ten years of NHS hospital admissions, delusions, sections, large doses of antipsychotics that left me with delightful sideeffects, and hangovers long after I had come off them, I emerged blinking into the light, bloodied but unbowed, and desperate to reclaim my life and live again.
I married, had three children, did a postgraduate degree and went into management, and recovered - completely medication free. I was very lucky to have a very supportive family and partner, and secure housing and enough to live on.
It all seems like a dream now, often a nightmare, but part of who I am.
I can't help cynically feeling that the US diagnostic 'bible' DSM broadening of the criteria for 'bipolar' in the 80s chimed in with the pharmaceutical industries desperate desire to peddle strong highly toxic drugs to as many people as possible, including children (rates of BD in adults shot up by 56%, and children as young as 4 have started to be diagnosed..).
The real heroes and heroines are those above as MIndreader says who struggle by. -
Well I agree with Donnard, Mind Reader, Mary and Olive. It does not help the mentally distressed when a celebritiy 'comes out' with their 'diagnosis'. It encourages ordinary people to accept their 'diagnosis' and then accept the antipsychotic drugs which then impede their recovery from mental distress. Kerry Katona in OK magazine this week said medication made her worse - made her slur and not tackle her problems. She is now medication free.
I note that no-one seems to be saying that Catherine Zeta Jones is suffering from a 'chemical imbalance' but say her distress is due to life experiences. 'Chemical imbalance' theory gives the psychiatrists permission to drug people up. To recover you need to take control of your life. Medication puts 'them' in control and you will be disabled for the rest of your life.
NB Peter Breggin states 'Most psychiatric drugs can cause withdrawal reactions, sometimes including life-threatening emotional and physical withdrawal problems. In short, it is not only dangerous to start taking psychiatric drugs, it can also be dangerous to stop them. Withdrawal from psychiatric drugs should be done carefully under experienced clinical supervision'. -
My daughter had bipolar for more than 10 years. After being in and out of hospital, medicated to the hilt, and trying to live unsuccessfully to live a "normal" life, she got worse and worse. I'm not blaming the meds, but I think bipolar is a very serious illness. She couldn't take control of her life, no matter how much she tried. If the meds help you, take them! I sincerely hope anybody posting here is able to get the support they need to see them through to some quality of life. Please oh please go for as much help as you need, whatever form that is. If you despair, talk to Samaritans, go to the hospital, do something. Please don't leave your loved ones holding a polythene bag with a label "body bag, standard size." That's what was in my hand today, in her empty, empty house. This week we lay her remains to rest. I miss her so so much.
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@ grieving
I am so, so sorry to read your post - my thoughts are with you this week. I hope your family have support during this time. It could be worth contacting an organisation like Cruse or SoBS for support in the future: Cruse - http://www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk/index.html
SoBS - http://www.uk-sobs.org.uk/events.htmThank you for posting on this blog. Take care.
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Yet another celebrity "comes out" with their diagnosis.
I can't be the only person to realise that celebrities either suffer from depression or bipolar, they are the only 2 diagnosis they will come out with. It's becoming quite popular for celebs to have bipolar.
I'm still waiting for a celebrity to say they have a PD or schizophrenia or basically something other than depression/bipolar.
I don't deny that all these celebrities may have contributed to getting rid of the stigma surrounding these mental illnesses, but what about everyone else with other diagnoses that are left behind? -
After 32 years as a nurse and qualified psychotherapist i feel able to say clearly that diagnoses are prone to fashion being the unscientific labels they are. Hell, the debate continues as to what constitutes the mind or even if it exists yet we claim to know so much more. As humans we are desperate to explain the often unexplainable so create these labels as an attempt in understanding- often with dire consequences. There are multiple contributory factors to why someone experiences distress and this takes time and an open mind to discover hence the preference for a simplified medical explanation of brain chemistry or genes. There are commonalities as to how people attempt to manage their distress and these are what are known as symptoms. Some close down , some become psychotic, some fly into mania, anxiety etc etc. Our system still thrives on symptom diagnosis and relief and calls it cure, in my view an inhumane approach. Drug companies and certain professions are the only beneficiaries here and are rife with corruption. So it annoys me that celebs 'do the brave thing' and disclose as they are given socially acceptable descriptions of their distress much in the way that rich are called eccentric and poor crazy.
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