Eastenders bipolar storyline: Stacey and medication
Posted: Tuesday 14 September 2010
Mind has been helping BBC’s Eastenders with their bipolar disorder storyline which features the character Stacey Branning, played by award-winning actor Lacey Turner.
In recent weeks Stacey was persuaded by her best friend Becca to come off the medication that helps her manage her bipolar condition. When she finds out that Becca has betrayed her, Stacey feels that she’s made bad choices and kept secrets unnecessarily. She regrets how her illness has made her behave in the past.
Still not taking medication and with her stress levels triggered, Stacey decides that she must unburden herself and tell the truth about baby Lily’s father and the death of Archie Mitchell, not considering the impact of these revelations on those around her or the consequences for her. She and Lily were rescued from the fire that gutted the Queen Vic pub and are now home from hospital and recovering well, but the discovery that Stacey has stopped taking her medication creates unbearable tension at home.
Mind’s Head of Information Bridget O’Connell says:
The dramatic storyline featured in Eastenders may be quite extreme but the onset of mental distress can sometimes be triggered by life events or traumatic incidences. At times like these it’s important to not only take care of yourself and recognise you are feeling the symptoms of stress, like sleeplessness or anxiety, but also to have people around you that you can talk to when you are ready, who will listen and reassure you. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a relative or a friend; it could be someone who has been through a similar experience, or a counsellor or a therapist.
If you are caring for someone who is showing signs of stress, it’s best to be sensitive to their situation and not force them into doing what you think will benefit them. Offer them support by giving them what they say they need at this difficult time, whether it’s listening or simply giving them space and some time to themselves.
For more information on this subject, the following pages of our website may be of use: