Celebrity Bipolar in 2012 #celebritybipolar #Zeta-Jones

I started this site with the idea in mind that I could persuade everyone that there is no need for a medical diagnosis called, ‘Bipolar Disorder’. I was hoping that I could have the label removed from the front of my medical records such that I could have support and treatment for the troubles I really face, day after day. Unfortunately the bipolar label is very sticky and no matter how many experts I meet with who agree that I do not have bipolar disorder, I cannot be unlabelled at this time.

Why do I dislike the label so much?

Right at this moment I most dislike being called bipolar because it is such a misleading term. Unless people know what the poles are then bipolar is a rubbish idea.

With so many celebrities now accepting the bipolar label we might all hope that things will start to become clearer. Unfortunately this has is not happening. Celebrity experiences of bipolar have little in common with the majority of sufferers. This is not the fault of the celebrities, as I know they struggle too. It is just that when you have plenty of money and support from friends and family it is a lot easier to cope and recover. Most of us with the label struggle to find support or to afford private treatments.

Today you can read this in the Daily Telegraph (UK)

“A third of people with bipolar have attempted suicide, and the suicide rate is nearly 20 times higher than normal. It is classed as a severe, enduring mental illness, and for many of my patients, it dogs their lives. They take medication every day, they battle with the side effects of the drugs, and with the impact of their condition on their careers and personal lives. Can you imagine how a boss might react when told that someone needs weeks or even months to recover from a relapse, when it appeared to take Ms Zeta-Jones not much more than a long weekend?”

It is a short article. I highly recommend reading it all here… Celebrity Bipolar in 2012