Posted On: 2023-05-12 10:49:33
Continuing with the theme of Mental Health Awareness Month, We have decided to shed light on another crucial and ignored mental health illness, which is Bipolar Disorder.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health:
“Bipolar disorder (formerly called manic-depressive illness or manic depression) is a mental illness that causes unusual shifts in a person’s mood, energy, activity levels, and concentration. These shifts can make it difficult to carry out day-to-day tasks.”
There are three types of Bipolar disorders, Bipolar I Disorder, Bipolar II Disorder, and Cyclothymic Disorder.
Bipolar I Disorder is characterized by manic episodes that last for seven days or manic symptoms so adverse that they might require immediate medical care. Sometimes, they might even experience symptoms of depression, typically lasting two weeks.
Bipolar II Disorder is less severe than Bipolar I disorder and usually causes depression and hypomania, which is a less severe form of mania. People with Bipolar Disorder II’s hypomanic episodes are often not intense enough to cause hospitalization.
Cyclothymic Disorder usually involves recurring hypomania and depressive symptoms that are not long or intense enough to qualify as a hypomanic or depressive episode. However, ignoring and not asking for help will increase the chances of an individual being diagnosed with Bipolar I or II.
It is estimated that 1 out of every 150 people suffer from bipolar disorder in India. However, the number might be much higher, due to a lack of awareness and persisting taboos in society. Bipolar India, is a non-profit community, solely designed to help patients deal with bipolar disorder. So, if you have a friend who is suffering from bipolar, feel free to reach out to them.
Now we have explained the difference between Bipolar disorders, We’ll jump into detailing what a person might experience during their depressive or manic episodes.
Manic Phase:
Depressive Phase
Notable Figures with Bipolar Disorder
Honey Singh is one of the most prominent rappers in India. His songs have frequently been played in nightclubs all around the country. While many might mistake his party-loving avatar as someone who is extremely content with his life, the reality is quite different. In an interview with Brut India, the rapper opened up about his bipolar diagnosis and revealed that he often prayed for his death. However, with the help of a strong support system, he managed to get it under control.
In 2019, Bebe Rexha revealed that she suffers from Bipolar I disorder. In her song ‘Break My Heart Myself’ which also features Travis Baker, she sings:
“Today went really well
I didn't wake up in a panic spell
It was fine, even though I fell
Deeper and deeper into manic hell.”
She said that something about telling her story through a song normalizes it for her.
The Late Carrie Fisher brought Princess Leia to life throughout the Star Wars franchise. But did you know that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when she was only 24? Carrie Fisher explained in a 2001 interview how she would try to contain herself by experimenting with harmful drugs. In the same interview, she recalled how she was awake for six days and six nights and often hallucinated a golden light coming out of her head. She treated her bipolar disorder with various medications.
4. David Harbour
The Stranger Things Actor is also one of the many individuals who suffer from bipolar disorders. David Harbour revealed that at the age of 26, he was institutionalized after a certain episode. Talking about his treatment he said: “I have been struggling with the medical model of mental illness for a long time. I started to really get into talk therapy around the particular trauma, and I find that narrative and stories, dealing intellectually and emotionally with personal trauma, has been far more liberating to me than hospitals and drugs.”
5. AJ Lee
The three-time champion was once the face of the WWE women’s division. But few people actually know that behind the successful exterior, was a woman struggling with severe mental illness. She was diagnosed with bipolar at the age of 19 and even revealed that her mother suffers from the same illness. She said that she would often cry alone in the bathroom during her time with the company and that she even attempted suicide in the year 2014.
We hope that our article helped you to understand the severity of bipolar disorder. Filaantro also raises funds for people diagnosed with bipolar disorder. So if you want to raise funds for your treatment, feel free to open a crowdfunding page on the platform.
Author: Adil Sayyad
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