Some of the most common myths and misconceptions about the mental illness
In recent years, more and more celebrities have opened up about their experience with bipolar disorder – the mental illness characterised by significant mood swings, from manic highs to deep depressions. In 2020, Selena Gomez revealed she had been diagnosed with the condition, telling fellow pop star Miley Cyrus in an interview on Instagram Live she was “relieved that I finally had the knowledge of why I had suffered with various depressions and anxieties for so many years”.
In 2018, Mariah Carey told People magazine: “Until recently I lived in denial and isolation and in constant fear someone would expose me,” after being diagnosed with bipolar 2 disorder (associated with hypomania, or less severe manic episodes) following her hospitalisation in 2001. American singer Demi Lovato shared details of their diagnosis in 2012 documentary film, Stay Strong.
While it’s encouraging to see people in the public eye speaking out and helping to destigmatise the condition, there are still a lot of misconceptions around bipolar.
Experts and people living with bipolar explained what they want the world to understand about the disorder…
The stereotype of an artistic genius enjoying a period of intense creativity while in the manic stage isn’t entirely accurate.
“While hypomania (a less severe stage that can come before mania) can feel pleasurable, as I’m full of energy and productive, if my mood spirals up into mania it feels incredibly scary,” says actor Natasha Rea, author of Me, Myself And Bipolar Brenda. “At that point, I’ve literally lost my mind.”
There are two main types of bipolar disorder. Bipolar 1 is characterised by periods of depression and mania, while bipolar 2 generally involves long periods of depression and hypomania – but that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily easier.
“Episodes of mania experienced by people with bipolar 1 are deeply distressing for the individual and their loved ones,” says Simon Kitchen, CEO of Bipolar UK (bipolaruk.org). “But bipolar 2 can be equally challenging to manage, with people telling us they can have long periods where they’re so depressed they find it hard to get out of bed.”
“Being depressed is not something you can just snap out of,” says actor Adam Deacon. “Imagine being trapped under tons of rubble and someone suggests you simply free yourself… It’s not that easy.”
“While it is impossible to calculate an exact number, it’s estimated that over a million adults in the UK have bipolar,” says Kitchen.
“It doesn’t discriminate,” says TV and radio presenter Leah Charles-King, who was diagnosed after suffering bouts of depression and anxiety for nearly a decade. “Bipolar affects people from all backgrounds regardless of gender, race or religion.”
On average, it takes nine years from when a person first contacts a healthcare professional about symptoms to getting a diagnosis of bipolar.
“I first saw a psychiatrist when I was 19, and only got my diagnosis when I was 50,” says app developer Andrew Thompson. “I struggled for decades with a misdiagnosis of depression.”
Although there isn’t currently a cure for bipolar, a variety of different mood stabilising drugs are often prescribed.
“People with bipolar can be well for weeks, month or years at a time,” says Kitchen. “With the right treatment and support in place, everyone with bipolar can lead a ‘normal’ life.”
“Ideally, they should get preconception advice and be under the care of a specialist perinatal team,” says Dr Clare Dolman, patient and public involvement lead at the Section of Women’s Mental Health, King’s College London. “But there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be excellent mothers.”