Bipolar is a health condition whereby an individual experiences an unusual mood swing, thus lowering their quality of life.
This is a severe mental health condition that affects more than two million American adults each year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and celebrities are not spared.
Analysis has revealed that the condition affects many famous people from different parts of the world. This article incorporates a list of some of the famous people around the globe suffering from bipolar.
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine is a famous actress born and raised in Swansea. She has starred in the Feisty Female category of People magazine and has won an Oscar for her performance in Chicago.
However, one day she developed an irregular behavior that led to a suicide attempt and admitted spending time with mental health professionals owing to bipolar disorder.
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis worked as a film director and screenwriter, among other professions. He developed bipolar when he was young but kept the condition secret from people close to him because of its social stigma. As an adult, Francis felt that his disorder affected his creativity and productivity in many ways.
Diana Ross
When Diana celebrated her birthday in London, the crowd sang birthday wishes to her. Sadly, she was not in a condition that would allow her to hear them because she was studying at an institution for mental health professionals. She has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and this is why she spent time in the United Kingdom.
Jimi Hendrix
Jimi, also known as James Marshall was a famous American guitarist who developed bipolar disorder at a very young age. He began writing songs when he was sixteen and some of his works are still popular among music lovers today.
Jimi died from a drug overdose; this is because many people suffering from mental disorders such as bipolar tend to abuse substances that reduce their quality of life.
Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Dreyfuss is a famous American movie star. He developed bipolar disorder when he was still young and has since managed it through therapy and medication. Dreyfuss suffers from a milder form of the condition and has made remarkable progress in his life by becoming very productive both on-screen and behind the camera as well.
Ted Turner
Ted Turner is a famous American media mogul and philanthropist. He began developing bipolar when he was still young but later went into remission. This inspired him to set up the United Nations Foundation; it has made a difference in the world by providing funds for humanitarian aid in areas affected by war and natural disasters. This also helped him manage his bipolar disorder condition.
Rene Russo
Renee is a famous American actress known for her beauty and winning performances in some of the most popular movies produced over the past few decades. She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder during her teenage years but got better when she received treatment from mental health professionals. Her condition, however, returned after she gave birth to her first child and started abusing drugs.
Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra was an American singer, actor, and producer who rose to fame as one of the most popular artists in history. He sold more than 150 million records during his career; he won a Golden Globe for Best Actor on Television – Musical or Comedy awarded by Hollywood Foreign Press Association in 1989for The Nancy Reagan Story: First Lady from 1981-1989.
Sinatra’s incredible success never wavered throughout his life; even when it came time for him to retire due to failing health, which included heart surgery that kept him away from performing on stage after 1965 until 1980 (when he retired altogether), Sinatra remained just as successful through business ventures like Las Vegas headlining shows and television. He was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
Jack Nicholson
Nicholson is a popular American actor and movie producer who has won an Academy Award, which he accepted in 2006 after his role in the horror drama The Departed (2006). He also won 2 Golden Globe Awards for playing diverse characters and portraying them convincingly. Nicholson became known for bipolar disorder when it was discovered after a series of medical checkups for the well-being of his health.
Jean-Claude Van Damme
Jean-Claude is a famous Belgian martial artist and actor who was the best in the world at kickboxing. He began developing bipolar disorder much later in life after he suffered from a massive breakdown that forced him to go into hospital and even detoxify for several days before checking back into rehab.
This inspired Jean-Claude to become sober and introduce many other people who were suffering from the same condition to professional rehab programs.
Kim Basinger
Kim is an American actress, producer, and businesswoman who has received countless awards for her excellence when it comes to portraying roles in front of the camera as well as in producing, writing and directing movies. She developed the bipolar disorder after she gave birth to her second child and later got treatment from mental health professionals.
David Harbour
David Harbour is a man of many talents. Not only has he acted in several productions, but he also teaches at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and serves on the Screen Actors Guild National Board as First Vice President.
He started acting during his teenage years before enrolling in NYU’s prestigious drama school, where he graduated with honors from both programs: Drama and Directing Studies for Acting (MFA) & Dramatic Writing (MA).
His background not just as an actor but also teaching allows him to bring unique insight into how theatre can be enriched by new perspectives; such insights are especially apt given David’s focus on directors who have been women or people living under oppressive governments like Cuba. Harbour was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when he began suffering from depression.
Charlie Sheen
Charlie is an American actor, writer, producer, and former model who rose to fame because of his many successful roles in popular movies. He developed bipolar disorder sometime in 2005 when he got fired from the set of Two and a Half Men after the media reported that he was partying and behaving erratically.
Charlie accepted his diagnosis and began taking prescribed medication to treat it until his career could recover. Eventually, in 2011, Charlie has fired again due to erratic behavior. His ex-wife Denise Richards had him arrested after he threatened her life while on a flight from New York to Los Angeles.
Buzz Aldrin
Buzz Aldrin is an American fighter pilot, engineer, philanthropist, and former astronaut. He became the second man to walk on the moon during Apollo 11’s first human lunar landing in 1969. After suffering from depression in 2012, he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and had to quit his position as a part of NASA’s Advisory Council.
Harrison Ford
This is an American actor and film producer who has received 2 Academy Awards, 3 Golden Globe Awards, 1 Primetime Emmy Award, and 7 Screen Actors Guild Awards. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder a few years after he fractured his leg while filming the television series “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”.
The diagnosis was based on his erratic behavior during the filming of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” where he often had tantrums and even attacked the director.
Demi Lovato
Lovato is a renowned American singer, songwriter, and actress who has been involved in philanthropic efforts to help raise funds for many mental health-related issues. Since she was young, Demi has suffered from depression and anxiety that eventually led to a diagnosis of bipolar disorder during her teenage years when she began experimenting with drugs and alcohol. She has been sober since 2013.
Britney Spears
Britney is an American pop artist who began her career as a child actress then transitioned to being a pop singer and dancer during the late 1990s. She became one of the most iconic female performers in the last decade but rose to fame after her private life was splashed all over tabloids.
She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2008 after she became suicidal and made headlines for shaving her head and attacking former lover Adnan Ghalib. She has been receiving treatment since then, but like many celebrities, there is still debate over whether mental illness should be used as a scapegoat for bad behavior.
Linda Hamilton
Linda is an American actress and activist who rose to fame after starring in the hit movies “The Terminator” and “Terminator 2”, which won her a Golden Globe. After being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, she became a vocal advocate for mental health issues then founded the Hamilton-Brooks Foundation along with her husband, producer Ron Brooks.
Amanda Bynes
Amanda is an American actress and former child performer who rose to fame after appearing in Nickelodeon’s popular series “All That” then starred in films like “Big Fat Liar”. She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2013 when she began posting erratic tweets on her Twitter account.
These tweets eventually led to her being placed under psychiatric evaluation and having a mental health expert be appointed to manage her Twitter account.
Jim Carrey
This is a Canadian-American actor, comedian, impressionist, screenwriter, and producer who first made a name for himself after appearing in the hit television series “In Living Color”. After suffering from depression that he developed from his father’s suicide than being rejected by comedians Lenny Bruce and Andy Kaufman.
He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1998. He has since been able to continue his acting career while receiving treatment.
Eminem
This is an American rapper, record producer, and actor who rose to fame after releasing the album “The Slim Shady LP” in 1999 then eventually landed a major-label record deal after signing with Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment and releasing the multi-platinum selling album “The Marshall Mathers LP”.
He has had several run-ins with the law, many of them involving drugs or alcohol. He was also speculated to be suffering from bipolar disorder because of his frequent mood swings. However, he has since denied these claims and said that he is just plain angry.
Lester Holt (journalist)
He is the anchor for NBC Night News which is the leading evening news program worldwide with more than 7 million views daily on-air and online. He was diagnosed in 1996 with a manic-depressive disorder.
Mariah Carey
This is an American singer, songwriter, and actress who came to fame after signing a record contract with Columbia Records. She has won five Grammy Awards and is listed as the best-selling female artist of all time on the RIAA’s Top Artists List. Her husband Nick Cannon said he believes her unbalanced behavior could be attributed to exhaustion and stress.
Carey was diagnosed with bipolar in 2001 and has since been on medication to manage her condition.
Kanye West
Kanye West is one of the most well-known musicians in America. He has always been known for being eccentric, but his erratic behavior was first noticed at the 2009 VMAs when he interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech to protest Beyoncé not winning an award that night.
In 2016, Kanye went into hospitalization, which many thoughts had something to do with exhaustion and mental health issues like bipolar disorder or depression. It turned out Kanye just needed some sleep! But recently on April 27th, 2018 (his birthday), we saw what looked like confirmation from Ye himself: “I hate being bipolar it’s awesome”.
Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez is one of the biggest names in music. She has been in the spotlight since she was 13, and her private life is constantly under public scrutiny – but it’s something a lot of celebrities struggle with. Selena opened up about her time at a mental health center that helped her conquer an eating disorder and recurring thoughts of suicide.
The star says she experienced depression, panic attacks, and obsessive thoughts after her kidney transplant in July 2017. She’s now back on the road and performing to sold-out audiences. Selena is not alone – she has opened up about her struggle with mental health issues like bipolar disorder, which a lot of celebrities have admitted.
Carrie Fisher
Carrie Fisher is an American actress and writer best known for her portrayal of Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy. She also appeared as a guest artist in episodes of Sex and the City, Entourage, The Big Bang Theory, 30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and Catastrophe.
She co-wrote (with daughter, actress Billie Lourd) and starred in the film, Postcards from the Edge (1990), about an actress dealing with life after a drug overdose.
Street star was later revealed to be suffering from bipolar disorder. This was later changed as a result of negative feedback from the video game community over “political correctness” concerns.
Conclusion
Bipolar disorder is a condition that is terrorizing the lives of many people across the globe. However, this condition can be easily managed when one seeks proper medical care.
If you are struggling with bipolar, please watch this video which lays out 11 ways that will help you get a better handle on this disorder. Remember, you are not alone in this.