Bipolar disorder, along with other mental illnesses has a cemented disgrace attached to it causing it to remain unreported despite having a high incidence rate. The people suffering from it avoid revealing their problems associated with the disease due to the fear of being discriminated in the society. The sole cause of this ignorance is the lack of awareness and knowledge about the disorder, making it a taboo.

However, recently steps are being taken to eliminate the stigma associated with mental illnesses including Bipolar disorder. Awareness sessions and social media play a significant part in the process which not only provides information regarding the disease but also helps in encouraging the individuals suffering from it to open and seek treatment. The part played by famous figures who have put their fame into use by sharing their struggles with bipolar disorder is appreciable.

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey was aware of her diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder, but she didn’t reveal it for a long period of time due to the fear of losing her fame and ending her career. The singer decided to seek medical help after living alone and away from the limelight for long. She stated that she resumed singing and song composing in a better health state and enjoyed her career.

Carrie Fisher

Carrie is not only well known for her popular role in Star Wars, but also for her positive approach towards the mental illness she had been suffering from. She not only brought this issue to public’s attention but also encouraged people suffering from Bipolar Disorder to seek treatment and lead a normal life. Author of the novel, ‘Postcards from the edge’ penned down her autobiography while her rehabilitation phase post over-use of drugs. She was careless with her medicine schedules and dose until the birth of her child. Cardiac arrest was the cause of her death in 2016.

Bebe Rexha

The songwriter of the famous track by Eminem ‘The Monster’ opened up about her diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder via Twitter where she declared her illness and how she is overcoming the stigma associated with it. She also stated that she had episodes of highs and lows in her energy level, but she couldn’t understand the reason until she was diagnosed with the disease. She asked her fans for support and mentioned her excitement for the upcoming project.

Mel Gibson

The action hero of ‘Mad Max’ and ‘Lethal Weapon’ series is also known to be a Bipolar patient. He has been in news due to several reasons which include domestic abuse, alcoholism and drunk driving. The actor showcased his directing skills in the movie ‘Braveheart’ and was honored with the Academy award. Gibson’s mental illness was declared by him only and later came to public attention after his leaked audios and disturbed personal relations. The actor was given the title of ‘Sexiest man alive’ by the People magazine.

Demi Lovato

The famous singer of the song ‘Skyscraper’ has been associated with several mental illnesses like depression, Bulimia, and drugs addiction. She was told about being Bipolar after her rehabilitation and received medical treatment for it. The star chose to educate people about the illness and support those suffering from it, to seek medical help. Lovato also further said that it is possible to live a normal life with the disease if proper treatment is sought. Demi believed that unawareness about the illness leads to a disturbed state of mind which leads to people treating themselves on their own. She stated that she has now got control of her illness by getting proper treatment from the doctors.

Russell Brand

Russell Brand is also one of the celebrities who have been open about their struggles, fighting against mental illnesses. The comedian has been suffering from depression from a very early age and is also reported to have Bulimia and drug addictions. This also became one of the reasons of being laid off from both the tv channels he was associated with. The author of ‘Freedom from our addictions’ also wrote a book on his life and struggles. He had an unstable marriage and got divorced in two years.

Brian Wilson

The front man of the “Beach Boys”  is known for his great achievements in music including his famous album ‘Pet Sounds’ and for being the Grammy award winner for his song ‘Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow’. He also wrote an autobiography named “ I am Brian Wilson “. The singer went into isolation for decades after the diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Brian had been on drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and LSD for a long time and has also mentioned it a lot of times in his book. He had been hiding his mental illness  until the time he finally gathered courage to openly speak about it.

Kurt Cobain

The lead man of Nirvana died in 1994 after committing suicide due to his longstanding mental illness and substance abuse.  He is known to suffer from a multiple mental issue including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Depression and Bipolar disorder. He was in compliant with his treatment and has a family history of suicides too. His memorable and hit songs include ‘In Utero’ and ‘ Nevermind’.

Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix was not only a singer but a song writer and an amazing electric guitarist too. He belonged to a poor family background and was a high school dropout due to his unsatisfactory performance. The song “Manic Depression’ reflects his thoughts about the mental condition he was suffering from. He described his manic and depressive episodes in the song. He joined the army when he was given the choice of going to jail or joining the army after his crime of driving stolen cars. The well-known guitarist was only 27 at the time of death.

Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway is the author of several masterpieces such as ‘For whom the bell tolls’ and ‘A farewell to arms’. The author had a family history of Bipolar disorder and suffered from the same. He became alcoholic and experienced various symptoms indicating his addiction. His granddaughter, a well known model, Margaux also suffered from the same. The mental illness resulted in his failing personal relationships and further health deterioration. The struggles ended with his suicide in 1961.

Ted Turner

Ted has been one of the top entrepreneurs of 20th century and founded CNN and Turner broadcasting. He also founded TBS which is now a well-known American subscription television network. He was declared the Humanist of the Year, 1990 and Man of the Year in 1991. He was a bipolar and struggled with the disease for a long period of time. He has had severe bouts of depression throughout his life and had a rough personal life.

Catherine Zeta-Jones

Catherine Zeta Jones is an Academy award winner and started off as a tv star who succeeded in getting into the Hollywood. The actress reported to have suffered from several psychiatric illnesses since she went through the phase of her husband’s struggle with cancer. The actress revealed her illnesses in public and declared bipolar disorder to be treatable. Catherine sought treatment and fought the condition with courage.

Vivien Leigh

The infamous Scarlett O’Hara of ‘Gone with the wind’ was a patient of bipolar disorder and experienced episodes of mania and depression. The actress’s friend stated that she had witnessed these depressive episodes when Vivien became too rigid in her behavior and preferred staying isolated. She was married to Laurence Olivier who was her co star in several projects. She was also known to be a complicated person to work with.

Frank Sinatra

Frank was singer, actor, and producer is known for his unforgettable role in the movie ‘From here to eternity’ for which he was awarded the Academy award and his immense contribution in the music industry. Sinatra suffered from Bipolar disorder and had a moody behavior as per his colleagues. He could easily lose temper and seem cruel due to the illness. However, people also remember him for being generous and loyal.

Sinead O’Connor

The Grammy winner for ‘I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got has mentioned about her abusive home environment and resulting mental illness in an interview. The singer opened publicly about her illness of bipolar disorder also asked for support from her fans in a video clip that she uploaded on her social media account. The revelation and request for help and support gained sympathies from all over the world. She explained her condition of feeling depressed without any reason and stated how better she feels after getting treated for the disease. Sinead is a music artist known for her super hit song ‘Nothing compares 2 U’

Jean-Claude Van Damme

The martial arts expert, Van Damme experienced a popularity surge following his movie ‘Bloodsport’. He completed his martial arts training in a span of 8 years. Jean is known to be suffering from bipolar disorder and he has courageously addressed this issue in public. His positive approach towards getting proper treatment for the illness has inspired many others to get medical help. He mentioned having episodes of shifts in his moods from severe depression to mania.

Jane Pauley

The host of the morning show, ‘Sunday Morning’ and ‘Today’ shared her psychiatric issues related to Bipolar disorder in her autobiography. She supported the idea of public awareness of mental illnesses and considered it to be a sort of support and help for the affected ones. She also talked about her manic-High energy phase when she would feel high and extremely productive. The help from a psychologist proved to be beneficial for her who diagnosed her with hypomania.

Linda Hamilton

The star of the television series ‘Beauty and the beast’ and ‘Terminator’ is known to be involved in alcoholism and drug abuse. Hamilton takes medications for her bipolar disorder and has suffered from the disease for two decades. She opted educating people about it to help them overcome the taboo associated with the disease. She wants people to understand that the disease isn’t uncurable and can be managed very well through proper medical management and help from people around them.

Patty Duke

The winner of three Emmy awards and an Academy award was found to have Bipolar disorder for which she penned down two autobiographies. Although she took medical help and was getting treated for it , but she failed to maintain her relationship with her husband and got divorced. Duke addressed her mental illness and created awareness amongst people about the disorder.

Winston Churchill

Churchill was the British Prime Minister who was behind British’s victory in World War 2. The writer of numerous books and a Nobel Prize winner wasn’t only famous for his leadership and writing skills but also for his inspirational speeches and for not giving up no matter how unfavorable the situation got. However, he had to fight against his psychological issues of suicidal tendency, depression and insomnia” throughout his life, which he named as “Black Dog”

Scott Stapp

The lead vocalist of Creed was found to be involved in substance abuse and alcoholism. He became delusional and suffered from the symptom of grandiosity, thinking he had lost a lot of money that was then used in terrorist activities. Stapp appreciated the support he got from his wife after the diagnosis of his illness and sought treatment to get back to his own dignified personality. The family was glad to reach the diagnosis and went for medical and rehabilitative treatment.

Vincent van Gogh

The painter of Café Terrace at night and the Starry night was known to suffer from numerous illnesses including Bipolar disorder, Anxiety disorder, schizo affective disorder and epilepsy to name a few. van Gogh experienced severe Bipolar symptoms of bouts of depression and mania. The artist is suspected to have committed suicide due to his mental instability.

The legendary artist Vincent van Gogh painted some of the world’s best-known works, such as The Starry Night. However, he is also remembered for his difficult, eccentric, and moody personality.

Virginia Woolf

Virginia is famous for her contributions in literature such as novels like Mrs. Dalloway.  The author had several episodes of nervous breakdowns and bouts of mania and depression since her childhood which couldn’t be diagnosed then. Hence, Woolf was unable to get any treatment for her psychiatric illnesses.

Mariette Hartley

Hartley began her career as a child actress and acted in various television serials. She is also known to receive the Clio awards for her polaroid commercials. The Emmy award winner, Mariette suffered from Bipolar disorder which was initially mistaken for other mental illnesses. The actress also has a strong tendency for suicide as is found in her family. Mariette chose to discuss her illness in order to create awareness amongst people and remove the stigma associated with the disease. She also encouraged people to seek appropriate medical treatment.