to think it suddenly seems 'the in-thing' to suffer with bi-polar?

[Champersonice]

This is really getting to me. Perhaps these 'celebs' really are suffering with bi-polar but I remember the days when it was the biggest taboo. My mother suffers with this illness and it is just awful.

There have been so many and whilst I really believe some I really do not believe Kerry Katona and now Catherine Zeta-Jones. Apparantely, CZJ booked herself into a psychiatric hospital for becoming manic-depressive following her husband's cancer, and now, according to her publicist is "feeling great and looking forward to starting work this week on two upcoming films". Perhaps Ms Zeta-Jones should visit a real psychiatric hopsital (not a detox clinic) and see real life patients suffering with this terrible, terrible illness.

AIBU?

and what sprinkling said about labels and boxes

OP you're getting a hard time because you are making assumptions based on hearsay and glossy magazine reports, or what their publicist has said is ok for them to talk about.
even though you say you don't read them.

see how assumptions are SO wrong OP.....

(just to throw a little lightheartedness in the mix)

i AM a qualified chef

Goodegg, I never said you can't get this illness if you are rich/famous/beautiful - that is what another poster assumed I meant.

I do think KK acts like she has it, but she does (or did) have a coke problem. Cocaine is not a known cause of bi-polar but can worsen the illness. It is a complex illness caused by many issues; chemical imbalance in the brain, physical, mental and and social factors.

I did not post today to piss people off or to get insulted, btw.

goodegg - "Coke and other substance abuse can cause Bi-polar. " Source?

someone way up thread said CZJ has suffered with bi polar for years??? maybe her medication just needed adjusting or something then? for all those sceptiacl of a quick 'recovery'?

YANBU
My partner has bipolar, so I have a first hand understanding of the illness. I am fed up with peopel assuming bipolar is either mood swings or really bad depression. Although depression is part of it, anyone who knows about bipolar knows that the mania can be far far worse than the depression. So being psychotic, having delusions that for example people can read your mind or are following you, delusions of grandeur, etc are al very common.

Also bipolar doesn't suddenly get better. People have to take mood altering medication all of the time to be "better". It doesn't get better after having a restful time in a private hospital.

Of course celebs can have bipolar, but I agree that it seems to be a trendy excuse or diagnosis at the moment.

Ah Beaker, I should have said, "maybe you are or maybe you are not a chef but..." haha.

Oh for goodness sake to all of the posters NOT reading my comments properly. I DID NOT SAY RICH/FAMOUS/BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE CANNOT GET BI-POLAR okay???

I do not read glossies either, rather it was the first topic on the news bulletin this morning on the radio. She was not papped BUT she made the announcement via her publicist. I know I am cynical but I agree (a bit!) with diabolo on this one.

Thanks Animation!

mental illness is a spectrum,impacting differently on each individual.so whilst there are shared commonalities and symptoms,the actual impact and severity will vary from person to person

and whether or not anyone ones to believe it,there is careful consideration given to applying a diagnosis.as unfortunately due to stigma and misunderstanding there is still a v large prejudice around mental illness

there have been some good campaigns where famous people have spoken out about their mental health frank bruno supports mental health charity

with regards to pnd,mant famous women have spoken out too about their experience.

mental illness does not distinguish rich or poor.

brooke shields
gail porter
nicole appleton
gwyneth paltrow
danielle lloyd

prosperity isnt a buffer against pnd.rich or poor pnd can strike

The way the story was reported on R4 this morning, it sounded as if CZJ had developed a touch of the bipolars as a result of her husbands illness, took herself to a clinic and now everything's fine. It all seemed so cut and dried. Hence I too was a bit

Having said that, having witnessed my friend's almighty manic phase - which was terrifying - and then how quickly she got back on a more even keel when she went back on her medication - maybe it was that simple

And I thank YOU Lesley33, for at last someone understands where I am coming from and isn't using this thread to throw insults.

Scottis, where are you cutting and pasting from? Just a question.

Jenai, you cannot develop bi-polar because of the stress of having a husband with cancer.

Now I look eagerly to those of you that think you can!

I think it's about time Joe public started to question some of these Mental Health labels like Bi-Polar Disorder that get used a lot these days. No, we can't diagnose celebrities on here - but there's something about this Bi-Polar phenomenon that doesn't add up.

Drug and alcohol use is not usually a causative factor.Bi-Polar Disoder is a serious psychotic mental illness.

Ah, I should have said Jenai, the whole situation of Michael Douglas' illness and effect on the family could well be a TRIGGER but definitely NOT the cause!

I do not think anyone can put CZJ in the same category as Kerry Katona.

CZJ has just come close to the possibility of losing her husband to cancer, and has probably been on some sort of auto pilot for the last few months while she cared for him and their children. I watched the strain that my mother was under when my dad was seriously ill, and she almost had a breakdown.

Kerry Katona, on the other hand, is an attention seeking idiot, who can never accept responsibility for her own actions, and will always blame someone else, or an illness as an excuse rather than admit her own faults. Heavy drug abuse, particularly cocaine can look like bi-polar, and mimic the symptoms of bi-polar. KK did absolutely no favours to genuine sufferers of bi-polar.

Chamoersonice, if you didn't want to be told you were being unreasonable then maybe AIBU wasn't the best place for this.

Champers - not everyone is throwing insults, there have been some very valid views on here. ignore the insults and focus on the serious posts.

AIBU is probably not the best place for a mental health discussion

Thanks, once again, Animation! Here here!

Charming. I have no clue why the OP thinks that CZJ and KK would lie about having bi-polar?

My partner was diagnosed as bipolar by a psychiatrist using WHO approved criteria. Every psychiatrist she has seen since has initially been scepitical of the diagnosis until they have confirmed it themselves - they all have.

This is because unfortunately bipolar is sometimes wrongly diagnosed. Drug abuse can mimic bipolar symptoms and others can have other mental health problems that are wrongly diagnosed.

Bipolar isn't "cured". I have heard people telling me, as posters have here, that bipolar is caused by social circumstances. Contrary to what they sometimes think, I would welcome the news that bipolar was caused by social circumstances, because then it would mean that there is a possibility of a cure. Unfortunately this doesn't seem to be the case.

Bipolar symptoms may seem to disappear because someone with bipolar learns how to manage their condition - with drugs, by avoiding over stimulation and if possible very stressful situations.

I didn't think you could, champers. But that's how it was reported this morning. I suppose a crisis like that might provoke an episode of a pre-existing MH condition though. My friend's last manic "event" (and bloody hell it was eventful) occured when she was going through a very stressful period - might the two be related?

champers,you make some points that need challenging ,and it isnt hard to refute what you are saying.you are making out this is some trendy affectation a pick & mix mental illness

this is my thoughts and i havent really got started yet,but i have plenty more to say about this

Buggering x-posts!

It is well known that when someone who is bipolar has a stressful event that this can trigger a deterioration in symptoms. But the stressful event doesn't cause bipolar.

Animation "I think it's about time Joe public started to question some of these Mental Health labels like Bi-Polar Disorder that get used a lot these days. No, we can't diagnose celebrities on here - but there's something about this Bi-Polar phenomenon that doesn't add up."

PMSL this is fucking AMAZING.

Also, bipolar isn't hypenated.